Regular Care
Polyurethane
Solid and engineered wood floors are built to last and easy to keep beautiful. The lowest day to day maintenance finish is polyurethane, which is basically a protective film on top of the wood.
The polyurethane finish makes the floor more water and stain resistant, since liquids tend to bead on top of the coating, and the floor requires less upkeep. Regular sweeping or vacuuming, and occasional damp mopping with a diluted solution of Lemonsoap (1-2 capfuls in a gallon of warm water) are all it takes to keep polyurethane floors looking great. A solution of 3 parts water and one part vinegar may also be used. Be sure to use a damp mop; never soak the floor with water.
Natural Hardwax or Oil
Engineered and solid wood floors also come pre-finished with a natural
hardwax or oil, or they may be applied on the jobsite, that includes ingredients
like linseed oil, beeswax, carnauba wax and calcium. This allows the wood
to breath and age. It’s also a very natural look and feel.
But the hardwax finish requires regular maintenance, in addition to sweeping and vacuuming. About once a week, damp mop with a diluted solution of Lemonsoap (1-2 capfuls in a gallon of warm water). For very dirty areas or tough spots, use non-diluted Lemonsoap on a soft rag or scrubbing pad. For extra shine, allow it to dry for twenty minutes, and then buff the floor in the direction of the wood grain.
Never use chemicals, solvents or cleaners with strong alkaline (over pH 7) contents. A PH of 10 or above could dissolve the oiled and waxed surface. Lemonsoap contains the correct acidity for the oiled and waxed surfaces.
Scratches and Indentations
Scratches and small dents may be more obvious depending on the type of wood you choose – hard or soft – and the finish.
With a polyurethane finish, scratches and dents might be even more noticeable because the finish is shiny. When the polyurethane wears, the entire floor needs to be re-sanded and a new coat applied. However, individual planks can be replaced. It’s best to hire a professional installer.
With a natural hardwax or oil finish, scratches and small dents may actually add to the character and aging process of your wood floor! But if they bother you, scratches can be spot corrected by sanding lightly with a rough pad and reapplying the hardwax or oil.
Let the hardwax dry overnight and do not retreat it for two weeks.
Sturdy felt pads under furniture legs and soft rubber rollers instead of metal or plastic rollers all help to prevent scratches and dents.
Humidifiers
Remember that wood is a natural substance that absorbs humidity and gives it off again. The optimum level of humidity for both your health and your floor should be between the ranges of 30% to 50%. Whatever the level, try to keep the humidity as consistent as possible throughout the year. Huge fluctuations cause the wood to shrink and expand and lead to cracks. Humidifiers, indoor plants and fountains help prevent this.
In-Floor Radiant Heat
Because of their stability, engineered wood floors are an ideal choice over in-floor heat. Solid wood flooring may also be used, but there will be greater movement in solid planks, particularly in planks wider than 4” – 5”. Some manufacturers, such as Di Legno and Adler, will dry their flooring to 6% - 6 1/2% for the dry Colorado climate, which reduces plank movement, but does not eliminate it.
We do have some suggestions to protect the floor and the heating system. According to National Wood Flooring Association guidelines, a hardwood floor should never be hotter than 85 degrees F at its surface. Of course, surface heat is different from water temperature, so if you’re planning to put wood over a radiant heating system, you might want to talk to your heating installer before any work is done. To avoid any unnecessary overheating of the floors, each heating zone should have a temperature sensor in the slab that is set for 85 degrees F at the surface. This will automatically cut off the system if the temperature rises above that set point.
Also, have your installer place the hot water tubes as close together as possible, and the more tubes, the better.
Packing the tubes tightly together creates an even distribution of heat, rather than hot spots, and saves energy by allowing the homeowner to run the system at a lower water temperature. It also extends the life of the heating system.
Wood flooring can be stressed and damaged by trying to bring the temperature of your house up too quickly with in-floor radiant heat. Thermostats should gradually be moved up to allow the wood floor to absorb heat slowly over the first 24-48 hours.
Overheating damage can also occur when a non-skid pad or rug that is too thick traps heat. Non-skid pads should be no more than 1/6” to 1/8” thick and should be made of perforated material so heat is not trapped. Consideration should be given to the thickness of the rug and/or rug and non-skid pad combination.
