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Engineered Hardwood and Luxury Vinyl Plank Maintenance
Engineered hardwood and vinyl plank have a lot in common as less expensive substitutes for hardwood, and as it turns out, the care and maintenance they both need is pretty similar too. Let’s talk today about how to look after both of these floor types.
Engineered Hardwood
This is a popular choice for budget-conscious homeowners who still like the elegance and simplicity of hardwood. The wood is all real, the only difference is that layers have been bonded together to create the same as solid hardwood at a lower cost. Engineered hardwood can even be installed in places where regular hardwood can’t go, like the basement, and its layered construction makes it resistant to warping. It’s relatively low maintenance, and cleaning it is pretty easy, once you learn how.
As with any wood floors, frequent cleaning helps a lot. The dangers of letting grit hang around on engineered wood are the same as on solid hardwood, so this step is especially important when it’s wet and muddy out. You can clean with a broom, dry mop, or vacuum cleaner, though if you vacuum, make sure to disengage the beater bar and set the machine to a bare-floors setting (if it doesn’t have one, just set it at the furthest from the floor).
If grime or something else more serious than dust has accumulated on the floor, use a damp but not soaking mop, preferably one with a microfiber mophead for minimal abrasion. Even though engineered is more moisture resistant than solid hardwood, it’s important that the mop not be too wet, as any pooling liquids can get into cracks and cause damage.
For the long term, use doormats to reduce dirt tracked in, put carpets in high traffic areas or have people take shoes off, clean spills as soon as they happen, use foot protectors for furniture legs, and don’t use harsh cleaners (bleach, vinegar, etc.) or abrasive tools (steel wool, steel bristles, etc.).
Luxury Vinyl Plank
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) comes from the same compromise as engineered hardwood – hardwood elegance vs. affordability – except that it leans a little more toward the affordability side. Unlike engineered wood, it is not wood at all, but looks convincingly like it. It goes in all the places wood might go, but also in bathrooms and kitchens. Like any floor, it still needs some maintenance, but it is one of the lowest maintenance floors you can get these days.
Some of the basic maintenance is the same as for engineered wood, or for that matter, solid wood. In particular,
- Lay down mats for foot-wiping
- Regularly sweep or vacuum without a beater bar
- Felt footpads on the furniture
Something deeper than routine sweeping and mopping is fine. Since this isn’t wood, you can use water a little more freely, but still, don’t let puddles accumulate because even vinyl planks have joints between them. For soap solutions, consult your floor material manufacturer’s website to see if there are any warnings. If not, just mix an appropriate amount of dish soap into a bucket of warm water.
Remember also that even though luxury vinyl plank is tough, you should still never use any abrasive scrubber on it. Like with the engineered wood, the best option is probably your microfiber mophead, which gets just about everything but doesn’t scratch.
So if you’re thinking about getting either a vinyl plank or engineered hardwood floor, this information has hopefully been helpful in terms of what to expect. And if you live in the Northern Virginia area, Unique Carpet & Floor in Manassas are your flooring experts to go to, with more than 20 years of experience. Call us at (703) 369-1600 or get in touch on our website.