Nobody wants to spend unnecessary money on renovations or home maintenance. Considering the high cost of hardwood flooring installation and refinishing, it makes sense to use some tricks to extend your hardwood floor life. In this article we will try to discuss the most important and easy ones.

Let’s start from the base concept. It always gets down to one thing – AVOID DAMAGING your floors. It’s as simple as that. There is no simpler explanation. Now let’s discuss it.

First of all, how are floors most often damaged?

  • Dirt and grit brought in from outside
  • Water and liquid spills
  • Dropping heavy or sharp items on your floor
  • Pets (scratches and discoloration)
  • Children (spills and scratches)
  • Furniture dragging (without lifting)

Since most of these causes are related to household behavior, they can be controlled and avoided.

Here is a list of actions you can take to avoid hardwood flooring scratches and damages.

  • Use slippers while at home
  • Put fluffy rugs or doormats at each entrance of the house
  • Use a bed for your pet
  • Place pet bowls on tile or vinyl floors
  • Always move furniture by lifting, or use pads
  • Don't put water dispencer on hardwood
  • Vacuum floors at least once a week
  • Keep kids' toys and play areas on fluffy or padded rugs

For homeowners with hardwood floors throughout the house, a good recommendation is to buff and re-coat floors once every two to three years, depending on traffic. It’s a quick, inexpensive and easy procedure that DRAMATICALLY extends your floor’s life. I personally use all the suggestions written in this article and if you ever get to step into my house – you won’t be able to tell that my flooring is over 15 years old – it looks like brand new. Always try to practice these behaviors to reduce future maintenance costs.