How to Protect Timber Floors From Furniture

Protecting timber floors from damage is vital to keep them looking great. Dirt, grit, water and furniture can combine to make your stunning timber floor look drab. The best advice is to place mats at all entries and prepare your furniture.

How can I protect my hardwood floors from furniture? Furniture legs can cause severe damage to hardwood timber floors. This can occur when dragging or moving furniture across a polished floor surface. The dining room is a perfect example of repetitive movement of furniture. Dining room chairs move back and forth several times a day.

What can I put under furniture to protect timber floors? Felt protective pads will shield damage from under furniture feet and protect timber floors. The feet of the dining room chairs are the first place you should apply felt pads. Large furniture which is rarely moved should still have felt pads applied as a safeguard. Lounge room chairs are a little different. We tend to ‘plonk’ down on them, and as a result, they often move. The solution is using rubber pads. You still have the cushion effect, although they grip the floor as well.

What are the best furniture pads for hardwood floors? Self-adhesive felt are the best furniture pads to protect timber floors. They are available at most hardware stores. They come is varying sizes and are simple to apply. For prolonged floor protection you should prepare the furniture legs. First, rub the base of the furniture legs with sandpaper. Next, clean them with methylated spirits on a rag to remove contaminants. Oil or greasy substances may hinder the adhesive to key onto the base of the furniture leg.

Heavy furniture will definitely damage wood floors. It can happen from day 1, and usually does. Moving heavy furniture such as a refrigerator into your home can be tricky. There are ways you can avoid damage to your polished floors. Rolling a refrigerator across a polished timber surface is a big mistake. The best way is using 3mm sheets of MDF as a hard surface buffer between the fridge wheels and the floor.

Most wooden floors will sustain light scratches due to everyday life. The good news is they are reversible. Minor scratches will disappear after light sanding and re-coating by a professional. Deep scratches that penetrate through the coating will not. Dirt, water and oil will enter the raw wood and darken the scratch over time. The best bet is to re-seal the scratch with a very fine craft paintbrush. This will add a protective barrier to repel damp substances. Preventing scratches is the best practice. Use a little T.L.C. is at crucial times such as moving house or shifting furnishings. Once normal living has resumed, simple steps can evade disaster.

• Position good mats at all entry points: Spikey, vertical prongs remove grit from the treads of shoes.
• Sweep or vacuum often: Keep an eye on grit and dirt sitting on the surface. They are the silent killer of dream floors.
• If possible enforce a ‘no shoes’ policy: We all don’t live in Japan although the custom has its benefits.
• Re-seal deep scratches with a fine point craft brush: Act fast and avoid turning a scratch into a nasty, dirty line on your floor.