Care & Maintenance Tips
Remember... Timber is soft!!!
Just remember that timber is soft... it's not concrete!!! If you drop something on it, it will dent! If you drag something across it, it will scratch! It's very easy to damage your floor when replacing your furniture so a lot of care needs to be taken.
Bona Traffic HD is a tough polyurethane, but it's still no match for a heavy appliance or piece of furniture. You’ll need to take protective measures.
It might be worth ringing your insurance company to let them know you have had your wooden floors done & ask if they will cover you in case of damage.
Felt Pads
Before you start moving your furniture back into place, tip each item back and clean off all the dust & dirt. Apply protective felt pads on every part of the furniture that touches the floor.
That way, when the item is in place and you need to clean the floor underneath it, you can simply slide the item out and it won't dent or scratch the surface.
Dining room chairs are the worst culprits for this so keep a close eye on them in case they fall off.
If you need to buy some more, you can purchase them from Mitre 10 or Bunning's stores.
Replacing Furniture
Your furniture can be replaced 12 hours after the last coat has been applied. That’s when it’s fully cured.
Cover the floor with cardboard, sheets, rugs, boards etc. during the moving process and lift & place as much of your furniture as you can. Don't let any items touch the floor until they have felt pads on them and are ready to put in place.
Trolley jacks with rubber wheels work really well too and can help to move items through doorways which can be a little difficult.
Moving Fridges
Fridges, dishwashers, ovens & washing machines are far too heavy to move directly on the floor. They will cause damage. Don't roll your fridge directly on the new floor and don't let these items touch the floor until they are in their designated space.
I like to put a sheet down in front of the area and place some thin 5mm plywood on top to take the weight. Then gently roll or slide the appliance in place. It may dent the floor underneath the appliance but that'll never be seen.
If you ever need to pull these items out again, make sure to repeat this process. I've seen a lot of fridges pulled out into the middle of the kitchen and the floor has been ruined. It's impossible to fix.
Cleaning
Sweep or vacuum your floor on a regular basis. This will prevent scratches as dust & grit can act like sandpaper damaging the floors surface.
The Bona Traffic polyurethane on your floor has its own range of cleaning products. There is a Microfibre Spray Mop that cleans without adding water. Also, there is Microfibre Cleaning Pad and a Microfibre Dusting Pad. They can be purchased from Mitre 10 and Look Floors stores.
Washing the Floor
Bona Traffic has its own specifically formulated Wooden Floor cleaner. It’s a little expensive so if you wish you can use any other brand of Wooden Floor cleaner from the supermarket as well. Just make sure not to use it with a really wet mop, wring it out. Timber floors don't like to get wet. If too much water gets down the joins, it will cause the timber to swell. Then when the floor dries out, the polyurethane can separate from it, turning it white in colour and it may start peeling.
Steam mops are okay to use, just keep the hot mop off the floor when not in use. Don’t leave hot buckets of water sitting on the floor either.
Prevention
You can place mats outside your main doors to help trap sand & grit. You can also use rugs in high traffic areas to prevent wear.
Where it’s possible, use curtains or blinds. Any direct sunlight will lighten the colour of the floor and the ultraviolet light can deteriorate the polyurethane.
Trim your pet’s claws to help prevent scratches & gouges. Unfortunately, even the smallest dog will damage a wooden floor. They don’t tend to scratch the surface, they dent the timber. So a full re-sand is the only way to fix it. Again, check with your insurance provider to see if they will cover for this.
