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Vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring—any kind of flooring is an investment, that's for sure. We aren't just talking monetarily; we're also referring to how it's an investment in your living space's aesthetic, in your pride as a homeowner. Quite a worthwhile investment indeed!
It's only natural to want to make that investment last. Rest assured, though, that by putting your money toward quality brands from E Hardwoods & Flooring, you'll be buying flooring that's built to last, regardless of what it's made from. That being said, there are quite a few maintenance tasks that, when kept up with, can prolong your flooring's serviceable years. Read on to learn more.
First and foremost: every flooring type has individual needs and maintenance requirements that need to be attended to in order for that flooring to last. For example, solid hardwood flooring requires refinishing to keep looking and performing at its best, while you’d be silly to try such a procedure with vinyl flooring.
It’s important for you to learn all you can about maintenance for your personal flooring type. All flooring, though, appreciates the following when it comes to longevity-promoting care:
Or vacuuming, whatever floats your boat. Fine particles of debris can be ground into your flooring as you and your family walk atop of it, degrading its finish over time. It takes five minutes to perform daily cleaning, so don’t shirk it!
Yes, your waterproof flooring is, well, waterproof, but that doesn’t mean you should let stain-promoting liquids sit there! Even if you don’t make much of a fuss over it, your flooring, regardless of what it is made out of, appreciates your prompt care.
There’s a reason why so many households have a no-shoes-in-the-house policy. Your shoes can track in the aforementioned small degree particles even if you’re meticulous about your feet, so leave any footwear at the front door.
Most vinyl flooring will be good to go for years with just a bit more than the care outlined above. Hardwoods, on the other hand, require a little more maintenance to stay looking and working at their best. They last for decades upon decades, though, so for many families, the following extra steps are well worth the effort.
We mentioned hardwood flooring refinishing above—but what exactly is it, and why does it matter? The Spruce describes the process succinctly: “The process involves removing the top layer of the covering material using a large sander… The result is a fresh surface that is then stained and top-coated with whatever protective coating you prefer.”
Refinishing is essential for the health of your hardwood floors. Without a functional layer of that protective finishing, the wooden underlayers are vulnerable to spills, which can result in significant staining. Regular refinishing also ensures that any physical damage is limited to the replaceable and sandable upper parts of the flooring, saving boards from extensive gouges and scrapes.
So when does your hardwood need refinishing? Our prefinished hardwood flooring blog has all the answers.
Each hardwood floor is unique as far as materials go, but one thing is for certain: all of them require wood-specific floor cleaners. Though vinyl may be fine in many cases with a more broad-spectrum floor cleaner—with a few exceptions that warrant always reading the bottle—real wood is sensitive, requiring that you pay a bit more attention to what you’re mixing together in your mopping bucket.
Luckily, it’s not hard to find hardwood-specific cleaners. They tend to be labeled boldly as such. You will need to read the instructions a little more carefully, though, to see if you need to dilute the product or if you’re meant to apply it directly to the floor.
For more on cleaning hardwoods as opposed to other flooring types, check out our blog on the topic.
From quality vinyl flooring brands to the most exotic hardwoods, we stock it all with pride. Check out what we have to sell or contact us now at 651-401-4500 for personalized help.