A timber floor is an elegant addition to any building or home, adding both character and style. These helpful hints will ensure the floor holds its pristine appearance for as long as possible, and also prolong its life.

Caring for your timber floor

• Ensure all furniture to be placed on the timber floor has felt pads on its feet or the feet are placed in protection cups to stop the floor being scratched and otherwise damaged.
• Do not drag heavy furniture or any other items around on the floor as this may either leave an indentation in the timber or scratch the finish.
• Gaps between boards should not be filled as the filler will deteriorate with subsequent natural shrinkage and expansion in the timber.
• If a protective barrier is placed over the floor it should not be left there for a long period of time. This may affect the finish and/or cause the timber to ´sweat´ which will, in turn, lead to abnormal expansion in the boards.
• Do not use an adhesive tape on the floor unless it is an approved removable tape that won’t affect the finish.
• It is best to avoid any silicone or silicone based products (e.g. spray-on ironing aids, hair spray, fly spray etc.) coming into contact with your timber floor as this will cause rejection when your floor is recoated in the years to come.
• Any abrasive material such as dirt or grit will have the same effect on the floor surface as sandpaper. To keep this to a minimum try to place mats at entrances, and where possible place a mat on the inside as well as the outside. This should keep the dirt outside and well away from your new floor. Using runners or rugs in high traffic areas will also help.
• Any liquid spills should be mopped up immediately. If liquid is allowed to seep into the boards they will react by swelling.
• Protect your floor from direct sunlight as much as possible by using curtains, blinds or tinted windows. This will avoid your floor "drying out" and the boards shrinking which, in turn, creates gaps between the boards. If used constantly, air conditioners can also have a drying effect.
• Over time sunlight will also cause a slight darkening of your floor´s finish. As with "drying out" the use of curtains, blinds and tinted windows will slow down that process. Rugs should also be moved around slightly to avoid a patchy effect where the timber floor has been covered for any length of time.
• If you feel your floor is losing some of its finish we recommend that you ask a representative from our company to come to inspect it in order to determine whether a recoat is required or not.  

Cleaning your timber floor

Just how regularly you need to clean your floor depends on your environment. Factors such as the amount of traffic, the condition of the immediate outside area and the type of wear your floor experiences (pets, children and their toys can be quite hard on a timber floor) all have a significant impact on how frequently your timber floor should be cleaned. When you do need to clean you will get the best results (and, in some cases, avoid significant damage) if you follow these guidelines:-

• Lightly dust the floor with an anti-static dust mop to collect dust or grit on a daily to weekly basis, or whenever you notice the floor becoming dusty. While a vacuum cleaner can be used we generally recommend against this as eventually the brushes on the vacuum head wear thin which can result in the solid roller base scratching the polished finish.
• Wash the floor on a monthly basis, or after a spell of high traffic, with a mop which has been wrung out to be as dry as possible. Use only "timber floor friendly" detergents in warm water. Due to the high temperature and levels of moisture produced, steam mops should never be used on a timber floor.
• Spot clean the floor with a damp cloth should the floor require cleaning between mopping. Remember that excess water will damage the floor in extreme cases.

If you follow these guidelines and remember the simple rule that dirt, moisture and direct sunlight are your floor´s worst enemies your new timber floor last you a lifetime.