Care & Maintenance for Hearthwood Hardwood Floors

RECOMMENDED FLOOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES

HEARTHWOOD hardwoods are protected with WetWorx™ Splatter and Spill Guard, which is an innovative water-resistant technology that protects all six sides of every plank. In addition, WetWorx™ treated hardwoods feature a protective scuff and scratch-resistant aluminum oxide finish. While both technologies help keep your floors looking beautiful, scratches can still occur and excessive exposure to liquid spills can damage your hardwood floor.

In order to protect your new HEARTHWOOD hardwoods and keep them looking new, it is
important to follow some basic procedures.

PREVENTIVE CARE

  1. Prior to placing furniture, heavy objects, or equipment on the hardwood floor, floor protectors should be placed on all legs or corners to prevent scratching or denting of the hardwood floor. Do not slide or drag objects across floor as they may scratch and/or dent the hardwood flooring.
  2. Place appropriate mats at all exterior entrances to absorb street dirt and moisture. Commercial applications will require commercially rated mats be utilized. The mats need to be periodically cleaned, changed or dried out as often as needed. In addition, place mats at high-wear traffic areas and/or pivot points. Residential example – in front of kitchen sink or in entryway. Commercial example – checkout counters. Keep in mind that mats or area rugs may cause color differences due to variation in light exposure.
  3. Maintain a humidity level between 35% – 55% Relative Humidity to help reduce and minimize gapping which can be more noticeable on lighter colored woods or stains.
  4. When possible avoid direct sunlight from hitting the surface of the flooring as ultraviolet light can change the appearance of wood flooring causing discoloration. Use curtains or other sun shading devices.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

  1. Your HEARTHWOOD floor can be maintained using a Swiffer® Wet Jet™ Wood wet cleaning system. In addition, you should sweep, vacuum, or dust mop as needed to remove loose dirt or grit from the surface of the flooring. Doing so will help to prevent wear and scratches in the finish. Use only a soft bristle type broom or vacuum attachment that is recommended for hardwood floors. For dust mopping use only an untreated electrostatic type dust mop such as Swiffer® distributed by Proctor & Gamble, or equivalent. For information on Swiffer call 1-800-214-8734. *Scrubbing machinery/power scrubbers are not recommended to clean the floor and will void the warranty.
  2. Blot up liquids with a clean dry cloth as soon as practicable. Most spills and splatters can be cleaned up with a clean dry or damp cloth. See section 4 for heavier stains.
  3. For routine cleaning — Swiffer® Wet Jet™ Wood maintenance system is the only wet mop system endorsed by HEARTHWOOD and approved on HEARTHWOOD Floors.
  4. Apply Hardwood Floor Cleaner or mineral spirits to a clean rag to remove heels marks or stubborn stains.
  5. Approved wet mopping system: Swiffer® Wet Jet™ Wood maintenance system is the only wet mop systems endorsed by HEARTHWOOD and approved on HEARTHWOOD Floors. Do not damp mop your floor with water and/or a string mop or other non-approved wet cleaners or allow excessive water to remain on the floor as it may damage the sub floor or cause mold or mildew to develop. Your HEARTHWOOD floor is not warranted against mold and/or mildew. Avoid the use of products that contain oils or wax that may leave a residue allowing the floor to be slippery or sticky and in addition these materials may prevent future coats of finish from properly bonding to the original factory finish.

REPAIR PROCEDURES

Use of fillers or furniture touch up kits (like HEARTHWOOD branded touch up pens, Minwax, or equivalent) can help to repair minor scratches and/or gouges in the floor. HEARTHWOOD provides a touch up pen set for every color in the offering, available for purchase on hearthwoodfloors.com. In the event that a board has become damaged beyond repair it is possible to remove an individual board and replace it with a new one according to our installation instructions regarding single board replacement. It is recommended that an NWFA Certified Professional conduct board replacements to prevent damage to the surrounding planks. Splinters can be cut off and the base touched up with a stain pen or color matched filler.

RECOATING PROCEDURES

When the hardwood floors have lost their shine, they usually can be recoated to restore the desired gloss level using the Bona PrepTM system with Bona TrafficTM or Bona StrongTM finishes or Basic Coating’s Tykote® System with Street Shoe® or Street Shoe® XL, or equivalent. Prior to recoating the floors, the finish manufacturer instructions must be followed properly to help ensure a successful application of finish. HEARTHWOOD recommends that recoating be done by an NWFA Certified Professional.

Updated on February 1, 2023

Article Attachments