Cleaning Polyurethane Coated Hardwood Floors

Wood floors in particular take a bit more care than concrete floors.

Cleaning polyurethane coated hardwood floors.

The former is usually the more durable of the two. Polyurethane is a common coating for floors particularly hardwood floors and concrete floors. These coatings are generally durable but they do require a little special care to keep them shiny and strong. Hardwood floors generally will be topped with a layer of hard gloss varnish or shellac in the old days polyurethane today which protects the wood from moisture and damage.

Modern hardwood floors are generally finished with a polyurethane or acrylic coating unless a different finish is requested for while older hardwood floors may be unfinished and only stained they have no surface seal or protective film. Polyurethane finished wood floors are more durable than the wax coatings of the past. However you still need to take special care when cleaning this type of floor as you can damage the floor or the coating if you re not careful. This reduces wear and tear and also adds a protective barrier that prevents water and moisture from seeping into the wood.

To protect the flooring a clear polyurethane coating is often added to seal the flooring. Hardwood floors are costly and should be maintained properly. Those from the factory and those applied on site. All polyurethane finishes are water resistant but flooring professionals advise using water sparingly if at all for cleaning.

Polyurethane hardwood floor finishes come in two varieties.