How to Choose and Care for Hardwood Flooring in Your Seattle Home 

Seattle, known as the rainy city, earned this nickname for experiencing an average of 150 rainy days each year. Since moisture levels are high most of the year, selecting the right flooring type is key. Given the number of rainy days, Seattle homeowners are more inclined to opt for durable hardwood floors over other flooring types, such as carpet, which more easily trap mud and moisture or become moldy. 

When it comes to choosing the best hardwood flooring for Seattle homes, there are a few things to keep in mind, including how moisture impacts hardwood over time, solid wood versus engineered wood, and general hardwood floor maintenance. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best options and offer expert advice to ensure your floors not only withstand the weather but also look their best. 

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Understanding Seattle’s Climate and Its Impact on Hardwood Flooring 

Seattle’s unique climate of cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers means solid hardwood floors, which are made of natural materials, will react to seasonal changes in temperature and moisture levels.  Given this, and the fact that hardwood flooring can be costly, it’s important for homeowners to select the best flooring for rainy climates.

How Humidity Affects Hardwood Floors

Sitting at 71.4% average relative humidity and ranked number 15 on the list of most humid states, Washington is no stranger to moisture. Humidity, which is defined by how much water is in the air, can cause hardwood floors to expand. In some cases, floorboards can expand too much and begin to warp and buckle, causing them to pull away from the subfloor, creating an uneven base. 

To reduce the likelihood of moisture damage in homes, experts recommend proper ventilation and the use of dehumidifiers to control indoor moisture levels. 

Recommended Hardwood Types for Seattle Homes

While solid hardwood might not be durable enough to withstand Seattle's humidity levels, other, more stable flooring options might be a better option for Seattle residents hoping for the look and feel of hardwood floors without running the risk of moisture damage. 

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Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood Flooring

Aesthetically identical to solid hardwood and more moisture-resistant, engineered wood, also known as composite wood, is a great, more durable flooring alternative. Engineered wood is created by compressing and adhering thin layers of plywood and solid wood together. Unlike solid hardwood, which is cut directly from a log, this layering process allows engineered wood to be more resistant to warping, buckling, and cracking, making it an ideal option for those who live in a more humid climate like Seattle.

Best Practices for Maintaining Hardwood Floors in Seattle

Hardwood flooring maintenance is key to keeping it looking its best. Below, we’ll outline a few ways you can optimize your cleaning routine and offer tips on how to protect your hardwood floors to promote longevity. 

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Care Routines

Sometimes, it helps to break down your cleaning schedule into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks to stay organized and build a routine. 

Daily Cleaning Routine

On a daily basis, you’ll want to make a habit of sweeping or vacuuming your hardwood floors to remove debris, which can scratch the surface and cause floors to appear dull over time. Implementing this daily task will make a huge difference not only in the appearance of your floors but also in protecting your floors in the long term. 

Weekly Cleaning Routine

Pick a day of the week and perform a damp mopping with wood-safe cleaners. It’s important to check and make sure you’re using a cleaner that is safe to use on hardwood floors to avoid causing damage. 

Monthly Cleaning Routine

Some cleaning tasks, such as deep cleaning and polishing, will only need to be done on a monthly basis. We recommend performing these tasks at least every two months to restore shine and keep floors looking their best. 

Moisture Protection and Preventive Strategies

While dealing with moisture in the home can be a nuisance, there are a few measures you can take to reduce levels and protect flooring. For example, something as small as having people remove their shoes before entering the home or making use of entryway mats can limit the amount of tracked-in water.

In addition to these small changes, you can also consider investing in a dehumidifier to control indoor moisture levels. Dehumidifiers work by monitoring your home’s relative humidity. Once this reaches a certain level, it will draw in your home’s air and filter out any moisture, which is then stored in the machine’s water tank. The now dry air is then heated and released back into the air. 

Why COIT’s Professional Services Are Recommended

Hardwood floors can be tricky to maintain, especially in humid climates like Seattle. While it’s certainly possible to clean and maintain this type of flooring on your own, it’s sometimes beneficial to enlist the help of professionals who know how to handle all types of flooring. 

Trusted industry experts like COIT know how to maintain and restore hardwood floors so you can continue to enjoy them for years to come. When you go with the professionals, you’re ensuring your time and money are well spent. 

Why Choose COIT for Hardwood Floor Cleaning and Restoration

For more than 75 years, customers have trusted their homes to COIT’s professional cleaning services. 

At COIT, we don’t just clean the wood floor surface. Instead, we extract hidden dirt from deep within the boards, dry, and hand clean the surface of the floor, and then apply a shining topcoat.

Here’s a breakdown of COIT’s Hardwood floor cleaning process:

Debris Removal

• Remove large pieces of dirt and debris
• Prepare the floor for COIT's state-of-the-art wood floor cleaning equipment

Scrub

• COIT’s Wood Floor Care & Intensive Floor Treatment aggressively attacks tough dirt
• The cylindrical action of COIT’s wood floor cleaning equipment agitates and loosens embedded dirt and residue
• We utilize our specialized equipment to extract the cleaning solution

Detailed Hand Cleaning

• COIT’s specially trained technicians will clean edges and difficult-to-reach corners by hand
• A microfiber cloth captures the remaining surface dirt and debris

Second Scrub

• COIT’s state-of-the-art cleaning equipment picks up any final dirt or residue

Topcoat Application

• Leaves wood floors spotless and residue-free with no sanding necessary
• The finish will give wood floors a streak-free shine or a matte finish

With the best cleaning methods in the business, we also offer the industry’s strongest 100% satisfaction guarantee, ensuring that if you aren’t completely satisfied with the results, we’ll do whatever it takes to fix it. 

To schedule your hardwood floor cleaning today, contact COIT