Engineered wood flooring is often chosen instead of traditional wood flooring because it’s easy on the pocket. The difference is that engineered wood, as the name suggests, is manufactured to look like real wood. In actual fact, engineered wood flooring has a layer of real wood on its surface and plywood underneath.

Of course, when it comes to maintenance, the best course of action is prevention rather than cure. In other words, if you treat engineered wood flooring well, there’s no reason they won’t look fabulous for many years to come.

The best policy when cleaning engineered wood flooring is to keep it simple. The less abrasion the better. Periodic cleaning that involves picking up small particles, which can scratch the surface, is advisable. When using a vacuum cleaner to reach dirt between floor boards, make sure you don’t scratch the floor. To wash engineered wood flooring, one of the best techniques is to simply go over it with a slightly damp mop.

Treat engineered wood floors well and you’ll avoid having to make repairs. However, if you do need to restore them, here are some suggestions:

• Scrapes and Scuffs. If the mark isn’t very deep, an extremely light sanding or a colored marker will potentially mask it. If you do choose this option, remember not to be too heavy handed or you could make it worse.

• Water Stains. Although engineered wood flooring can take a certain amount of moisture, the fact of the matter is that daily activity and spillages can leave water stains. The first action is to take the top layer of wax off the flooring by sanding. Next, with some floor wax, polish the affected spot.

• Scald Marks. Floors have an uncanny way of receiving the strangest of treatment. There are all sorts of things that can leave burn marks upon a floor, including candles, cigarettes and even dropped irons. The same remedy is essentially used as for the water stain. If the flooring is only superficially damaged, the top layer of wax needs to be removed from the floor by sanding and then refilled with oil or wax.

If none of these remedies work on the affected area and you can’t cover it with a rug or other object, it’s possible to replace the damaged plank.

If you’re in the market for flooring on the Outer Banks, why not consider engineered wood flooring. With a real wood exterior, it provides a stunning appearance for less money. Because of the many choices associated with engineered wood flooring, why not come and speak to the experts at Outer Banks Custom Flooring. With decades of experience in the industry, they’ll be able help you make the right decision.

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