Yes, engineered hardwood floors are typically sealed with a protective finish to help prevent moisture and dirt from penetrating the wood and causing damage.
To tell the difference in a pinch, just rub your finger across the floor. Be sure to do this on a clean floor. If no smudge appears, the floor is surface sealed. If you do create a smudge, the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal, oil finish, shellac, varnish or lacquer, and then waxed.
Real wood floors today are basically treated withsurface-sealants (synthetic resins such urethanes or polyurethanes) orpenetrating sealants. Sealants can be water, oil or solvent based formulations.As the name suggests, sealants either cover the surface or penetrate into thewood.
Hardwood floors can last a lifetime with the right care. Refinishing and resealing are two excellent ways to restore your floor's beauty and protect it for many more years. Whether you choose to refinish or reseal depends on the condition of your floor and the finish currently on it.
Hardwood floors are great in almost every aspect except one – they aren't waterproof! Untreated solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring can withstand droplets of water; however, large quantities of water destroy the structural integrity causing swelling, warping, and bloating.
Look at the underside of the flooring.
If you have spare flooring planks, flip them over and look at the underside. Wood floors will have a wood underside, while vinyl floors will have a paper or fiberboard backing.
Unsealed parquet floors are fairly easy to clean. They should only be cleaned with a vacuum, broom, or mop, and if you need to use moisture to remove any dirt, then try to stick to only water.
Being unsealed, the water you use to clean with may soak into the boards and cause damage. Raw floors should be dry cleaned only. This means using brooms and vacuums, rather than water and chemical cleaners. If a spill occurs, clean it up quickly with a small amount of water and absorbent towels.
With regular wear and tear, the finish on your hardwood floor should last about 7-10 years. Floors in high-traffic areas or that are exposed to a lot of sunlight may need to be refinished more often.
Sealed hardwood floors can withstand the moisture and heat from a steam mop, and they clean really nicely with a streak-free finish. However, avoid using a steam mop on unsealed hardwoods, as they're more vulnerable and easily damaged by excessive moisture.
What is the Best Finish for Hardwood Floors? Polyurethane is the most popular finish for floors. It's tough enough to handle constant traffic and is resistant to almost everything. There are two types of polyurethane finish: oil-based (solvent borne) and water-based (waterborne).
Depending on many factors, like your lifestyle and type of finish, polyurethane can last between three to six years. However, if you see damage on your floors, it may be time to reapply a fresh finish to your hardwood.
Sealed wood floors have an extra layer of protection that prevents the majority of water damage, whereas unsealed floors are much more sensitive to moisture. (You can find out which one you have by placing a drop of water on the floor. If it keeps its shape, your floor is sealed.
Begin by dusting or sweeping your floors well. Then make a cleaning mixture using 4 cups warm water and a few drops of castile soap or dish soap. Do not shake, but gently mix this, then mop or scrub small sections at a time, drying them with a clean cloth or dry mop after."
Applying a topcoat sealer is not required, but a finish protects the stained wood from scratches and keeps it from fading over time. If applying a polyurethane wood finish with a brush, apply one to two coats. If using a spray can, hold 8 to 12 inches from the surface and apply two or three light coats.
Generally speaking, wood floors can be restored without sanding by recoating, using either mechanical or chemical methods. These can be used across wood flooring ideas for a living room, wood floors for a bedroom, kitchen flooring and splash-safe wooden bathroom flooring.
But a little bit of water goes a long way. When cleaning your wood floors, you want to make sure you're not using too much water, which can get underneath and damage the wood. Wring out your mop before slapping it down on the floor so it's damp, not dripping wet. Follow this simple rule and you're good to go.
All hardwood floors, whether made from new or recycled wood, or even vintage floors that have been in place a century or more, need periodic waxing. Floor wax helps seal the porous wood surface, protects it from stains, hides scratches and dents and increases shine.
Unsealed wood floors mean the hardwood doesn't have a protective layer. Many homeowners like the look of untreated floors. The lack of shine and polish makes it look more natural.
Besides, a properly maintained wood floor can go 20 or 30 years or more before needing to be refinished, says Lupresto. And it can be sanded and refinished "easily six or seven times" over its lifetime, he says.
Wood floors come with countless benefits, one of them being a long lifespan. Solid hardwood flooring has been known to last up to 100 years, while the engineered version has a life of almost 50 years.
Hardwood flooring is among the easiest of floorings to maintain. Simple sweeping and wiping with a dry cloth will keep dirt and dust at bay, and there are no places for dirt to hide.