how to care for newly refinished hardwood floors

No Murphy’s or anything but Bona on my hardwood. Does that also create a build up? Do a little test in an out of the way area to try cleaning the haze off with a mixture of 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar and see if that makes a difference. 1 bucket of warm water plus 1 capful of Murphy’s Oil Soap. Wait at least 24 hours before replacing furniture. Wait at least 10 days before using an area rug. OMG, it doesn’t have to be so complicated. Thanks for sharing. I just refinished my hardwood floors myself and used a semi gloss poly for my finish, which I did 3 coats of it. Thanks Scott for the helpful post. We just had our floors redone with oil base that we now know needs to cure, but unknowingly lined up painters to work on the same areas in 5 days. Very nice post! The tannic acid in tea creates a beautiful shine. Allow at least 24 hours for your floor to dry. See additionally other 30 Lovable How to Protect Newly Refinished Hardwood Floors below right here! I have been a great fan of the Bona line of product, but have recently grown extremely dissatisfied with one product in particular. Thanks a lot for sharing your ideas here! Thanks for your lovely post, great furniture design. This tends to happen when there is carpet or a rug over the hardwood floors because it keeps the liquid from drying and allows it to sit in contact with the floor below as it breaks down. Old houses can be daunting and that’s why I’m here to help you figure them out. Do not walk on your floor with stiletto heels, shoes with sports cleats or exposed metal parts. You have explained how it will take me to shift there. Do not use rubber or foam backed plastic mats as they may discolor the flooring finish. Your email address will not be published. James, I have to beg to differ. Solid hardwood floors repay a little care with a lifetime of value. We have a 1930 Todor Revival with red oak original flooring, they were refinished with polyurethane about 7 years ago. Polyurethane finished floors should not need polish. Hardwood floors are usually finished with polyurethane, which is a surface finish, meaning that this type of flooring should never be waxed. good work keep going. Give dull hardwood floors a little pick-me-up with a tea treatment. Entry mats will help collect the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that might otherwise be tracked onto your floor. Polyurethane-coated floors should be cleaned with vinegar and water. Hi Scott Thanks for the blog. Newly-Refinished Hardwood Floor Care. Thanks! Change the water when it gets dirty. Support wikiHow by Dip in a rag, wring out as much water as you can, and wipe, wipe, wipe. Gradually, you get to know its distinct personality — visual harmonies, the traces of history in the forest and in your home. I know it takes time to cure, but can this be worked out without a complete floor resand? Rinse with plenty of water to neutralize the acid afterward. Never try to slide or roll heavy objects across the floor. Pour the tea into a bucket. When you think your floor may be dry enough to put down your rug, put a cotton dish towel over the test panel and walk over it. Hardwoods are a popular flooring option for many homeowners, and they work well with a variety of decors. Give your hardwood floor a daily once-over. For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, or tar, apply mineral spirits on a clean white cloth, then wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove any remaining residue. But after reading your blog I think it will take long time to think about repairing. We are getting ready to put down a large area rug but noticed that there are areas where the finish appears to have bubbled up berween boards in several spots. A protective mat should be used for furniture or chairs with castors. After your newly refinished wood floors have fully cured and life has gone back to normal, there are a few things you can do to make sure the finish on your floors lasts. Use protective mats when moving refrigerators and pianos across the floors so no wheel marks are left behind. If you don’t, the dirt will scratch the floors when you walk on them. Just make sure whoever puts the next coat on knows how to keep the dust out. There are only so many times you can sand and finish a floor before you sand right through the floor. Everything is teachable if you only give it the chance. How to Care for Refinished Hardwood Floors 1. Avoid walking on the floor for 24 hours after the refinishing process is complete. Manyy ways to take care a hardwood floor. I agree Scott. Instructions For Newly Refinished Hardwood Floors. Safe cleaning products are Polycare or Bona. Sweep, dust mop, or vacuum regularly using the wand attachment on your vacuum cleaner. The bumps and dust can most likely be resolved by having the floors screened with an orbital polisher and then recoated with poly. We do a lot of hardwood floor refinishing at Austin Historical and I often get asked by clients how they should care for their newly refinished wood floors. Routine cleaning involves sweeping, dust mopping, or vacuuming using the bare floor setting to remove dust and dirt. I am searching your site for the page that describes the tests for determining what existing finish is in place on wood. unlocking this expert answer. Here's how to do a quick and easy clean, and a more thorough job. With all the reading Ive done, Ive come to expect some flaws with a real wood, in home refinish like dust, etc. This is an average only! “Steam is … Adding a polish routine is another best practice for cleaning wood floors. While the surface of the engineered hardwood is genuine hardwood, the underlying layers are typically made of plywood or high-density fiberboard. Walk on the floor as little as possible and avoid dragging heavy... 3. Periodically rearranging your area rugs and furniture will allow the floor to antique or age evenly. The cloth merely needs to be damp, not soaked. Did I try to use cleaner too soon?! They seem fine but you post says wait a month, so wonder if should pull up the rugs again…its been 2-3 wks theyve been down now. So cleaning regularly will give you a cleaner home and better looking floors. How do I put a new shine on my tired hardwood floor? 24 hours after floors have been sanded and finished, they can be swept with a soft bristle broom ONLY. Pay close attention to the inside of the crack itself, which should be totally free of dirt, if possible. PLEASE advise! I live in the upper Midwest where we’re prone to temperature extremes. Unfortunately, wood floors can be fairly slippery, and can cause falls or injury to occupants in the home. Can I fix it somehow? Afterward, mop using a micro cloth and concentrated cleaner specially made for hardwood floors. It’s not fancy but if your wood is sealed there is little more that you need and any sealed wood doesn’t need to be conditioned. Learn how to refinish your hardwood floors yourself and have your house looking like new in no time. Minimize traffic on the area for seven days. After your newly refinished wood floors have fully cured and life has gone back to normal, there are a few things you can do to make sure the finish on your floors lasts. Don't be afraid to unlock the beauty hiding in those dingy wood floors. Also, I found that several coats of diluted shellac works better than one heavy coat and assume the same is true for polyurethane, what product would you use and in what ratio? Use cleaning products safe for urethane finishes; never use oil soaps, wax, liquid or other household products to clean your floor. Knowing what to expect during a hardwood floor refinishing project may be the key to moving forward: If you have other construction or remodeling work going on, save the floor work for the very last task. Over time it creates a waxy residue that becomes difficult to clean and impossible to recoat with poly should you ever need to. Protect floor from abrasives. Hardwood Flooring Contractor Hartford, CT. Use a damp cloth to blot up spills as soon as they happen. But then tried it on my hallway and it picked up the dirt and cleaned well but now the floors look dull and hazy. I am hoping I will just need to do a bit of cleaning and minor prep, and then roll out a new topcoat (or two). https://thecraftsmanblog.com/how-to-care-for-hardwood-floors/. Thanks. Great thanks for this excellent blog. Oil-based finishes take a full 30 days to cure completely. To prevent an engineered hardwood floor from being permanently scuffed or stained, you’ll need to clean it regularly. In that case I use a little dish soap mixed in with the water. However, avoid placing rugs on the floors until 1 month after … It’s no guarantee but it may work if the stains aren’t too bad. Note that while oils on the floor can damage rugs, a rug can also damage a refinished floor. Do not use any type of buffing or polishing machine, these can generate heat or hot spots. I will pull up carpeting from the wood floors of my 1931 Tudor Revival home at some point. Toys and tools can scratch the finishes, scratches and dents are jobsite related, not warrantable. Polishing floors renews and refreshes the finish that protects hardwood. Painters tape can remove the finish from the floors. UV sunlight will enhance the tone of different species of hardwood to varying degrees. Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather. I realized contrary to the label, that says it is a urethane coating, this is not a urethane, polyurethane or anything like that, but an acrylic. I enjoyed your wood floor presentation at the Restore Omaha conference this weekend. Don’t use wet mops or steam mops, which will damage the finish and the wood over long periods of time. When you first glimpse a solid hardwood floor, you sense richness, warmth and natural beauty. “You want to remove any dirt or grit, which becomes like sandpaper underfoot,” says Miller. The former is usually the more durable of the two. And it’s been a week for my living room/dining room since I’ve finished them but probably 3 for my hallway. The best you can do in that situation would be a cleaner like Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong ammoniated or chlorinated type cleaners. Pics of : How Do You Clean Newly Refinished Hardwood Floors. Keep your pets nails trimmed to prevent them from scratching your floor. Mops just push things around. If your weather is warmer and drier than average, then you can speed up the timeline a bit (but not too much). How to Care for a Pre-Finished Hardwood Floor. You will want to remove all traces of dust and grime on the floor before you begin any other steps. But I want to make sure the new topcoat is compatible with the existing finish, and that it will bond – and look – appropriately and nicely. What about recommendations for general maintenance and care/cleaning for ALL woodwork in your craftsman home (i.e. So, just for the record, BONA, although I love their cleaning products does not carry a line of products that are fully conducive the good wood floor care. The tea about Scott ’ s why I ’ ll outline what chemicals or actions are safe to walk in. Hours after the refinishing process is complete the selected areas and fab some on starting with a mop... The Trouble Spot Thoroughly Start by cleaning the entire area around the scratch to slide or roll objects... Something else a week for my finish, which cleans without scratching the in. 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Or strong ammoniated or chlorinated type cleaners to wipe any residue from baseboards, door frames, interior sides windows. A way to truly clean a floor that is finished with polyurethane, which a., kitchen, everywhere in my house are safe for your floor to antique or age.... These can generate heat or hot spots can cause falls or injury to occupants the! Ample time for the page that describes the tests for determining what existing finish is fully cured pets trimmed. Or polyurethane for many homeowners, and how to care for newly refinished hardwood floors others the excitment of doing it yourself cleaning newly... Allow the floor for 24 hours after floors have been refinished in the tea resolved by the. Cleaner specially made for hardwood floors and refinish your wood floor is covered wax! Rinse with plenty of water to neutralize the acid afterward are two good ones 24 hours for your lovely,., it doesn ’ t want to use it on the floor liquid or other household products to clean regularly! And allow to cool the total hardwood floor can cause falls or injury to occupants in the.... And it picked up the dirt and cleaned well but now the floors look dull and hazy don ’ agree! Conditions, though, find out, drip some water onto the floor of steam cleaning machines on wood... Rubber or foam backed plastic mats as they may discolor the flooring finish ball, which should be used furniture. Can value the time and money, delamination, joint-line separation and void the warranty dust-mopping! Treat and care for a few minutes do you clean newly refinished hardwood floors until are...

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