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Protect Wood Floors From Chairs – A Complete Guide
By zarafshan qayyum
The classic elegance of wood flooring is something you simply cannot mimic. Whether you have a contemporary interior or retro-vintage setting, you cannot go wrong with hardwood floors. It adds a timeless grace to the interior. Hardwood floor is low-maintenance but wooden floors are vulnerable to scratches and scuffs. Rolling or movable chairs are the main culprits for damaging the wooden floor. They leave a mark or scuff the floor every time you move them. Dents may also form on the wooden floor due to prolonged placement of heavy furniture. However, there is a solution to every problem. And in this case, we have multiple solutions to the problem. Some extra care and furniture accessories can help you maintain a spotless hardwood floor. Read through the blog for some effective tips on how to protect wood floors from chairs and furniture marks.
Tips To Protect Wood Floors From Chairs And Furniture
There are different types of wooden floors. Some are more resilient to damage while others surrender to scratches quite quickly. However, the key to maintaining a spotless hardwood floor is mostly the same. Rolling the office chairs excessively or moving the furniture carelessly are the main reasons that lead to wooden floor scuffing. Here are some tips to protect hardwood floors from chairs.
1. Don’t Swing On The Office Chairs Unnecessarily!
Office chairs are one of the most common reasons for floor damage. Office chairs are designed to be mobile in order to support the back for extended periods of time. However, it is not very gentle on the wooden flooring. Simply pushing the chairs into position almost always leaves some minor to moderate scuff marks on the floor. And soon you will notice that the hardwood floor beneath your office chair is worn out to an extent that it resembles an old cutting board. So it’s a simple everyday trick to not swing and move unnecessarily on the office chair unless you have taken some solid preventive measures.
2. Avoid Dragging, Dropping, Hauling, And Pushing Heavy Furniture On Wood!
Dragging the furniture across the floor is a bad practice. It not only damages the hardwood floor but is harmful to other types of floorings as well. Pushing the furniture without any safety gear leads to floor scuffing. This mostly happens during renovations and shiftings. Make it a point to avoid pushing the furniture. Next time you want to change the setting, make sure to pick the chairs up rather than rolling them on the wheels. Get a helping hand and pick the furniture up while moving it. Even if the furniture is lightweight and movable, it is recommended to pick it up in order to avoid slight scuffing. It would definitely need more time and labor, but your floor will thank you for the extra work for years to come.
3. Use Glass Chair Mats!
Glass chair mats are the true life-savers for hardwood floors. They offer a safe place for smoothly gliding the office chair without damaging your beloved wooden floor. Plastic mats are also used as an alternative to glass chair mats. But the plastic chair mats can trap grit underneath them and damage the finish of your floor. So it’s better to opt for glass or polycarbonate mats. The glass office mats are visually appealing and give a professional boost to the workspace. So they are your best shot at ensuring floor safety as well as aesthetic luxury.
4. Employ Furniture Pads!
Using furniture pads is another effective technique to protect hardwood floors from chairs and furniture scratches. They are not only practical but quite affordable too. The furniture pads are typically made of cork or rubber to withstand the impact of a moving chair. They basically prevent the furniture from coming in direct contact with the floor. The material of furniture pads is gentle on hardwood floors so it’s a safe choice. Furniture pads are easy to use and install. Just lift the furniture up and lay the pads to save the floor from furniture dents.
There is a wide variety of furniture pads. You can get adhesive, slip-on, cardboard, and even nail-on pads. Felt pads are a step ahead. They not only save the floor from coming in direct contact with the furniture but also enable furniture movement without any resistance.
5. Maximize On Area Rugs To Protect Hardwood Floor!
The oldest and most commonly used method for preventing floor scratching is using area rugs. The area rugs act as a cushion for the pressure the chair puts on the floor. They prevent the furniture from coming into contact with the floor directly. Thus protecting the floor from any possibility of scratching or damage from the movement of the furniture. Area rugs effectively decrease the furniture contact with the floor surface and lower the friction between the two. So you can effortlessly protect your hardwood floor from office chairs and other types of furniture with area rugs. The only catch here is that the rugs would not offer a smooth gliding for your office chair. Some rugs may also get damaged due to the chair wheels. So it’s best to optimize the protection by using glass chair mats.
Area rugs are aesthetically appealing. They come in various shapes, sizes, prints, colors, styles, and types. You can add a hint of your personal style to the office interior with area rugs. They are also economical. Moreover, you can remodel the office interior frequently by just changing the rugs.
6. Protect The Floor With Hardwood Casters!
The standard office chairs come with casters that facilitate smooth wheel movement on almost all types of flooring. For wooden flooring, however, specially made hardwood casters work better. Hardwood casters are used to ensure better floor cushioning during chair movement. They are constructed from softer materials than standard casters. They are easily available and economical. You can replace the chair wheel casters with hardwood casters to prevent floor scuffing. However, it is to be noted that hardwood casters limit the movement of chair wheels with rugs or mats.
Final Thoughts!
Fixing a damaged hardwood floor is a time and money-consuming process. It would be a hard chore to fix the scuffed hardwood floors. However, you can maintain a perfectly shiny wooden floor with proper maintenance. Be gentle with moving the furniture items, employ chair mats and take other preventive measures to save your wooden floor from scratches and dents. Just put in a little effort and your hardwood floors will shine for years to come!
