Protect Your Wooden Floors During Winter

Dec 13
08:14

2011

Colin McDonald

Colin McDonald

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The winter months can be tough on a number of different areas of your home. In particular, your flooring will often take a beating due to thermal stress, water exposure, and mud and salt being tracked in.

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In order to protect the beauty and integrity of your floors,Protect Your Wooden Floors During Winter Articles you need to observe a few best practices for the best outcome. Be proactive and keep an eye out for signs of damage, addressing them as needed. Here's a few quick tips to protect wood floors during the winter.


Keep Your Floors Dry
Having a dedicated mudroom or foyer is a necessity in colder climates where people will often be bringing mud, road salt, and snow in with them from the cold. If you don't have a mudroom, invest in plenty of floor mats for the area located next to the front door. Instituting a strict “shoes off” policy indoors will have to suffice in the event that you lack the space for a mudroom. Water sitting on top of otherwise dry wood can stain and warp wood floors, so avoid it at all costs.


Use A Humidifier
During winter, the moisture content of the air is much lower than it usually is during the summer. You can observe this first hand, as you may notice you need to drink more water to stay hydrated. Your floors are the same way, and a good method for keeping them from warping or cracking is to use a humidifier in high-risk areas. If you have a large house with a lot of square footage, this may be impractical. In that case, use a humidifier in the wood-floored rooms that get the most traffic.


Perform Regular Floor Maintenance
Perhaps once a month, take a Sunday afternoon to sweep and mop your floors that receive a high volume of foot traffic. It's good for wood floors to absorb a bit of moisture, as long as it's not just sitting there and you mop it up quickly. You'll also be removing the unseen salt and dirt buildup that can damage wood floors over time.

Final Thoughts
Once spring rolls around, you'll definitely want to assess the damage that the previous winter months have wrought on your wood floors and rectify problems as you see fit. It may be time to give your wood floors a thorough cleaning, followed by the application of a new layer of finish. Your mileage may vary depending on the local environment, as well as how much damage your floors have sustained. In any event, follow the advice listed above to safeguard your floors during the cold months.