Can You Wax Prefinished Hardwood Floors

Floors that have a polyurethane finish do not need to be waxed.

Can you wax prefinished hardwood floors.

There are a number of techniques and products you can use. Be sure to use the correct type of wax for your floor and finish. Engineered hardwood floors have become very popular recently. Most pre finished wood floors like this one are sealed with polyurethane and the polymers in the revitalizer will fill in the small scratches and cover the floor with a.

Before waxing hardwood floors carefully clean the surface with a broom or mop to remove any dust or dirt that could get trapped in the wax and impact the finish. A small application of cleaner on a microfiber mop is all that s needed to clean your floors. Standing fluids can seep through even the baked on coating of a prefinished floor and they can also seep between boards and cause warping. Traditionally hardwood flooring was always installed as unfinished planks that were then stained and finished with a protective surface layer right on the worksite.

Many are intended for vinyl linoleum and tile but not hardwood. Depending on the exact flooring and the product you use for waxing you may not need to re wax the floor for a period ranging from a couple of months to nearly two years. If waxing a floor that doesn t need it the wax will react negatively with the finish and create a cloudy look. These finishes require a water based polish instead.

However you need to know a thing or two about maintenance to maintain the shine of your engineered hardwood floors. For example some types of modern hardwood flooring have a sealed surface that should not be waxed. They are easy to install affordable and require less upkeep than traditional hardwood floors. You can buy commercial wax removers to make this job less onerous but read the label carefully before purchasing one.

If you don t get to a water spill quickly enough it may. Apply a solvent based hardwood floor wax to the scrubbed area with a soft cloth and buff it in to restore its shine. The best candidate for waxing is a hardwood floor that was previously treated with a penetrating wood sealer lacquer varnish shellac or oil as wax can bolster the protective properties of. Sandpaper and steel wool can degrade surface finishes so you ll want to.

When cleaning hardwood floors less is more. But since the introduction of prefinished solid hardwood during the 1940s this newer form of flooring has become increasingly popular and today you may find that it s easier to find than traditional unfinished hardwood planks.