Addressing Two Hardwood Floor Maintenance Questions

Posted on: 13 March 2016

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Hardwood flooring can provide you with numerous benefits when compared to other flooring options. This type of floor can have a natural appearance that can complement almost any home decor, and it is also a highly durable option. However, hardwood floors can suffer wear, tear and other problems. To understand how to address some of these problems, you should consider the following answers to two frequent questions.

What Can Be Done For Faded Hardwood Flooring?

It is common for older hardwood floors to start fading. This problem can be especially prevalent in areas that receive intense sunlight. While fading may create a cosmetic eyesore, it can be easily corrected by applying a stain

In order to apply the stain, you will need to gently sand the top layer of the hardwood flooring to remove the previous stain. After this step, you will need to apply the stain using a clean mop. Make sure to keep the windows open while you work. Improving the airflow will help the stain to dry as quickly as possible. When undertaking a staining project, you should expect to treat the floors in each room of the home to ensure that the color of the hardwood is uniform.

How Can You Address Buckling Hardwood Floors?

Unfortunately, you may notice that your hardwood floors have started to buckle. This can make you more likely to trip when walking through the house, and it is a progressive problem that will only worsen until it is repaired. Performing this repair will require you to pull out the buckling plank before inserting the new one. If this step is not done correctly, the buckling will simply return. For this reason, you should have it professionally repaired. Luckily, you may be able to reduce the chances of buckling by reducing the humidity in the home. This can be done by either installing dehumidifiers around the home or adding a dehumidifying attachment to your air conditioner. Additionally, you can apply a sealant to the floors to help prevent moisture from absorbing into the boards and causing them to swell and buckle.

Keeping your hardwood flooring in good condition can be a relatively simple task if you understand the answers to common floor maintenance questions. Understanding that faded floors can be restored by adding a stain and that buckling floors can be repaired will make it easier to keep your floors looking like new.