1. How do I maintain my floor?
The best way to maintain your wood floor is to vacuum periodically and use a Bona mop or Shmop with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner. This mop has a terry cloth gather over an 8 x14″ plastic mop with pivoting handle. String dust mops are not advised.

2. Can I use Murphy’s Oil soap?
No. This product is very damaging to your wood product and will void all warranties.

3. Can I use products purchased at the grocery store?
No. There are several products on the store shelf that are marketed as hardwood floor cleaner, but even when used properly they can damage your wood’s urethane.

4. Will my floor age?
Yes. You can expect to see shade differences in your floor over time. The cause is usually from exposure to bright light. This color change will also appear more severe in lighter shades of flooring. This is not covered by manufacturer’s warranties.

5. Should I expect my floor to splinter or chip?
Though manufacturers do everything possible in the milling process to prevent this, some edge breakage may occur after the floor settles into the surrounding environment. Hardwood floors are a natural product and therefore subject to natural processes associated with wood. Touch up kits are available.

6. How can I fix my floor myself?
Most wood manufacturers supply several colored fillers and color matched touch-up kits which can resolve any damage or blemish.

7. Will my floor be perfectly flat?
Wood manufacturers mill all prefinished hardwood flooring to exacting tolerances. However, you may feel each board individually when walking across the floor without shoes. All products are milled with varying degrees of levelness, delivering an almost flat floor depending on the grade specifications.

8. Should I be alarmed if my floor pops?
No. Your floor covering contractor and builder have taken every precaution to deliver a smooth sub floor for your flooring application. However, you may experience a slight dip or hump in the sub floor causing a pop. If this occurs, it can be remedied by injecting more adhesive under the floor by drilling through the dark grain in the wood. Popping can occur immediately after installation or show up several months after move in. Do not be alarmed. It can be fixed.

9. What is a approved dust mop?
A mop with a terry cloth gather or sponge mop are approved. Any mop containing loose fibers such as strings, yarns, cloth, etc. can be very damaging to your wood flooring.

10. What is a natural characteristic?
Natural character marks are items such as dark gray or black marks in the wood, knots of various sizes and grain patterns. Mineral can appear in several forms such as a light gray streak across the board to black lines in the grain depending on grade. The same holds true for knots and grain patterns.

11. Can I damp mop my floor?
No. Water and wood do not mix and therefore “Do Not Use Water.”

12. Will my floor scratch?
It can. Though urethane is very strong and makes the floor easy to care for, it can scratch. Walk off mats at all entrances both inside and out can help alleviate damage. High traffic areas are not covered under most warranties.

13. Can I wax my urethane floor?
There is no need to wax a urethane floor. This will, in fact, make the floor very slippery and cause a film to form on the floor.

14. Can planters stain my floor?
It is a good idea to make sure all planters have plastic drip pans to avoid moisture from leaking into the floor. Clay pots are very porous and can raise the grain very easily.

15. What is considered high traffic areas?
In front of kitchen sinks, refrigerators, stoves, halls, doorways and stairs. Adequate protection should be taken to avoid pivot points in the urethane in these areas.

16. Can I sand and refinish my floor?
Most wood products can be sanded. However, with the technology behind today’s urethane, the most you should do is Screen and Recoat. This process will cost much less and can be repeated for the life of the product. If you are happy with the color, you can abrade the urethane and just add urethane. It is just that simple.

17. Is there a difference between square and eased edge products?
Yes. A square edge is just that, square on all sides. Eased or more commonly known as bevel are products with a slight angle on the edge lending to a more casual styling.

18. Should I expect color variation in my floor?
Yes. Wood is a natural product and therefore each every board will take the stain differently. The lighter the color flooring, the more the board’s natural character will show through. White floors show the most because red and white make pink so you should expect white, pink and gray boards within the same floor.

19. How long can I expect the urethane to last?
Depending on the traffic, the urethane should last a long time. That does not mean that you might not see wear. However, more urethane can be added to revitalize the appearance.

20. Will my floor indent? How hard is hardwood?
It can. Though oak is a hardwood, it does not mean it will not indent. Wood is made of thousands of cells which at one time were filled with water. After removal of the tree from the forest, the cells’ moisture is replaced with air naturally and will compress if a heavy object drops to the floor. Unprotected high heels and heavy appliances will naturally compress the fiber of the wood.

21. How do I choose color?
Numerous colors and styles are available for your selection. When choosing a color, understand that the color sample or swatch is jut that, a sample. Wood takes stain differently from tree to tree so the swatch you choose for your floor might be the lightest or darkest board in that grade. Hardwood flooring’s beauty comes from the mixing of hundreds, even thousands of boards to deliver a beautiful color, mixed with the natural character of the wood. You should expect shade differences when choosing other woods and/or colors to blend with your new flooring.

For more answers to your questions visit woodfloors.org