Hardwood is easily one of the most popular and attractive kitchen floor options available. Timber kitchen hardwood floors can potentially last a lifetime. In addition to being a terrific investment for your home’s overall value, they’re also durable and more seamless when compared to alternatives such as natural stone tile.
If you’re wondering how to protect hardwood floors in the kitchen, there are many considerations to keep in mind.
At Rapid Repair Pro, we provide kitchen remodeling services in St. Louis, MO, so we know a thing or two about caring for hardwood floors. Here are six tips for keeping your hardwood kitchen floor in impeccable shape so it remains safe and aesthetically pleasing for years to come.
1. Choose a Quality Protective Wood Sealant
One of the most effective and underrated ways to protect the hardwood floor of your kitchen while making it look its absolute best is to coat it with a wood floor sealant. This is especially important immediately after you install the hardwood floors for your kitchen since the installers just sanded the floor to prevent splinters and imperfections.
Once the installation is done, apply the sealant in thin layers and leave it alone for at least 24 hours so that it may fully dry. Oil-based products are best for hardwood floors since they’re low maintenance and provide a high level of durability.
2. Consider Adding Area Rugs To Protect High-traffic Parts of Your Kitchen
Whether you’re in the middle of cooking a delectable dessert or cleaning up after doing meal prep, there’s a good chance water or other ingredients will end up on your floor. Some kitchen areas are more prone to seeing spillages than others, such as in front of the sink, dishwasher, or refrigerator.
For these areas, it’s worth considering a well-placed rug or nonslip mat so that you not only protect your kitchen floor but also ensure the safety of yourself and anyone else walking in or around your cooking space.
On top of being a terrific safety feature for your kitchen, rugs can also add style and flair to your kitchen space. When choosing rugs for your kitchen’s hardwood floor, be sure to avoid those with glues, adhesives, chemicals, or other materials that can stain or stick to your hardwood floor and leave a permanent residue.
3. Place Felt Protectors on the Bottom of Furniture Feet
One of the most affordable solutions when searching for how to protect hardwood floors in the kitchen doesn’t apply to your floor but to the furniture on your floor. Chairs and bar stools are prone to scratching up your floor, especially if you or your guests don’t know any better.
By placing a non-abrasive, felt-backed protector on the feet of your furniture, you can reduce the likelihood of scratches and scuffs on your new hardwood kitchen floor, keeping it clean and smooth. Be sure to avoid rubber or plastic-backed products, as they can trap moisture and thus discolor or damage your hardwood floor.
4. Avoid Moisture as Much As Possible
As great as hardwood floors can be for your kitchen, they’re also susceptible to water damage. This means you’ll want to take heed when installing hardwood floors in or around your cooking space, considering how often you probably use water or other liquids. Wood is a porous material, so it’s prone to absorbing moisture, especially when humidity is high, such as during summer months. Left untreated, water damages your floor by seeping into the hardwood, causing it to swell and buckle.
5. Immediately Clean up Any Spills
From dropping a hot bowl of soup to spilling a glass of red wine, you probably spill something in your kitchen relatively often. Although the flat nature of hardwood floors is convenient for tending to spills and shattered glasses, you want to be sure to catch and clean them up immediately. The added moisture from spills can quickly and irreversibly damage your hardwood floor while making slip-and-fall accidents more likely, increasing the chance of future spills and injuries.
Gently blot the spill immediately to absorb most of the moisture, and go over the spot with a dry towel to keep the floor as dry as possible and prevent staining.
6. Maintain Your Floors With Regular Cleanings
Maintenance is a key part of preserving just about everything in your home, and hardwood kitchen floors are no exception. Keeping up with regular cleanings is one of the best options when searching for how to protect hardwood floors in the kitchen. The good news is hardwood floors are incredibly simple and easy to maintain by following a few key steps.
Remembering to sweep every few days with a broom or dry mop keeps the daily buildup of dirt and debris to a minimum. Additionally, you should vacuum the harder-to-reach areas on a weekly basis so that dust, crumbs, and other debris doesn’t accumulate and attract pests.
Finally, you’ll want to do a deeper cleaning every month or so, particularly if you notice grime or food stains in high-traffic areas throughout the kitchen that won’t come off with other treatments. Gently wipe down or mop your hardwood floors with a soft cloth, but be careful not to flood the floor with water as you mop.
Contact Your Local Experts for Rapid Repair Services Today
At Rapid Repair Pro, we provide a broad range of home improvement services, including hardwood floor installation for kitchens.
We guarantee quality craftsmanship and back up every service with a one-year workmanship warranty, plus $2 million in workers’ compensation and general liability insurance. You can always count on us to answer the phone and address any questions or concerns you have. We also perform background checks on all of our team members to ensure they’re drug-free while establishing a no-smoking policy on the job.
From small projects to large-scale remodeling services and educating customers on how to protect hardwood floors in the kitchen, we’re committed to helping you beautify your home in St. Louis, MO, through our comprehensive services.
Contact Rapid Repair Pro at (800) 741-6056 to receive an estimate and realize your home remodeling vision today!
