Hardwood floor – wax it or not?
Quite surprising, but not many home owners become aware that as part of continuous and successful care
for their wood floors, waxing is perfect choice to protect the healthy condition of the flooring. Still, not
every hardwood floor should be waxed, for some it’s appropriate, for some not, even though they all are
made of wood.
Nowadays hardwood floors are first baked and then sealed, so they are protected from injuries. Today, the
everyday use that should have almost certainly damaged the old fashioned floors, can no longer inflict
any damages, because of the new, durable coatings. Those are types of wood floors that don’t have to be
waxed. Inform yourself about the specifics of your hardwood and check it out – if there is a shiny finish,
don’t wax it.
Better find out if there is a topcoat covering your hardwood floors. Often some floors have urethane,
polyurethane or acrylic varnish. These kinds of floors are worn less, as the topcoat does exactly what it’s
designed for – preserves the floor.
Older floorings have to be buffed and waxed on a regular basis, so they could continue looking their best.
Needless to say that the floor should be cleaned thoroughly before it gets waxed. If your floor is dull or
discolored, the previous wax should be stripped off.
So, have in mind:
You should treat your floor with wax only if its finish is compatible. You should never wax floors with
polyurethane or other type of varnish finish, because the wax doesn’t allow bonding with next coatings of
finish, precluding by that the possibility to screen and re-coat the finish.
If your floor planks are natural and raw, don’t apply wax on them, as it may discolor and stain the wood.
Before you prepare to wax a red aimed or disressed hardwood flooring, make sure it has been properly
finished. If you’re not sure whether waxing would damage your floor, better consult your wood floor
installer or refinisher. If you have any questions or doubts, professional floor maintain company will help
you with estimation and appropriate range of services and materials.
