People love hardwood floors for their durability. With a little loving care, your wood flooring can remain a beautiful part of your home for decades. It’s important to protect your floors from spills, leaky pipes, and other forms of water damage. Engineered hardwood flooring is more water-resistant than solid hardwood, but excessive moisture can still cause stains or warping. Fortunately, you can take a few simple measures to preserve your floors. Here’s how to protect your wood flooring from water damage so that your home can boast its gorgeous floors for decades to come.
Take Care of Your Plumbing
Pipe leaks and other plumbing issues are some of the main sources of water damage. Make sure you inspect your pipes regularly and quickly address any issues you find. If you’re installing new wood flooring, make sure your plumbing is up to date. The less plumbing issues you have, the safer your wood flooring is.
Maintain Your Sealant
Sealants don’t completely waterproof your floors, but they do a great job of repelling spills and other water damage so that you have time to clean up the mess. Make sure you reapply your sealant regularly and refinish wax sealants once a year. Oil- and water-based sealants require less regular maintenance, but you still need to reapply them every couple of years. Be sure to carefully read the instructions on your sealant to stay on top of maintenance.
Use Door Mats
The less water your floors see in the first place, the better off they’ll be. Put down rugs in front of any exterior doors to catch mud and water from outside. Similarly, make sure you have a place to leave wet shoes, jackets, and umbrellas so that they don’t drip water on the floor.
Stay on Top of Messes
One of the simplest steps for protecting your wood flooring from water damage is to stay on top of water damage as it happens. Spills happen, so keep a towel on hand to wipe up any liquids that hit your floors. Make sure no one leaves wet towels, clothes, and other damp items on your floors. When you pay attention to problems as they happen, you can take care of them before they turn into anything serious.
When you know the best ways to take care of your wood floors, you can make the most of their long-lasting beauty. Keep these maintenance tips in mind when choosing the perfect flooring option for your home. If you’re looking for natural wood flooring that fits your budget and your style, head on over to From the Forest today. With our selection of maple, oak, walnut, and engineered hickory flooring, you’re sure to find the perfect option to complement your style and make your home shine.