How Should I Clean My Prefinished Hardwood Floors?

A lot of homeowners with newly-installed hardwood floors have the same question: How can I clean my new prefinished hardwood flooring without damaging the wood or the finish? Well, luckily for homeowners, cleaning prefinished hardwood floors is a lot easier than some people imagine it to be. The following are three simples steps you can take to make sure your new prefinished floors look great for years to come.

Vacuum/Sweep
This is the easiest and most commonly overlooked way to keep your prefinished floors looking great. Dirt, dust, and debris can build up on hardwood flooring and leave unsightly scratches and scrapes. Sweeping or vacuuming on a regular basis may be a pain, but it's the best way to protect your new floor's finish. Sidenote: If you're going to vacuum, make sure your vacuum has rubber wheels, otherwise it might cause more scratches than it prevents.

Clean Spills Immediately
Standing water (or any other liquid, really) is one of the biggest threats prefinished hardwood flooring can face. If not properly dealt with, a spill can seep through the floor's finish, damaging it and discoloring the wood. Making sure you clean up spills as soon as they happen will help preserve your floors' finish and avoid stains and discolorations.

Use Appropriate Cleaner
Sometimes sweeping just won't cut it. We get that. If you must mop or scrub, make sure you use an appropriate cleaner. We like DuraSeal's Hardwood Floor Cleaner - it was specifically made for use on prefinished floors, including floors with polyurethane and waterbased finishes. Using such a cleaner on occasion can help get rid of dirt, grime, and other times of built up without leaving a cloudy soap residue. Make sure to check with your hardwood manufacturer before using, though - they may have product suggestions of their own.

Here's a great video demonstrating some of the ways you can keep your floors clean and looking like new:

 

Do you have problems keeping your prefinished hardwood floors looking like new? Leave us a comment and tell us your story!

The Top 5 Reasons People Love Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

Prefinished flooring is one of the most popular types of hardwood flooring products in the country today, and for good reason. Or should we say reasons? The following are the top five reasons people can't seem to get enough of prefinished hardwood flooring. Enjoy!

1. It's easier to install.
Unlike unfinished flooring, prefinished hardwood flooring is a breeze to install. It is sanded and finished by the manufacturer, so all the contractor needs to do is nail or glue it down. Done and done! This quick turn-around can save you a lot of money on installation costs, as well as save you from having an installation team in your home for days on end.

2. There's no waiting period.
Unfinished flooring not only requires on-site sanding and finishing, it also requires you to wait for the new finish to dry. (And don't even get us started on the smell!) With prefinished hardwood, the floor is ready to be walked on as soon as it is installed, which in many cases is only a single day.

3. The finish is more durable.
The prefinished hardwood flooring from Fantastic Floor is usually treated with up to 8 coats of an aluminum oxide finish. This durable, long-lasting finishing technique means your floors will be able to stand up to day-to-day traffic for longer than boards treated with just a few coats of finish.

4. The finish is more consistent.
Because of the streamlined way it is produced, manufacturer-finished hardwood is often much more consistent in appearance than on-site finished floors. This isn't necessarily true for the color or grain pattern of the wood, mind you - that is based on the grade of the material - but it is true for the finish. When you hire a contractor to finish your floors on-site you run the risk of ending up with an uneven finish job, especially if there's more than one contractor working on the project.

5. It comes with a 25-year warranty. 
All the solid prefinished flooring available at Fantastic Floor is guaranteed with a 25-year finish warranty. This means that when you purchase prefinished flooring from us and install it according to our installation and maintenance standards, we guarantee that the finish will not wear through or separate from the wood for a full 25 years. We also guarantee that the finish will be free of manufacturing defects and flaws in the application of the polyurethane aluminum oxide finish. Visit the Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Warranty page on Fantastic-Floor.com for more information.

What are your top reasons for loving prefinished hardwood flooring? Leave us a comment and let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

How to Prepare Your Wood Floors for Winter

By this time of the year you've probably prepared your yard, deck, and car for the nasty winter weather that is just around the corner, but what about your hardwood flooring? Yes, even something as durable and long-lasting as wood floors can take a real beating during the winter months. From rain, snow, and dirt to dramatic changes in temperature and humidity, hardwood floors are up against a lot this time of year. Luckily, there are a number of simple steps you can take to prepare your floors for the winter. The following are 5 of our favorite ways to make sure your hardwood looks as good next spring as it does right now. Enjoy!

1. Keep the climate consistent.
Dramatic changes in temperature and humidity can cause your floor boards to shrink and swell, causing buckling, warping, and gaping. Keeping the inside of your home warm and dry during the winter months can cut back on a lot of climate-related problems facing your hardwood floors.

2. Keep it clean.
Next to temperature and humidity fluctuations, dirt and debris are the next biggest threat against your hardwood floors. Mud, dirt, dust, leaves, and other seasonal debris can build up on your floors and cause scrapes, scratches, and even wood rot. Keep your floors clean by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping when necessary.

3. Know your floors.
Another great way to prevent winter-related problems is to know the specifics of your hardwood floors. How long ago were they installed? Do they have a warranty? What species of wood are they? Are they prefinished or engineered? What have they been treated with? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you make decisions about how much time and money you want to invest in protecting your floors during the winter.

4. Use floor mats.
They're not just to welcome guests anymore! Floor mats help trap all the nasty dirt and debris that you and your family will inevitably track in during the cold winter months. Use them at every entrance.

5. Train your pets.
Dogs don't often know to wipe their paws on floor mats when they enter your house. Use treats and plenty of loving attention to train your four-legged friends to stay at the door until you get a chance to wipe their paws clean.

How are you planning on preparing your hardwood flooring for the winter months? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Questions? Contact Fantastic Floor today to talk to one of our knowledgeable representatives. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Frequently Asked Questions: Unfinished, or Prefinished?

Q: I am remodeling my house and am considering refinishing parts of my hardwood floor. Should I use prefinished or unfinished hardwood flooring?

A: Both prefinished and unfinished hardwood flooring have their advantages and disadvantages. The answer to this question really depends on what kind of flooring you currently have in your home and how much access you want in the room(s) being remodeled.

If you are trying to match an existing hardwood floor, your best bet is unfinished. This allows you to stain the new boards to match the current floor exactly. However, onsite finishing results in a lot of dust, dirt, and noise, and you may not have access to that area of your home during the finishing process.

Choosing prefinished flooring means you get to avoid the hassles that come from onsite finishing. However, it also means your new boards are less likely to match your current floor. This isn't a big deal if you are only replacing a few boards, but if you need to replace half a room the mismatch could be distracting.

Unfinished Amendoim hardwood flooring available at www.Fantastic-Floor.com.

Learn more about prefinished and unfinished hardwood flooring by calling 1-888-448-9663.