With winter around the corner and festivities clouding the mind, the last thing you’re likely thinking about is caring for your wood flooring. After all, you bought a strong and durable floor, surely it can handle winter without a problem? Yes, but everything has its limits, especially at this time of the year. Solid and engineered wood flooring is no different and you only need to keep a few things in mind as the weather turns to protect your floor and prevent damage.
Humidity
Wood is a natural material, even when it’s cut and has finishes applied to it, which means it expands and contracts with moisture in the air. In the summer, it expands due to the hot humidity. You’ve no doubt seen or heard someone complain about their front door not opening or closing properly due to the heat; a similar thing happens to wood floors. But in the winter, wooden floors contract as there’s less moisture in the air for them to absorb. This leads to them drying out and shrinking, creating gaps in your floorboards.
These seasonal gaps are normal and shouldn’t concern you. No matter how well your floor was installed, these can still make an appearance. The only way to prevent gaps is by keeping a consistent level of air humidity throughout your home. This can be done with a humidifier but remember not to oversaturate your floors!
These gaps shouldn’t worry you, but on the occasion that they become abnormal, you should always have a professional deal with them.
Cleaning
Don’t worry, cleaning in the winter isn’t any more complex than any other time of the year. It’s important to continue cleaning your wooden floors regularly. Sweep or vacuum as you would normally, just keep in mind that there might be more dirt and debris due to the harsher weather conditions.
Seasonal Wear and Tear
With its short days, winter tends to bring an assortment of rain, ice, snow, slush and more rain. This can be a problem for your floor especially when you’re rushing inside to get dry and warm as you won’t just be bringing yourself inside.
Bits of grit can get stuck in the sole of your shoes and walking across your wooden floor can result in dents and scratches. Salt damage doesn’t stop there though. When you bring salt particles inside, they are then deposited onto the surface and will attack the finish on your floor. This can result in ugly salt stains. If they start popping up, it’s best to deal with them immediately.
Another problem is that you risk bringing in water from the rain, snow or slush, which can then soak into the wood causing eventual discoloration and possible warping. So, make sure to clean up any puddles or wet patches as soon as you spot them!
Solutions
There are a few ways that you can protect your wood flooring this winter from damage and seasonal debris.
The first would be investing in several mats, which are already a necessity for protecting your floor. If you can afford to buy a good quality mat, it’ll be able to absorb snow and ice without leaking through. Placing one inside and outside of your entryway then covers all bases. As long as you don’t leave a soaked mat on the floor, which can stain or warp the wood, there shouldn’t be a problem. Just remember to clean them every so often!
Another would be to make sure everyone takes their shoes and boots off before coming inside. That way the dirt, grit and water will be kept out and off your beautiful wooden floor. But it isn’t just people you need to be aware of, pets can track all sorts in on their paws too, so make sure to wipe them after walks.
You could also consider refinishing your floors if the protective layer is wearing thin or there’s already some damage. This fresh layer will help protect your wood flooring against winter.
Winter Installation
This all might sound like a ton of work, but it really isn’t. For your stunning floor, you just need to remember to give it a little more care in the harsher months. After all, winter is a great time to install wood flooring, so surely it can’t be all that difficult to care for it!
The reason it’s a good idea to install wood flooring during the winter is because of the lower humidity. The less moisture in the air, the less moisture to get stuck beneath the floorboards, the less they’re prone to shrinking.