Caring for hardwood floors, and when to refinish

Dirt tracked onto a wood floor and dragged across the boards scratches and wears down the finish, so regular sweeping keeps the finish in good shape for longer. A floor that has started to look dull can usually be renewed with a fresh coat of finish, long before it needs sanding.

What you need

• A broom or a soft microfiber dust mop
• A vacuum with a bare-floor setting
• A wood floor cleaner made for the finish on your floor, which the flooring professional who installed or finished it can recommend
• Breathable throw rugs for the doorways
• Stick-on felt pads for the furniture legs

Steps

1. 1

   Sweep or dust mop every day

   A soft microfiber dust mop picks up the grit before it gets dragged across the finish.

   5 min

2. 2

   Vacuum once a week

   Use the bare-floor setting, or vacuum more often in a busy house.

   10 min

3. 3

   Wipe up spills right away

   Use a dry or slightly damp cloth.

   2 min

4. 4

   Clean once a month with the right product

   Use a cleaner made for the floor's finish. Don't use a wet mop or a steam mop, which damage the finish and the wood over time, and don't use vinyl or tile cleaners. Polishes, waxes and products that promise to restore luster or add shine make the floor slippery and dull it quickly.

   20 min

5. 5

   Stop grit and scratches at the source

   Put throw rugs at the doorways, leave shoes at the door, especially cleats and high heels, and put felt pads under furniture legs. Lift heavy furniture to move it instead of sliding it.

   15 min

6. 6

   Keep the temperature and humidity steady

   Wood swells and can cup when it takes on moisture, and shrinks and can gap or split when it dries out. Keeping the house between 60 and 80°F and between 30 and 50% humidity all year limits both.

   5 min

7. 7

   Touch up small scratches

   Touch-up markers, stain pens and furniture repair kits cover minor surface scratches.

   15 min

When a floor needs more

A floor that looks dull usually needs a maintenance coat. A professional cleans the existing finish, sands it lightly and puts on a new coat, about every 3 to 5 years, depending on how much use and wear the floor gets. A full sand and refinish takes the floor back to bare wood, and it's for deep scratches, dents and other damage, or for finish that's worn through to the wood. It's also the time to change the floor's color. How many times a floor can be sanded depends on the thickness of its wear layer, how flat it is, its condition and the skill and equipment of the contractor.

Gaps between boards that open in dry months and close in humid ones are normal. Call a wood flooring professional for gaps that are large or don't close in the humid months, and for anything more than a surface scratch.