Kids and hardwood floors: can they peacefully coexist?
Some people might say no, but hardwood floors are actually pretty kid-friendly when they’re properly cared for. They’re much easier to clean than carpets, and they last much longer! However, having children in the household when you also have hardwood floors is not without its potential issues.
The challenges of living with children in a house that has hardwood floors
Children of all ages present their unique challenges to properly maintaining hardwood floors. Here are some of the different problems that can come with each age group.
Spills, messes, crumbs on the floor, dragging backpacks across the floor, leaving wet towel on the floor, scuffing up the floors with sports cleats… the list of potential issues goes on when you have kids of all ages in the house. And these problems are only magnified when they bring friends over!
All of these things can present challenges to maintaining a nice hardwood floor, and unfortunately they can happen when you have kids of all ages in the house.
Tips to prevent kids from doing damage to your wide plank hardwood floors
Steer clear of glossy finishes. When you’re first choosing the options for your custom wide plank floor, you might want to consider opting for a matte finish, which helps to hide imperfections, dust, dirt, etc. Matte finishes are also on trend and look especially great when paired with wide plank floor that has a ton of natural character and rustic charm, such as reclaimed wide plank floors. This way, you’ll have a good looking floor which is also practical and can hold up to damage!
Go natural. A natural oil finish/European oil finish is one of the best choices when you’re dealing with a floor that might see a lot of damage. This is due to the fact that rather than refinishing the entire floor if damage does occur, you’ll only have to reapply oil to the affected area. This makes it easier to maintain than a floor with a polyurethane finish.
Prevention: Prevention is the best solution to most problems in life, including hardwood floor disasters! Have everyone remove their shoes before entering the house. Place mats / rugs in entryways and other areas of the house that see heavy traffic to prevent scuffing of the floor and to encourage people entering the house to take their shoes off.
Maintenance: Clean up messes and spills as quickly as possible after they occur. Regularly clean the floors as much as possible to prevent dirt buildup, which could ruin the finish. Avoid sweeping with a regular broom and dust pan, as this can scrape gritty particles across the floor and damage the finish…and steer clear of popular store-bought floor cleaners, which usually contain chemicals which could damage your finish. Instead, opt for something like the Basic Coatings Hardwood Floor Care System, which includes wood-friendly cleaning solution and a microfiber mop.
Looking to make the switch to wide plank hardwood floors?
If you’re thinking about updating or replacing your floor, there are many reasons to consider upgrading to a wide plank hardwood floor. As you can see, they actually are pretty kid-friendly when you take into account all of the issues they could be up against!
Click here to connect with a wide plank hardwood floor specialist today to discuss the specifics of your project.