With summer comes fun, but there are also a few things that can damage your wood floors. So we’ve put together a list of some summer maintenance tips for hardwood floors.
Keep the following things in mind, and take preventative measures to protect your floors before it’s too late:
- Sand will damage the finish. Sand can harm the finish when dragged across the floor. To keep this problem from wreaking havoc on your home, have your guests keep their sandals outside (especially when they’re coming from the beach!) or in a bin by the door. Keep children’s sandy toys outside as well.
You should also vacuum regularly to keep the particles from damaging your floors, and when you mop your floors, use a cleaner specially formulated for use with hardwood floors, such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner, to prevent further damage to your finish.
- You floors might move. Wood is hygroscopic, meaning that it absorbs and releases moisture according to changes in the environment. If you have plainsawn floors, you might notice that the planks swell a bit during the summer. A small amount of growth is to be expected in the summer months as the wood planks absorb moisture from the air. However, you should consult a hardwood flooring professional if you notice significant cupping.
- UV rays can change the appearance of your floors. As the sunlight becomes more intense over the summer months, exposure to UV rays becomes more of a threat to your floors. Sunlight can cause stains to fade and can discolor the wood. Certain species are especially susceptible to this — American cherry, for example, darkens over time with exposure to sunlight. To cut down on this effect, you can keep your curtains closed during the day, especially during the height of summer.
Before summer is in full swing, take the time to protect your floors from these threats. That way, you can better enjoy your time without worrying about your floors! Check out more tips for protecting your hardwood floors during the summer.
I hadn’t thought about the damage that sand could do to the finish of my wood floor. I love the idea to have people leave their sandals outside, but it seems like you’d also have to vacuum pretty regularly just in case still some got it. I wasn’t aware that they made cleaners specifically for hardwood floors too, so that would probably help. Thanks for the tips!
Sure! Thank you for the comment. Bona Kemi and Basic Coatings make first-rate hardwood floor cleaning products.
Maintaining your hardwood floors is something you don’t normally think about in the summer time. I had no idea that UV rays can affect your hardwood. My fiance and I just bought a new home and we are thinking about installing hardwood floors. It does seem like it would be smart to for us to remember that the sunshine can damage it.
Good advice above. If you would like professionals to come in and repair your hardwood floors (or install new) and are in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, give Anders Specialty Hardwood Floors (andershardwoodfloors.com) a try.
I’ve never thought about sand damaging your floors but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks so much for sharing!
I like what this article mentions about sand and other forms of small debris damaging the finish. It makes sense that things like this could hurt the floor because it might be abrasive enough to completely scratch or remove the finish. It’s something to remember just to ensure the new floors will look good for a long time once they’re installed, especially with how my kids wear their shoes in the house.
I liked when you talked about how sand damages hardwood floors. It makes sense that understanding how to take care of your investment can help you protect it and add to your home’s value. I can see how anyone looking into this would want to consult with a professional to get extra tips and tricks to get the most from their floors.
It is good to know that sand will damage the finish of a hardwood floor. I like what was said about having guests keep their sandals outside before entering the home. I have also heard that one should not wash these floors with hot water because it expands the wood and allows for dirt to get trapped inside.
It’s good to know that hardwood floors shouldn’t be sanded. My hardwood floor has gotten to be old and scuffed over the years. I definitely think that I should consider finding a complete replacement that could add some style to our entire house.
Thanks for the tips on taking care of hardwood. My wife and I are planning on having new floors put in this summer, but we want to ensure we know how to properly maintain it so it can stay in great shape for a long time. I never thought about the fact that sand could scratch and ruin the finish. We go to the beach a lot, so I will have to make sure to take care of the sand before it becomes a problem.
We are glad you found this information helpful! A few quick and easy preventative measures can go a long way in maintaining beautiful hardwood floors!
Thanks for the article! I live in Charlotte, NC, and my wife and I had been worried about some of the slight changes in our wood flooring. I hadn’t realized they could move so easily! Thanks for the advice! I’ve been really debating just gutting out the whole thing. We found a decent hardwood floor refinisher in Charlotte, but we’re still weighing the pros and cons before we actually go through with it. Your article has helped us quite a bit in our decision, though, so thanks!
My husband and I have recently moved to a home with a lot of wood flooring and want to get ahead in knowing how to clean and maintain the floors so that they don’t look ruined. I love the tip you gave about keeping them from the sunlight due to the fact that it can cause the wood to become lighter or darker depending on what kind of wood it is. This is something I didn’t know previously so we will be sure to keep the shades closed during the summer to preserve their life!
It’s interesting how you said that sand will ruin the finish on a hardwood floor. My hardwood floor is starting to look really scratched up so it must be the sand and dirt that my boys track in when the come inside from playing. I think I might have to start looking at new flooring to replace kind we have now.
I had no idea that when sand is dragged across the floor it can ruin or scratch the finish of hardwood floors. I’ve been wanting to get some hardwood in my kitchen for a few years now. We live next to a beach, so I’ll have to make sure our shoes are free of sand if I ever do get the floors I want.
So glad you found this information helpful!
I think it’s interesting that hardwood floors move because it releases moisture and absorbs it. My mom has hardwood floors in her Craftsman home, and they have been moving a lot. Maybe she should consider having the wood restored to reduce the movement of the wood.
Great tips! I am considering laying hardwood floor in my house and I did not know that sun rays can ruin its looks! I will make sure to keep my curtains closed during the day, especially during the height of summer. Thanks for the advice!
Glad you found it helpful!
Thank you for mentioning how hardwood floors can contract or expand based on the humidity in the air. It makes sense to think that taking the time to understand this and to consult with a professional can help you prepare properly so you avoid damaging it. We are planning on replacing our carpet with hardwood and want to make sure we choose the best material for our needs, so I’m glad I found your post.
We are glad you found this information helpful!
It’s interesting to learn that when it comes to having hardwood floors there are some things we need to be aware of during the summer months. I am glad that you elaborated that since the UV rays can change its appearance and to prevent this we should consider using curtains to block the sun. This is something we will have to keep in mind so when we keep our floor looking nice for years.
Hello,
Sp glad you found this information helpful!
I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to avoid sand on the hardwood flooring because this can damage it fairly bad. My wife and I have noticed that our hardwood floor doesn’t look as great as it did when we initially installed it and we’re wanting to get it back to normal. We’ll have to start avoiding getting sand on the floor to stop future problems and we’ll have to start looking around for a company that can refinish our floor back to normal.
Easy to maintain hardwoods are available in various forms. The variety is one more benefit of hardwood floors. You can choose from oak, American walnut, cherry and mahogany. Each variety has its own benefits and few in fact just one or two drawbacks which can be ignored if you consider, what good hardwood flooring can do for the well-being of your family.
Thanks for this summer maintenance of hardwood floors. there are specific maintenance depending on what the current season is. I really got an interest reading your blog. It really is helpful.