After any of our floor restoration & refinishing in Virginia projects, we always walk a client through ongoing maintenance and quick tips to ensure the best possible results. With so many different properties around the area, it helps to have our experts at Vintage Wood Floors & Stairways provide the info needed.
A newly refinished floor looks terrific in a home, but you get to extend that luster as long as possible. We’ve broken down the three essential periods after a project into some easy-to-understand tips.
The First 24 to 72 Hours Matter Most
Our team has finished the work, cleaned up, and is out the door. So, what do you do next? While your floors may look ready to go, you still need to wait a bit so the finish hardens and bonds with the underlying wood materials. During this time, you’ll want to:
• Maintain a consistent home temperature of between 68-75 degrees (something that can be challenging in Northern Virginia) to ensure a smooth cure.
• Try to avoid walking on the floors as much as possible, or at least use a “socks and bare feet only” rule.
• Wait at least a full day before shuffling around furniture. When you start, use those protective felt pads or sliders for added protection.
• Be sure to open your windows a couple of times to air out the house for around 30 minutes (temperature willing).
These are the short-term tips that will help you avoid any unwanted or accidental damage to your freshly refinished floors.
The First Two to Three Weeks: Go Easy
After about 24-48 hours, all our floor restoration & refinishing in Virginia projects are probably cured and safe, but we still have some additional tips you’ll want to use for the next two weeks.7
• Keep the rugs and runners stored away for at least 14-18 days. We will determine if it’s safe based on the types of refinished products used.
• Try not to mop yet. If a spill does occur, just spot clean with a safe, soft napkin or microfiber towel.
• Take the pets to the groomers and trim those nails so they won’t scratch up the finish.
• Keep a close eye on any dents, and don’t drag anything heavy during this vulnerable time.
A little bit of patience during these two weeks goes a long way to getting the pristine flooring you want for your Virginia property.
Long-Term Maintenance That Makes a Difference
The longer-term care of your newly refinished floors is much easier. Occasional sweeping or vacuuming reduces dirt, and you can clean up spills using a mop and wood floor cleaner. We recommend using runners around heavily foot-trafficked areas and be sure you don’t have any harsh sunlight exposed to specific patches for more than a couple of hours.
If your home has humidity control, knock it down to 35% to 55%. That will help prevent the hardwood from expanding and contracting all of the time.
Lastly, keep an eye on the wear of your wood flooring, especially in high-traffic areas. Please do not wait until your wood floor is too worn, so the only fix is to refinish it completely.
Wood flooring worn down by years of use can easily be revitalized with a simple light sanding and applying an additional coat of finish (also called “screen and coat”). This process will extend the life of your wood floors without requiring the more extensive (and expensive) process of sanding off the entire finish.
Be sure to use only a wood floor cleaner and avoid products that claim to “make your floors shine again” or “rejuvenate your wood floors.” These products can often create a buildup on your finish that will interfere with the bonding of your future protective screen and coat process.
Final Thoughts
We love completing a floor restoration & refinishing in Virginia project. Freshly refinished floors transform your space, easily shaking off decades of use and extending the durability of the material. These tips and tricks should give you plenty of room to maintain your floors so when guests come over, they are quick to point them out.
Give us a call today at Vintage Wood Floors & Stairways for any other advice on protecting your hardwood floors. We offer a wealth of professional services to make your home seem even more inviting.