Timber Floor Maintenance and Restoration

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General Maintenance Tips for all Timber Floors

• Regularly sweep to remove dirt and grit which will lead to excess wear and scratching.
• Lift and move furniture and appliances. Do not drag. Use felt furniture protectors.
• Use "breathable" mats at entrances to trap grit, dirt, sand or any abrasive material which otherwise can scratch, damage and prematurely wear the surface.
• Mats will also protect the flooring from excessive water brought in by footwear. Use rugs in high traffic areas.
• Where possible, avoid use of golf or spiked high-heeled shoes.
• Maintain relative humidity levels between 30% and 70%.
• Blot up spills or stains as soon as they happen.
• Use curtains where possible to minimize intense direct sunlight on the floor which will cause premature fading.

Maintaining and Restoring a Solid Timber or Parquetry Floor

A well laid solid timber or parquetry floor will last a lifetime, and add appreciable value to your house. The strong coating will preserve your floor and keep it resistant to general traffic and wear and tear (such as scratches for example).

After a number of years, you might decide you want to restore your floor to its original beauty. This involves re-sanding and polishing the floor (same process as described in the installation stage), and will make your house look like new again! Due to the thickness of the timber, a solid floor can be re-sanded and polished a number of times.

Other tips include:

• Wipe up spills with a dry cloth or paper towel. For sticky substances, use a damp cloth.
• Damp mops can be used, but try to keep amount of water used to a minimum as excess water will change the moisture balance and cause the timber to expand, which can result in cupping.
• Never use household detergents or polishes on your hardwood timber floors as they can contain chemicals which can damage the finish.

Maintaining and Restoring an Engineered or Floating Floor

To keep a floating floor clean, simply use an electro-static broom and wipe up any spills quickly to ensure they don't seep through the floor.

Like a solid floor, an engineered floating floor can be re-sanded and polished to restore to its original finish, although this can only be done once or twice as the top level veneer is quite thin.

Other tips specific to maintaining an engineered floor include:

• Sweep, dust or vacuum the floor regularly to prevent accumulation of dirt or grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish. Use hard floor attachment, not a beater bar. Floors must not be cleaned with steam mops.
• Do not wash or wet-mop floor with soap and water, oil soap, detergent or any other liquid cleaning material. This can cause swelling, warping, delamination and joint line separation and void the Warranty.
• Do not use oil-based, strong ammoniated or abrasive cleaners. Do not scrub with steel or copper wool scrubbers.
• Periodic cleaning with a good-quality, non-abrasive wood floor cleaner to remove all residues or dulling dirt film layer. Consult your dealer for recommendation of a cleaning product designed for cleaning UV-finished wood floors.
• Do not use paste, wax, silicone or solvent-based polish.

Maintaining a Laminate Floor

Laminate floors are the easiest type of floor to maintain. Occasionally vacuum or sweep the floor to remove dirt and debris. A mop can be used regularly, and nail polish remover will get rid of those tough spots.

As a laminate floor can not be resanded and polished, it is especially important to take preventative care, such as utilising walk off mats at entrances and area rugs in high wear spots. Felt protectors or casters should be attached to chair, table and appliance legs.