Moving Furniture without Damaging Your Hardwood Floors

Now that your hardwood floor refinishing is complete or your new floors are installed, it’s time to put your furniture back. How do you get everything in just the right place without scratching your new beautiful finish? There are a few tricks you can use while placing furniture and to keep the floors looking great for a long time.

Lift – Don’t Slide

It sounds logical and simple enough, right? All too often we’ve lifted the couch and put it where we think we want it and realize it’s not quite centered so we nudge it just a few inches. That’s how scratches happen, just that little tweak to your decorating plan can have big implications on your on your floor – remember most couches have four legs and so you’re likely going to leave four scratches, or worse yet, gouges in the new floors.

Use the Mover’s Tricks

If you’ve ever moved in or out of a home with hardwood floors, you likely will have seen the movers put a blanket down on the floor, lay two parallel boards and then use a dolly to move the heavy item. If the distance you need to travel is longer than one set of boards, have a second and simply move them in front of one another until you reach the destination for the heavy object. Protecting the floor with a moving blanket or other thick blanket is an essential step so don’t just lay boards on the floor.

Use Furniture Pads

Many companies make little felt pads in different sizes for the feet of your furniture. These are an especially good idea on the bottom of kitchen and dining room chairs. Some stick on with adhesive while others nail into the bottom of the leg. You’ll find that the ones that nail in stay put better. We’ve even seen strips for rocking chairs! Do check them every year or two as they will wear out over time with use.

Have a Plan

If you’re just moving your furniture around to have a new look in the space, have a plan first. Anytime you move heavy pieces, you run the risk of damaging the floor. Starting with a plan will help reduce the number of times you have to lift and set a piece down.

If you have a floor that has already suffered damage from unprotected chair legs or other scratches and need hardwood floor refinishing, Seer Flooring can help. We are hardwood and engineered wood floor refinishing experts and can provide you with a quote to help restore your flooring to its former beauty. Call us today to schedule your free estimate at 727-785-1930.