Caring about one’s own home is a lifelong responsibility. The role of a homeowner and the adult of the family never stops and it is something that you have to come back to each day. From simple things such as maintenance and cleaning to bigger projects like renovation and repairs, making sure the house is up to speed is the most important thing for the whole family. Although it is true that the very construction of the home is the most important thing, i.e. the walls, the roofing, and the floors, there are so many smaller elements and features that also need your attention. What about windows, doors, and furniture? These are all crucial features that make a house or an apartment a home and that make those living inside comfortable and happy.
Speaking of floors and furniture, there is a very important topic that needs to take place more often than it does. What do these have in common or why are they important? Well, the floor is the area of the home that experiences the most wear and tear since it is where we walk across and where everyone stands. If you have nice, quality wooden floors in your home, you have to make sure they remain protected at all costs. Wood is difficult to maintain and it can get ruined quickly unless you know what to do. Add in the heavy furniture and it can be a recipe for disaster unless you are careful. In this article, we talk about heavy furniture and wooden floors, or rather how to protect the latter from the former. Read on to learn more about this and make sure to click here for everything on floor protection.
What Kind of Damage Can Be Caused?
The most obvious and common type of damage heavy furniture causes on wooden floors happens in the form of scratches. The scratches happen when furniture is being dragged over the floor and the more serious it is the easier it is to notice. Also, the heavier the furniture the deeper the scratches. Over time, the wooden floor may continue to deteriorate around the marks as more and more wood splinters. Soon, after a few decor arrangements, your floors will suffer a lot and you will want to cover them with carpets and rugs.
It may not seem like a big deal to have seamless wooden floors in your home, but those who have accidentally scratched theirs know full well what an annoyance it can be. Dirt and dust can get trapped inside, it can rip your socks and slippers as you glide over the sharper scratches, and the whole floor has numerous weak points because of this. Even worse, water and other liquids, or oils can enter the raw wood underneath and darken it, ruining so much of the area over time. There are solutions to this problem in the form of floor renovation and polishing, but it costs a lot of money and it is a long project to have in your home. You would have to take everything out for a few days until the coat is applied and until it dries out.
Use Felt Pads
The easiest solution to the problem of damaging your floor with furniture, or rather the easiest thing to do to protect it, would be to install felt pads on the furniture. The best among them would definitely be self-adhesive felt pads that stick onto the bottom of the furniture. Not only will they prevent damage when you have to move the furniture next time around, but the moving itself will be easier and smoother. You can find these pads at any hardware store as well as larger convenience stores. They come in many different shapes and sizes and are very simple to apply.
All you have to do is sand and clean the legs of your furniture and stick the pads on. Press them for a few seconds and you are good to go. Flip the furniture back up and you will see how easy it is. You should install pads to all of the furniture, even if you have furniture that you doubt you will ever move. You can never know when the next situation will take place where you have to do some rearrangements.
Vacuum and Dust Often
The reason why scratches are dangerous is that they attract and absorb grit and dirt more easily than new floors without damage. Dust and dirt that is present in every home is the silent killer of floors which is why you should do some cleaning before you plan to move the furniture. Moving furniture over a dusty and dirty floor will damage it even worse than moving it on clean floors. On the plus side, shiny floors will allow you to move things over it faster and easier. If possible, make sure to have a policy of no shoes allowed indoors. This will prevent excess dust and dirt in your living quarters.
Deal With the Existing Scratches
So now you know how you can protect the floors in your home from wooden furniture. But what if you already have deep scratches and other types of damage? Well, the only solution would be to re-seal the scratches with a fine point craft brush. Use the appropriate seal for the type and color of your wooden floor and you should be fine. Floor sealing is done anyway when it is new, just after installation. However, over time, it gets worn and torn and a new coat is necessary. If it is not yet time to do it completely but you have a few scratches here and there, seal them up again to prevent the damage from spreading. Do this as soon as you can so that your floors retain their original, high-gloss look despite a few scratches here and there.
Conclusion and Takeaways
Moving furniture is inevitable and you will sooner or later have to do it again. If you have high-quality wooden floors in your home, you should really do everything in your power to preserve them. If taken care of properly, they can last you generations without so much as a few cleaning sessions per year. Seal the scratches you already have and install felt pads on all of the furniture parts that are touching the flooring. Your home and your family will be thankful for it!