Parquet treatment

Parquet is the oldest method of decorating the floor in a house that gives elegance and solidity to the room. If you decide to decorate the interior of the house with natural, ecological material made of wood, then you need to know what includes caring for the parquet. Many people think that caring for parquet is a long and time-consuming process, but in reality everything is not so difficult. It is only necessary to take into account some features of this coating, so that with proper use and care such a solid, warm, comfortable floor has served you for at least 60 years.

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Features of

Parquet Parquet consists of natural ecological material - wood. It is thanks to this that the floor "breathes", but means - absorbs moisture. And if the humidity in the room is high, then the coating can swell with time. With excessive dryness, other problems arise - crevices appear, as the tree dries.

Use some simple tips when laying the laths - this will greatly simplify the maintenance of parquet in the future and will help to prevent a number of possible problems. The tricks are as follows:

1. At the stage of laying an important role is played by moisture protection on the basis of parquet masonry, as well as around the perimeter. Therefore:
   • On the base of the parquet, build a vapor barrier on the surface of the parquet screed.
   • On the perimeter of the parquet leave a gap of 1 cm and fill it with an elastic sealant, which will allow the parquet to expand as the temperature changes.
2. Parquet is topcoated with several layers of varnish or oil-wax mixture to prevent the penetration of moisture into the structure of the wooden flooring.
3. Observe the optimum temperature and humidity conditions before flooring. Do not store parquet for more than a month before bedding.
4. Arrange the parquet flooring within 3 days of the opening of the protective packaging.

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Enemies of the

parquet floor To ensure that an environmentally friendly floor has served you for many years, familiarize yourself with its enemies and prevent their appearance:

• Heating shutdown in winter. The temperature below 10 ° C leads to freezing of the parquet. That is why the laying of parquet will not be practical in an unheated room.
• Air heating mode is above 30 C. If the centralized heating system does not provide you with the required level of comfort, try to provide an option for individual heat supply, matching existing capabilities with the level of safety. In this case, solving the problem of how to care for the parquet in the winter will be much easier. Do not use heat sources that require installation directly on the floor.
• Repair and finishing work. Usually plastering works, leveling of walls, painting works are connected with the raised humidity and change of a microclimate. If the repair and finishing work lasts more than 5 days, this negatively affects the flooring. Therefore, try to either complete everything as quickly as possible, or do the laying of the parquet only after finishing the walls and ceiling. The second approach will allow you to save time and cleaners, which you will then have to spend on cleaning the premises.
• Frequent and sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Ventilating a house in winter by opening wide windows harms the wooden floor.
• Long-term room heating and lack of ventilation are also undesirable. For example, in winter, a closed room with a working heating element.
• Excessive humidity. This can happen if you use irrigation systems for indoor plants.

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Maintenance of parquet

Parquet maintenance includes several mandatory procedures that must be performed regularly. In addition, no one is immune from spilled drinks, water or other troubles associated with the contamination of the flooring. Therefore, during the operation of parquet it is very important to adhere to the following rules:

1. In case of contact with a large amount of water, remove the liquid as quickly as possible and leave the floor to dry.
2. Use wax polishes and parquet oils to preserve the lacquer film.

Important! When breaking the varnish layer, please update it to protect it from moisture.

1. The optimum temperature for a parquet floor is 20 ° C. The humidity of the air is from 45 to 60%.
2. Use protective mats in front of the door and inside the house:
   • Rigid - for collecting sand particles, etc.
   • Soft - to absorb water from the street, snow, dirt.
3. Regularly vacuum the floor using soft special nozzles, and from time to time wipe with a semi-dry cloth.

Important! If the floor is covered with wax, oil, then wet wiping is strictly prohibited.

1. For the first 2 weeks after varnishing of the coating, remove the dust only with a vacuum cleaner.
2. If a dog lives in an apartment, then after a walk, be sure to wash her paws. This will keep the parquet and protect you from germs.
3. Use special parquet care products to clean the dirt.
4. On the feet of upholstered furniture glue soft felt protective "slippers", so as not to damage the coating.
5. When using furniture on wheels( work chair, TV tables, etc.), use protective office floor mats to prevent wear of the varnish.
6. Do not install the furniture indoors until 2 weeks after the last coat has been applied.
7. It is absolutely forbidden to walk on a parquet in shoes on a hairpin. Wear slippers to protect the floor covering.
8. In the first weeks after varnishing, do not cover the floors with carpeting, as they prevent drying of the varnish.
9. Parquet under lacquer coating must be sanded 0.2-0.4 mm once every 5-8 years and covered with protective solution again.
10. The floor, covered with wax mastic or oil, does not need to be polished regularly and varnished during operation, but it needs more thorough and frequent care.
11. On a parquet where there is no heavy load( in the apartments), apply the care product as needed( 1 time in 2 months).Floors with medium load( offices, stairs, corridors) should be treated every 2-4 weeks. Floors in places with high load( shops, cafes, schools) process the products every 8-14 days.

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Maintenance of parquet with varnished

Good protection of wood from damage, dirt, deterioration is varnishing. Such a floor can be cleaned using wet cleaning, but keep in mind that it is not recommended to conduct a wet cleaning on a parquet that is first covered with varnish. It is better to use a vacuum cleaner until the varnish gets strength.

Important! The wood surface should dry after a correct wet cleaning in 1 minute.

For cleaning you will need:

• Mop.
• Soft fabric.
• Warm water.
• Parquet cleaning agent.

The use of these tools to ensure proper maintenance of the parquet is very simple:

1. If there are no visible dirt and stains on the floor covering, then soak the rag in plain water, squeeze it well and rinse the floor.
2. If stains appear on the surface and can not be removed with a damp cloth, use special means for washing the parquet.

Important! For varnished parquet, do not use abrasive materials, dishwashing detergents or cleaners, or chemical solvents.

Daily care for parquet floors should be soft and not too intense. Lacquer coating wipe with a soft cotton cloth or hair brush, use a well-wrung rag. General cleaning of parquet should be carried out only with strong dirt and hardened dirt stains.

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Parquet care products

The products for gentle parquet care are divided into 2 large groups:

1. Cleaners or cleaners. These funds are designed to remove contaminants, traces and various spots.
2. Protective-decorative polishes. These tools help to hide minor damages, improve the appearance of the coating after cleaning, and also preserve the quality characteristics of the wooden surface.

The choice of these means determines the flooring, because the varnishes for the parquet are:

• Glossy - they give the surface a silky shine.
• Semi-matt, matte, which emphasizes the natural wood pattern.

How to use cleaners?

Companies that manufacture varnishes, include in the range of their products and cleaners for the care of the surface of the floors. They can be in the form of concentrates and aerosols. Qualitative means for care of parquet floor are neutral to a varnish and do not leave on a floor of traces and divorces.

Method of use is simple:

1. Mix a small amount of the product in a bucket with water.
2. Dampen rag in solution.
3. Use a special mop to wipe the floor.
4. Remove stubborn stains with special aerosols: apply foam to the place of contamination and wipe the surface with a tissue.

Important! In the sale there are parquet care products of a certain orientation: cleaners from strong contaminants, such as marks from bicycle tires, rubber shoes, etc.

How to use decorative polish?

The cleaned surface must be treated with special fresheners and reducing agents( polish).A thin layer of polish will protect the wooden surface and increase its water-repellent and anti-slip properties.

Important! To care for the parquet was correct, the treatment with decorative polish should be done once in 1-2 months.

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Popular parquet care products

If your financial capabilities or personal household preferences do not allow you to use household chemicals, some dirt can be removed and folk ways:

• Traces of a colored pencil, felt-tip pens, fat spots and chocolate stains removewith the help of white spirit. A piece of soft tissue soak in a small amount of funds and wipe the dirt.
• Black strips of shoes are covered with a nylon cloth.
• Remove the nail polish with acetone, diluted with water.
• Chewing gum and wax on the surface, freeze with ice, and then remove with a plastic spatula.

Important! After cleaning the floor with any of the listed products, wipe the surface with a damp cloth.

We hope that using the above recommendations and advice, caring for parquet flooring will seem much easier and easier than you thought or expected. Use quality products to care for the coating, and parquet will serve you for many decades.