For sheer natural beauty and classic good looks, nothing beats timber flooring. Refined, durable and always on-trend, timber floorboards are also non-porous, so they won’t trap dirt and fluff or harbour dust mites. With regular upkeep, proper maintenance and some handy repair hints, timber floors will stay looking showroom fresh for the long haul, adding lasting value to your property.
Tips to Avoid Damaging Timber Floors
Good quality exterior and interior door mats are the best frontline measure, helping to clean obvious grit and grime off shoes before it’s trudged through your house, while hallway runners and rugs will protect high traffic household zones. Consider instigating a shoes-off inside policy - after all, socks and slippers are much more comfortable than high heels and heavy work boots, right?
Investing in a few packs of inexpensive felt pads to pop under regularly moved furniture, such as arm chairs, footstools, dining chairs and tables, will measurably reduce wear and tear, and while timber floors are definitely fur family friendly, untrimmed nails are not. Make a point of keeping pet nails clipped short.
Avoid mopping a dirty floor because water + dirt = mud. Taking the extra time to sweep or vacuum* loose dirt or debris first will avoid a muddy mess and fine scratches. When you do mop, always use a good quality cleaning product and buff dry when done.
*Only vacuum with a specific hard floor attachment.
Tips To Repair Scratched Timber Floors
Over time with normal wear and tear a few pesky marks and scratches will inevitably occur. The good news for DIY’s is that disguising scuffs and hiding small surface scratches is really easy.Â
Gilly’s Scratch Cover, a light or dark oil that colours over surface scratches and revives timber, and Gilly’s Floor Polish, a soft, beeswax-based polish that nourishes dry timber, are both simple to use and highly effective at revitalising lightly marked floors.
For really obvious wearing and deeper scratches on timber flooring however, your best option is to enlist a professional flooring contractor to lightly sand back the entire surface and refinish it with a polyurethane or water-based coating.
In next to no time, your timber floors will be restored to pristine perfection, rewarding you with many more years of interior style.
By Ebony Fraser
