Heavy objects dropped on floors
	Heavy furniture pulled across the floor
	High heels or shoes with rocks in soles
	Chairs or stools pulled across floor
	Children's toys could scratch or dent the surface
	Refer to "Placing Furniture on Your New Floor" under Vinyl Floors for information on protecting hardwood floors from furniture and appliances.

Preventative maintenance is a term more common to industry than to residential or office floor care, but its importance cannot be over-emphasized. Good preventative maintenance lengthens the intervals between the major renovation operations such as re-coating, re-waxing and refinishing. Here are some basic rules that apply to all types of floor finishes.

Keep grit off the floor. Use dirt-trapping, walk-off mats at all exterior doors to help prevent dirt, grit and sand from getting inside the building. Throw- rugs or small sections of carpet just inside the entrances are also recommended. Dirt and grit are any flooring's worst enemy and that includes carpets and vinyls as well as hardwoods. Keep door mats clean.

In kitchens, use area rugs at high spill locations and at work stations-stove, sink, refrigerator. Cotton is generally the best fabric since it is easily washed. Mats with a smooth backing, i.e. rubber or vinyl, may trap water beneath.

Finishes and certain chemicals in wood oxidize and are affected by ultra violet light sources causing the wood and finish to change color and develop a patina or age. To avoid uneven appearance, move area rugs occasionally and drape or shade large windows.

Put fabric glides on the legs of your furniture; they allow furniture to be moved easily without scuffing the floor. Clean the glides regularly since grit can become embedded in them. Some furniture may require barrel type roller casters as ball type casters may cause damage. Grey, non-marking rubber casters are the best. Avoid casters made of hard materials like metals or hard plastics.

Vacuum regularly, as often as you vacuum carpets; a brush attachment works beautifully. Sweep or use a dust mop daily or as needed, but do not use a household dust treatment as this may cause your floor to become slick, dull the finish, or interfere with re-coating.

Wipe up food and other spills promptly with a dry cloth or paper towel. Use a slightly moistened cloth for sticky spills if necessary. Then wipe the floor dry with another cloth or paper towel.

Keep heels on shoes in good repair, especially high heels. Heels that have their protective cap missing or worn away exposing the steel support rod will dent any floor surface, even concrete.

By observing these simple suggestions you'll go a long way toward keeping your hardwood floors beautiful and making their care easier.

Cracks--The same reaction to humidity or the lack of it is happening constantly in your wood floors. Tiny cracks between edges of boards may appear when dry conditions are produced by your heating system. This can usually be REDUCED simply by installing a humidifier. Both family and floors benefit from a healthier environment and a balance of moisture content in the house.

Squeaks-When interiors become damp in rainy weather, boards may expand so that edges rub together and produce a squeak. Improper fastening of the floor or subfloor can also cause squeaks. To correct this, first try lubrication.

A liberal amount of liquid wax may do the job with waxed floors. Or sift a small amount of powdered soap stone, talcum powder, or powdered graphite between adjacent boards where the noise occurs. Another method is to drive triangular glazier points between the strips using a putty knife to set them below the surface.

If that doesn't work, drive 2" finishing nails through pilot holes drilled into the face of the flooring. Nails should be placed near edges of the boards. Set them with a nail set and hide with matching color putty.

The best solution requires more work and can be accomplished only where there is access beneath the floor (crawl space or basement). This involves placing wood screws from below. They are inserted through the subfloor and into the finish floor to pull the flooring strips tight to the subfloor.

Excessive amounts of water and wood don't mix
Wood is a natural material that swells when it absorbs water and shrinks when it dries. Wipe up spills immediately to keep your floor unmarked, smooth and level. Never use water to clean or mop your floor.

Use of floor maintenance products not specifically manufactured for use on Harris Tarkett floors may damage your floor and in addition, will void your warranty. Use only Harris Tarkett Cleaner and Refresher.

but with the Harris Tarkett Retouch Kit you can easily repair scratches, gouges, burns and other minor damage that may occur over the life or your floor.

Each kit contains one Stain Marker and Patch-It Pencil designed to match the color of your floor. Also included is Crystal Clear Touch-up to seal your repairs and restore your floors original luster.