Ultra violet sunlight has an effect on all of nature's products - a detrimental one when it comes to wooden floors. Areas exposed to frequent periods of sunlight will start to bleach and over time will come to appear much lighter than the wood used in more shaded parts of a room. Sustained intense light will also dry the wood out causing it to crack.
Modern rooms typically have adequate access to sunlight so it is important to think of the effect on your floor if you wish to avoid unsightly colour changes from one part of the room to the other. Installing glass, glass films or blinds that minimise the UV transmission through the window will reduce the heat gain from a blazing sun which will in turn reduce the rate at which your flooring fades.
All methods of warming your home also affect the temperature of your floor material. Wooden flooring requires particular care. The homeowner should avoid dramatic rises or drops in temperature as this can cause damage and warping - the natural material cannot adjust to its surroundings as fast as modern heating methods are able to adjust them.
Heating (and cooling) should be increased (or decreased) gradually from the current room temperature and up (or down) a maximum of 2 degrees per 24 hours until the required heat is achieved. In the same way that the heat in UV light will dry out and crack your wood floor, so can the heat from your room heater.
There are two 'f's in timber flooring wear and tear; furniture and feet. The best way to avoid furniture wear and tear is to attach protective felt or rubber pads to the base of everything and to ensure that furniture is always carried and never dragged across a wooden surface.
General wear is the result of dirt on the surface, exacerbated by feet rubbing it abrasively around. It is easily avoided by regular two stage dirt removal using first a vacuum or brush to remove it from the excess from the floor surface. The remaining dirt should then be removed using a damp (not wet) mop.
Wooden and polyurethane finishes are moisture resistant only and therefore unmopped spillages or over wetting during the cleaning process can cause water damage. In order to avoid an opaque and hard to budge product build-up, don't use floor polish or chemical cleaners either.
Finally, deep scratches or large wear marks should be given a new surface treatment to ensure that the wood beneath is protected and reduce the likelihood of it cracking and spreading.
Caring for your wooden flooring is simple and not very time consuming yet infinitely worth it in the long run. The better you care for it, the longer it will last and the longer your enjoyment of it!
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New Zealand based Business Advisor, Sara Leadbetter specialises in Internet Marketing. This article was written about her work with http://www.swinard.co.nz experts in the installation of wooden flooring, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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