Summertime Sun Sand Surf and Your Wood Floors
Summer Maintenance for Wood Floors
During the summer months there are elements that can affect the beauty of your hardwood floors. Below are some tips to keep in mind as we dive into the dog days of summer.
Sand
Sand can dull the finish on your wood floors. Think of the grains of sand on sandals/feet or furniture acting like sandpaper when dragged across the hardwood floors. This action abrades the protective coating on your floors and overtime makes your floors more susceptible to damage.
One solution is to keep sandals and footwear outside or in a bin by the doorway. Keep any sandy toys/chairs/towels outside as well.
Inevitably sand and or debris will get tracked into your home so remember to clean regularly to keep the sand particles from damaging your floors. Mop your floors using a cleaner specially formulated formulated for use with hardwood floors, such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner and avoid aproducts that contain wax or silicone.
Water and Moisture
Any standing water on wood floors is the making for a disaster. Water damage happens when water is allowed to saturate a wood floor. Summer fun by the pool or beach can unknowingly invite puddles of water onto your floors from those wet suits and feet.
Promptly clean up any water spills or pooling of water on your floors. Quick action will minimize or eliminate any impact on your floors.
Another source of moisture in the summertime arises when the humidity is up. During the height of the summer you may notice your floors might move or swell a little bit. Wood is hygroscopic and changes with the environment therefore, you may notice the gaps that were evident in the winter months close up.
The use of a dehumidifier will minimize the seasonal effects caused by humidity on your wood floor during the summertime.
Sun
Overtime the sun’s rays can change the appearance of your floors. This is most noticeable when a rug or article of furniture is moved and there is color difference in the floor boards. Sunlight can cause boards to lighten or darken over time.
Some woods are more susceptible to the effects of the sun’s rays. Soft woods, such as pine flooring, fade more quickly with sun exposure. Oak is a harder wood which fades less dramatically than pine. Brazilian Cherry flooring on the other hand will actually darken with exposure to the sun’s rays.
What can you do to minimize the color change to your wood floors? Some very easy solutions are to: close your drapes, shades or blinds during daylight hours, have a UV film installed on your window glass.