Caring for and Maintaining Your Engineered Oak Flooring

Buy Once – Maintain Well – Enjoy Life: Your Guide to Wood Flooring Care

Investing in quality wood flooring is a decision that pays off for years—when it's looked after properly.

At JS Woodcraft, we believe in the motto:

Buy once – maintain well – enjoy life! 

Your floor is a key part of your home or business, and with the right care, it will remain beautiful, durable, and inviting for decades.

To protect your investment and keep your flooring looking its best, we strongly recommend following these simple yet effective maintenance guidelines.

✅ Make Sure You DO...

1. Allow the finish to fully cure. After installation or refinishing, give your floor time to cure—this can take up to 10 days. Avoid wet cleaning during this time. You’ll be provided with a first clean date and a list of recommended cleaning products specific to your finish.

2. Clean up spills immediately. Use a damp cloth to blot spills or spots as soon as they occur. Liquids left standing can damage the surface and seep between boards.

3. Keep up with regular cleaning. Sweep or vacuum regularly using a hard floor attachment (not a beater bar) to prevent grit and dirt from scratching your floor.

4. Weekly maintenance. Use a microfibre mop dampened with your recommended cleaner to wipe down your floor. This helps preserve the finish and remove finer dust particles.

5. Use protective mats. Place good quality entry and exit mats to catch dirt and debris. Avoid rubber or foam-backed mats, which can discolour wood floors. Instead, use vinyl rug underlays to prevent slipping without staining.

6. Protect from furniture damage. Install floor protectors on furniture legs. Heavier furniture should have wider protectors to distribute the weight and reduce the risk of indentations or scratches.

7. Look after your pets' paws. Keep your pets’ nails trimmed to prevent accidental scratches on your wood floor.

8. Maintain a stable environment. Wood is a natural material that reacts to changes in its environment. Aim to keep relative humidity between 45% – 65% and maintain consistent indoor temperatures.For homes with underfloor heating or high insulation, consider using a hygrometer or Fid Box to monitor conditions. If levels fall too low, a re-humidifier may be required to prevent shrinkage or structural issues.

❌ Make Sure You DON'T...

• Don’t use abrasive or solvent-based cleaners – These can wear down the finish or cause damage.

• Avoid steel wool or scouring powders – They are too harsh and will scratch the surface.

• Never wash, steam, or wet mop the floor – This can lead to swelling, warping, delamination, and joint separation.

• Do not apply adhesive tape directly to the floor – It can strip the finish when removed.

• Avoid rugs with underfloor heating – They trap heat and can cause the wood to react unpredictably.

  
  

Final Thoughts

Taking care of your wood flooring doesn’t have to be complicated—but it does need consistency. By following the above steps and using the right products, your floor will remain a beautiful feature of your home for many years to come.

Buy once. Maintain well. Enjoy life.

If you need any help or want advice on the right cleaning products for your specific flooring finish, just get in touch—we’re always happy to help.