There are several factors to consider when purchasing new floors, and the maintenance required for different types should not be overlooked.
“Proper maintenance can be one of the most important things to consider when shopping for flooring,” says Brody Haugrud, business director of CDL Flooring. “Certain floor types can require maintenance that some clients aren’t willing to do, and it’s good to figure that out before the purchase is made.”
Regular maintenance is important to ensure your floors remain durable and perform as well as possible, but some flooring types need a little extra TLC. Here’s what to know before you make your flooring choice.
Hardwood
While there’s not an alarming amount of concern for damage to hardwood, they can get scratched and dented, especially if you have pets or young children. To avoid this, use furniture pads and area rugs when you can, and be careful when moving heavy objects. Choosing products with natural variations or added texture, like wire brushing, can help hide issues like soft scratching.
Hardwood thrives in comfortable climates, so you’ll need to maintain the required humidity levels, which need adjustment through seasonal changes. Also, darker hardwood shows more dust, dirt and hair than lighter colours and may require more frequent cleaning.
Carpet
Two common problems homeowners encounter with carpets are traffic wear and staining. Choosing the right carpet and underlay for your lifestyle and a yearly steam cleaning can help keep these long-term problems at bay. For your everyday maintenance, vacuuming tends to be the gold standard, but you’ll have to try to avoid vacuums with beater bars or rotating brushes, specifically if you have soft-to-the-hand carpet or looped carpets. To compensate, make sure you have a vacuum with high suction.
“Fibre content and texture type are probably the biggest things to consider before you buy. This affects wear and stainability. The second thing would be underlay selection, as it can also prevent wear and staining,” says Haugrud.
For families with pets or young kids who anticipate stains and spills, polyester is a good option for easy cleaning. Regarding carpet types, loop and loop-blended carpets are ideal for high-traffic areas as they are more durable and resilient.
Tile
Like all flooring, tiles require regular cleaning and maintenance. Common issues you might encounter are grout discolouration and staining on natural stone. To avoid grout discolouration, select the appropriate tiles in higher-use areas, like the shower or behind potential splash zones, like the kitchen sink.
“Selecting large-format porcelain tile reduces the amount of grout required. By selecting rectified tiles, they can typically be installed with tighter grout lines, which is also a maintenance saver. Porcelain is more durable, as well as stain and scratch resistant,” says Haugrud.
If you love the look of natural stone, it’s important to know it requires ongoing maintenance beyond standard cleaning. Haugrud explains that, unlike most porcelain tiles, you must re-seal natural stone every year or two to keep it protected and avoid stains.
“In all cases, product maintenance affects the quality. Usually, the longevity of the product is upheld by it. Like anything, the better the maintenance, the longer the life,” says Haugrud.
For more information, visit cdlflooring.ca.
This content was produced for the advertiser by RedPoint Media for commercial purposes. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Avenue staff.
