Advice 2 min read

Engineered Wood Care Tips

Ten minutes a week and a few habits keep an engineered floor looking new. What matters, in the order it matters.

Biggest factor

Grit at the doors

Cleaning

Barely damp mop

Never

Steam or standing water

Structural warranty

25 years

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What matters, in order

People spend money on products and skip the two things that actually protect a floor. Here they are in order of effect.

Mats at every external door

Long enough for three or four steps. Grit walked in on shoes causes nearly all the wear you will ever see.

Sweep or vacuum often

More often than you mop. Use a soft brush head, never a beater bar.

Felt under every furniture leg

And check the pads once a year. A pad with grit in it works like sandpaper.

Damp mop, rarely

Barely damp, with a cleaner made for your finish. This is fourth on the list for a reason.

What to avoid

Each of these is common, and each one shortens the life of a floor.

Steam mops

Steam drives moisture into the joints under pressure. Avoid unless the manufacturer specifically allows it.

A soaking mop

Standing water is what opens joints in an otherwise healthy floor.

General household cleaners

They strip an oiled finish and leave residue on a lacquered one.

Dragging furniture

One dragged appliance can leave a mark that no maintenance removes.

Through the year

Engineered wood is far more stable than solid, but it is still timber and it still responds to the air around it.

Fine gaps that open in winter and close again in summer are normal and not a fault. What you are avoiding is not movement but sharp change.

Raise heating gradually

Over several days in autumn rather than in one step.

Ventilate rather than dry hard

A dehumidifier run aggressively creates the swing you are trying to avoid.

Move rugs occasionally

Wood mellows in daylight. A rug left in place for a year leaves a visible outline.

Watch conservatories

The widest temperature and humidity range in the house.

How care relates to the guarantee

Our floors carry a 25 year structural warranty against delamination and structural failure under normal domestic use and correct installation. It does not cover surface wear from grit, water damage or fitting errors. Those three are exactly what the habits above prevent, which is the practical reason to keep them up.

Match the product to your finish

Oiled and lacquered floors need different care. Using the wrong product strips one or leaves a film on the other.

Oiled wood care Lacquered wood care

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