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It’s no secret that laminate flooring is pretty tough. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your best to protect it though!
Luckily, protecting your laminate floors isn’t too hard if you follow the steps in this article. We’ll go over all the ways that you can prevent damage to your laminate floors, as well as the common mistakes people make that damage their floors in the first place.
Ready? Let’s jump in.
Protective Products for Laminate
First of all, we’ll go over all the different products you can use as a first line of defense.
Furniture Pads
The sound of a chair or other furniture grinding against laminate flooring is not only unpleasant, but it’s also the sound of your flooring getting damaged.
The good thing is that it’s easy to use furniture padding to prevent scuff marks from happening. Here are the best ways to go about this:
Buy small discs that have adhesive on one side and can be stuck to the bottom of the chair or furniture. Click here to see an example of this.
If you want to use the ready-made discs then you can buy some felt and adhesive. Simply glue small pieces of this to the bottom of the furniture legs.
Another option you can try is to use carpet. A small piece of carpet under the furniture legs can work to keep your floor protected from scuffs.
Use Rugs
A rug is not only good for decoration, but it’s also one of the first lines of defense for your laminate floors.
Certain areas of the house are “high traffic”, meaning they get lots of people walking on them, often with shoes. Over time this foot traffic will eventually cause wear and tear of the flooring.
Using a rug on these high traffic areas is one easy way to combat this problem.
Plastic Flooring Pads
If you’re in an office it’s crucial to use plastic flooring pads under the caster chairs to protect the floors. Usually damage from the chairs will not be covered by warranty because it’s considered “mechanical damage” so keep this in mind.
The only disadvantage of this is that they can be kind of an eyesore, so go with a rug for your home instead.
Use a Welcome Mat
When you see a welcome mat at someone’s front door, usually the first instinct is to wipe your feet off. This will also help to protect the entrance of your house by removing the dirt and rocks from people’s shoes, as well as preventing footprints on the inside.
Preventative Measures
Now we’ll go over the different measures you can take to protect laminate floors from scuffs and scratches.
Trim Pet Nails
We already mentioned that laminate flooring is tough, and it’s still the best option for pet owners because of the aluminum oxide coating. But having pets walk over the flooring is also one of the top reasons for damage over time. Keeping their nails trimmed is a simple way to help protect the flooring from the constant foot traffic from your furry friend.
Limit Moisture
Excessive moisture can really damage your laminate flooring if it’s not dealt with. Humidity higher than 65% is when the risk really goes up. It’s recommended to keep the humidity levels between 35-65%.
It’s also important to clean up spills right away. Leaving spills for too long can cause them to seep into the floor. Make sure to wipe the spill thoroughly not only to stop it seeping into the flooring, but also to prevent someone slipping!
Also, make sure not to use too much moisture when using your cleaning device.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Along with all these protective measures that we’ve listed it’s also important to clean them regularly. This may seem obvious, but little rocks, dirt, sand, and other things can leave scratches if they are walked over.
Move Furniture Carefully
Moving a heavy piece of furniture can be difficult. This makes it tempting to drag it along the floor which can lead to scratches and scuff marks. A much better approach is to lift the furniture when moving it. Make sure to ask for help if needed to avoid injury.
You can also place a heavy towel or piece of carpet underneath and drag it as well.
Conclusion
Laminate flooring is one of the top choices in many people’s homes because of how much weight it can support. If not taken care of it can still be damaged though. Take action on all the tips in this article and your laminate flooring will stay protected for years to come.