Q: I am wondering about the long-term appearance of hardwood in a kitchen. We were at a home last night that had light-stained hardwood in the kitchen, and there was a lot of wear and tear on the busier areas of the kitchen (by the sink and fridge).
I would like to do hardwood in my kitchen, but this made me question how long it would hold up to the regular busy-ness of a kitchen.
Are there types of hardwood or stains that hold up better? Do I just need to prepare to re-finish in the kitchen every 5 years or something?
A: I generally suggest placing small mats in front of the sink and stove. However, a well finished floor should not be showing severe wear to the point that the finish is worn off in just 5 years. Clean regularly. Vacuum. Use an approved cleaner for polyurethane finishes. When the floor starts to look a little banged up, you only need to have it lightly buffed and re coated. This buffing or screening creates scratches in the existing top coat which provides a profile for the new coat to grab.
Related Questions
Breathable mats for hardwood floorsQ: We recently installed Azek boards for our outside porch floor. They told me at Azek that if I want to put an outside mat down where we exit the house, it needs to be a breathable mat and not a rubber mat. Do you have a suggestion for me?…
Can area rugs discolour hardwood floors?Can area rugs discolour hardwood floors? I was told by a rug salesperson that rugs could discolour hardwood floors, especially new hardwoods. She said carpet pads alleviate the problem.
Protecting hardwood from dogs nails...We'd like to have our floors professionally stained and finished in a dark [ebony] stain. However, we have a golden retriever and a collie/spaniel cross. Is there a recommended finish that can protect them? Do you think this is a good idea? I don't seem to see any damage to…
Keeping hardwood floors in good conditionQ: Can you tell me what is the best way to clean hardwood floors? A: There are numerous cleaners on the market for polyurethane/varnished floors. Poloplaz makes one as does Basic Coatings, Mirage, Bona etc. Any floor retailer should have a suitable product. Keep on top of the vacuuming to…
How to clean hardwood floorsI have hardwood floors in my living and dining room. I have yet to figure out how to clean them. Just looking across the floor it looks fine, but if I sit down on the couch I can see spots all over the floor. Some are footprints but a lot…
Sticky kitchen and dining room floorsWe just moved into apartment-type housing. The floors are wood. The flooring in the dining room and kitchen area is very sticky. No amount of mopping is helping. Is there anything we can do without being in danger of ruining the floors and having to replace them?