To handle unfinished wood floors as you care for the finished one can result in wood damage. There is a clear difference between both, and they both are not and should not be treated the same way.
Here’s how to protect unfinished hardwood floors. Firstly, ensure you use dampened cloth and the correct cleaners, adopt dry mopping, vacuum regularly, avoid spills and lastly get a rug.
Bare wood or raw wood floors are possible terms usually used to refer to unfinished wood. Bare in the sense that it is uncovered, uncoated, unfinished, and unsealed.
To sand this kind of wood floor doesn’t mean you finished or sealed it; it’s just a means of keeping bare floors smooth with fine-grit sandpaper.
If you aren’t expected to maintain your bare wood floor as you do for finish floors, how do you protect it from stains, dirt, and other harmful penetration?
Related: How to Fix Hump in Hardwood Floor
Can You Leave Your Wood Unfinished?
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Unfinished wood floor is increasing in usage day by day. People now find it reasonable to embed natural things in their houses in their natural states.
Hence, most of the time, it isn’t a lack of enough money for the wood finish is why most people leave their wood bare; it is often because some users prefer it that way.
The unfinished floor is good and helps create a relaxed, warm, and conducive environment in the house. You do not have to finish your hardwood floor.
Although sealing your wood floor gives it some certain level of protection, that doesn’t mean there are no other means of protecting your woods aside from that.
Sealing a floor at the same time prevents specific people from having the kind of structure of home they want (natural). Aside from this, people also have other reasons they prefer bare floors or bare floors.
Some’s main reason for leaving their floors bare is to absorb dirt and moisture. Aside from all these reasons, some people still keep their floor bare because they have not yet the expenses of sealing it.
You can seal finish a wood floor after some time. It doesn’t mean that you must leave it for a while, but in case you are not ready in terms of the expenses, you can always finish your wood later.
If your reason for keeping raw lumber is that you want something natural, and you’ll have no intention of later sealing it in the future, it is better to investigate which type of wood will be suitable for it.
How to Protect Unfinished Hardwood Floors
To protect the unfinished wood floor, there are specific maintenance measures you will need to adopt in its usage and cleaning. It may seem more demanding than your care for finished wood.
Nonetheless, it would be best to give it what it takes to prevent your raw wood floor external penetration, which might be destructive.
Simplicity on Your Floor
You must ensure you aren’t conscious of not doing anything that might be too much or coarse on your wood. You should have it at the back of your mind that this wood is not sealed. It is as natural as it is.
They treat it with more carefulness. The floor is very delicate and open to damage. Therefore, you need to avoid sharp and heavy instruments on it.
Read: How to Repurpose Hardwood Flooring
Use Dampened Cloths
Bare wood floor can soak in water because it is not sealed. Therefore, avoid regular water on the ground and use Damp fabrics instead of wetting the floor when cleaning.
Soap and water can not be used on this kind of floor as it is used on the finished wood floor. It can damage the wood.
Get Correct Wood Cleaner
Ensure to use good floor cleaners and don’t damage unfinished floors. Be sure what products work best for your bare wood floor; not no cleanser is advisable.
You can be sure there is a massive difference between a finished wood cleaner and an unfinished wood cleaner. Please don’t mistake it for each other.
Adopt Dry-Mopping
As said earlier, bare woods do not appreciate water on them. Hence, a need to avoid wetting the surfaces. Dry mopping is a technic to ensure this.
Sanding
When you have stains on your wood, Sanding the stained area is a suitable method of removing the stains. However, this mustn’t be too often.
Vacuuming
Vacuum is another way of protecting your floor at least once in a while. Doing this gets rid of specks of dust and dirt on your wood.
These particles could scratch. Vacuuming your floor will help remove any build-up.
Avoid spills
Try as much as possible to avoid spills. They are very destructive to unfinished wood.
Get rugs
Purchasing some rugs and mats for extra protection. And to rearrange your furniture, clean the floor first, so any particles do not scrape the unfinished wood.
Read: How to Protect Hardwood Floors from Bed with Wheels
Conclusion
It is imperative to be conscious when using and maintaining unfinished wood since it has no extra covering. Instead of wetting your unfinished floor, ensure you preferably dampen your towel or cloth you use in water and soap for the cleaning.
And remember that for unfinished wood, little soap and water are needed. Use wood cleaner for the floor and avoid lubricants application on the floor.
It can soak in and affect the texture of the floor. The kind of mop required for cleaning this kind of wood floor should be the one that soaks up water very well, e.g., cotton mop. To get stains removed on this kind of floor, sand them away.
This article was written to give you in-depth knowledge about how to protect unfinished hardwood floors.
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