The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Hardwood Floors During Renovation or Construction

Houses are never-finished projects. Every year, homeowners can add, remove or change several things around their homes, and this home improvement journeys never end. Renovations or construction in your house can be minor or major. Either way, protecting your hardwood flooring throughout the work is a must. Find the best ways to protect and handle hardwood floors from your ongoing remodeling ventures this 2023. This guide below can show you what to do.

Using Temporary Floor Coverings

Massive renovations or construction can involve numerous workers and traders walking in and out of your home in dirty shoes or boots. While cleaning after them is an idea worth mentioning, everyone will be too busy with the project at hand to consider hourly flooring cleanups. Hardwood floors are more susceptible to damage when exposed to high levels of dirt and grime from the outdoors. 

The best way to protect them from dirty boots and outdoor grime is to use temporary floor coverings. A floor covering is an affordable and efficient method to safeguard your hardwood floors from damage during a renovation. In addition, they’re convenient to install and provide everyone with a clear walkway throughout the house.

Homeowners can buy floor covering materials to protect their hardwood floors that fit the ongoing project in their homes. Many floor coverings safeguard your hardwood floorboards from scratches, dents, and stains. Here are some examples.

Floor Cardboards

These are specialized cardboards you lay out on your hardwood flooring to prevent dents during heavy-duty construction projects. Many of these floor coverings come with adhesives to help hold them in place. But you can also use painter’s tape to keep them from sliding on the hardwood surface during a renovation.

Masonite

Masonite is a wooden board that protects your hardwood floors from any damage. Masonite covering is available in 4’x8′ sheets with 1/4″ or 1/8″ thickness at your local hardware. Many remodelers use them for large-scale construction projects in high-traffic areas due to their durability and easy-to-install features.

You can tape masonite floor coverings using duct tape or high-strength adhesives to stop them from shifting on the hardwood surface.

Construction Papers

Construction papers are for lightweight coverage and are an all-time favorite of contractors and homeowners. They’re economical and convenient to install and cut. Many subfloors use them as slip sheets to keep dust and prevent squeaky hardwood floorings.

Applying Painter’s Tape on Non-Adhesive Floor Coverings

Some floor coverings come with adhesives, but most temporary hardwood covers don’t have one. The best fix-it for this concern is to use blue painter’s tape to keep them from sliding against the wooden surface.

Painter’s tape is an adhesive material that protects your hardwood floors from paint spills and pressure from moving heavy equipment used during renovation or construction. In addition, high-quality blue painter’s tapes don’t leave any residue when applied correctly to the hardwood floorings.

Here are other reminders homeowners need to know when using painter’s tape on hardwood floors and temporary coverings.

Using Medium-Adhesion Tapes

The painter’s tape you should use must have medium strength. Adhesion tapes used for floor coverings and hardwood flooring surfaces should be tough enough to stick but not too strong to leave residues.

Cleaning the Floors

The cardinal rule for any adhesive application on hardwood floors is to keep them clean before applying the tape. There are several reasons why cleaning your hardwood flooring is essential before taping or covering them with floor covers.

The most notable purpose is to prevent residue and debris buildup during the project. The second crucial reason is to ensure the tape sticks to the surface for the entirety of the renovation.

Avoid Using them on Newly-Refinished Hardwood Floors

Painter’s tapes are the safest options for flat flooring surfaces. But they can damage your hardwood floors if you stick them after a new refinish. Instead of the top layers, apply the tape to the baseboards.

Determining Walking Routes and Keeping the Site Clean

Establishing a route around the house should be on top of your list when preparing and protecting your hardwood floors during a renovation. Create a course for bringing equipment in and out of the rooms and specify a path the workers and tradespeople can access around the property.

Determining walking routes will help lessen overall wear and tear on your hardwood floors. It will also contain them in specific areas, making it easier to deal with if you find surface damage after the renovation.

In addition, cleaning the site after every workday can help alleviate the stress from the ongoing project. Collecting dust and debris will make things more manageable for your hardwood floors and everyone working. Even with temporary floor coverings, you should always clean up spills immediately to avoid permanent staining or damage. Removing the trash and debris will also keep your home well-ventilated, which protects your hardwood flooring from chemical fumes.

Protecting Hardwood Floors in Austin, Texas Home Renovations

Renovations and other home improvement projects are unending journeys for every homeowner. Every year, people upgrade their homes to increase their value and beautify them. Owning hardwood floors during remodeling or construction can be stressful, but knowing how to protect them is a tremendous help.

Get an expert opinion from a professional by visiting Kelly Hardwood Floors today!