Oil Finished Floors / Download pdf / Top

 

Wood floors allow the warmth and beauty of nature to be part of your interior environment. With common sense, proper care and maintenance your floor will continue to radiate warmth and beauty for generations. Please be aware, most wood flooring problems are caused by abrasive material scratching the finish and/or excessive water or moisture. Here are a few guidelines essential to the care and maintenance of your oil finished wood floor.

 

 

Preventative & Regular Maintenance:
Preventative maintenance is the primary maintenance approach.

One to four times a year, mop your floor with the manufacturer’s recommended oil freshener. This will introduce a small amount of oil into the floor to freshen it and extend the time before re-oiling becomes necessary.

If cleaning more than four times a year becomes necessary, use the manufacturer’s recommended wood soap. Please remember to still mop with the recommended oil freshener twice a year.

For commercial floors that require frequent cleaning, use a manufacturer’s recommended product formulated to allow virtually daily cleaning without leaving behind residue, which may cause excessive build up over time.

Be sure to wipe spills promptly with a damp well-rung cloth.

Dry dust mop regularly to keep the floor free of abrasives.

For hard to clean spots and spills, as well as periodic cleaning, use the manufacturer’s recommended floor cleaner.

Use appropriate felt pad protectors for furniture to prevent scratches.

Support heavy furniture and appliances with wide weight bearing, non-staining glides or rubber casters.

Use mats at all entryways to keep dirt and grit abrasives, and moisture from being tracked in onto the floor.

Area rugs help to prevent tracking of abrasives on footwear. Rubber, foam back, or plastic mats should not be used as they may discolor the floor over time.

Maintain normal humidity levels of 30-50% relative humidity.

Use mats or rugs near sinks or dishwashers to avoid excess moisture.

Check that high heeled shoes are in good repair to prevent scratches. Stiletto heels or the exposed metal post of any high heel will exert between 2000-8000 lbs/per square inch and will damage most any flooring surface.

Strong sunlight will subtly change the patina of most woods over time. To reduce fading reduce sunlight during peak sunlight hours.

Keep pet nails trimmed and filed in order to minimize excessive wear.

 

 

 

Things Not To Do:
Do not allow water to stand on your floor at any time, including when cleaning. Excessive water will damage your wood floor.

Do not use ammonia or oil based wax, polish, household dust treatment chemicals, abrasive cleaners, furniture cleaners, scrubbers or any other brand product not recommended to clean your floor. Do not wait until finish is worn off and dirt and spills have penetrated the wood. Complete re-coating should be done, when necessary, when the floor begins to show wear.

 

 

 

Wood Flooring and Humidity
Wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range or 30% to 50% and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately that is about the same comfort range that most humans enjoy.

Typically wood flooring is produced and shipped from the factory in a range of 6% - 9% moisture content. That is the industry standard. Although some movement can be expected even between 6% and 9% moisture content, wood can expand and contract dramatically outside that range. For example, as the humidity levels approach 20%, wood that arrives with 9% moisture content can lose up to 50% of its moisture. That much moisture content loss will have a profound effect on the movement of the flooring planks.

 

 

 

 

 

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Urethane Finished Floors / Download pdf / Top

 

Wood floors allow the warmth and beauty of nature to be part of your interior environment. With common sense, proper care and maintenance your floor will continue to radiate warmth and beauty for generations. Please be aware, most wood flooring problems are caused by abrasive material scratching the finish and/or excessive water or moisture. Here are a few guidelines essential to the care and maintenance of your wood floor.

 

 

Preventative & Regular Maintenance:
Preventative maintenance is the primary maintenance approach.

Be sure to wipe spills promptly with a damp well-rung cloth.

Dry dust mop regularly to keep the floor free of abrasives.

For hard to clean spots and spills, as well as periodic cleaning, we recommend Bona Kemi’s Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Follow directions on the bottle.

Use appropriate felt pad protectors for furniture to prevent scratches.

Support heavy furniture and appliances with wide weight bearing, non-staining glides or rubber casters.

Use mats at all entryways to keep dirt and grit abrasives, and moisture from being tracked in onto the floor.

Area rugs help to prevent tracking of abrasives on footwear. Rubber, foam back, or plastic mats should not be used as they may discolor the floor over time.

Maintain normal humidity levels of 30-50% relative humidity.

Use mats or rugs near sinks or dishwashers to avoid excess moisture.

Check that high heeled shoes are in good repair to prevent scratches. Stiletto heels or the exposed metal post of any high heel will exert between 2000-8000 lbs/per square inch and will damage most any flooring surface.

Strong sunlight will subtly change the patina of most woods over time. To reduce fading reduce sunlight during peak sunlight hours.

 

 

 

Things Not To Do:
Do not allow water to stand on your floor at any time, including when cleaning. Excessive water will damage your wood floor.

Do not use oil soap, paste wax, silicone-based polishes, ammonia, chlorine bleach, or any abrasive cleaners or scrubbers that might scratch or react with the floor finish. Once you wax or use soap-based products, such as Murphy’s Oil Soap for example, on a urethane floor, it is difficult to recoat the floor as the new finish will not bond to wax and/or residue on the floor.

Do not wait until finish is worn off and dirt and spills have penetrated the wood. Complete re-coating should be done, when necessary, when the floor begins to show wear.

 

 

 

Wood Flooring and Humidity
Wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range or 30% to 50% and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately that is about the same comfort range that most humans enjoy.

 

Typically wood flooring is produced and shipped from the factory in a range of 6% - 9% moisture content. That is the industry standard. Although some movement can be expected even between 6% and 9% moisture content, wood can expand and contract dramatically outside that range. For example, as the humidity levels approach 20%, wood that arrives with 9% moisture content can lose up to 50% of its moisture. That much moisture content loss will have a profound effect on the movement of the flooring planks.