Maintenance & Care

Preventative maintenance calls for clean protective mats in front of any doors leading to the outside. This helps limit the amount of sand and grit from getting on to your RigidCORE floors. Gritty sand is any floor coverings worst enemy. Install proper floor protectors of furniture legs used on RigidCORE flooring. Protectors will allow chairs to move easily over the floor without scuffing or scratching. Clean the protectors on a regular basis to remove any grit that may have become embedded. Do not wax the bottom of furniture legs. To keep you floor looking it's best, dust mop or vacuum your floor frequently. Do not use household dust treatment chemical of any kind as this may cause the floor to become slick or dull the finish. Simply sweep the floor as needed. Do not pour pails of water on your floor to clean or use excessive water. This can damage your subloor. Do not allow pets with unclipped nails to walk on the vinyl floor. It could cause severe scratching to the surface.

Regular maintenance calls for food spills to be cleaned up as quickly as possible. Avoid acidic or abrasive all-purpose cleaners, powered cleaners, oil soaps, dish washing detergents, and dusting products. Shoe marks and scuffs can be removed by spot cleaning with a non-abrasive all purpose cleaner and a non-abrasive scrubbing pad. Regular household dirt can be cleaned by damp cleaning with appropriate vinyl cleaner. Always sweep and vacuum your RigidCORE floor before cleaning. Do not wax the surface of this product.

If accidental deep scratches occur then it might be necessary to replace individual planks or tiles. Always retain some extra product for this instance. If the damaged plank is along the perimeter of the room, the easiest technique is to disconnect the planks until the damaged plank is removed. If it is impractical to disconnect and reassemble the flooring the following procedure should be used.

• Using a circular saw and or a multi-tool saw, cut out and remove the center of the damaged piece, leaving approximately a 1" strip attached to the surrounding material.
• Carefully cut back from the corners of the plank or tile to the inside edge.
• Remove the edges by wiggling the cut plank out from the tongue and groove of the surrounding pieces.
• Prepare the replacement plank by removing the leading edge of the tongue profile on the long side and the end of the plank being careful not to damage the decorative surface. Also remove the bottom of the groove on the short end side by cutting on an angle. Once the plank is prepared install the groove into the tongue to test the fit.
• Position the replacement piece by engaging the groove into the tongue of the adjoining material.
• Hinge the prepared replacement plank into position.
• Slightly lift the prepared side of the plank and apply a thin application of seam sealer onto the three exposed seams and carefully position the plank into place, wipe any excess from the surface.
• Use a hand roller to assist in aligning the edges into position.
• Weight down the replaced plank for at least 15 minutes until the sealer secures the material.

TimbrCORE Flooring is virtually maintenance free. Routine cleaning requires you only to vacuum, use a dust mop, or a slightly damp (not wet) mop and dry with a clean, cotton cloth.

Most dirt can be avoided by having an appropriate walk off mat or rug in entrance areas. For the rest of the floor, it is recommended to use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Depending on the frequency of use and amount of dirt, you should also wipe the floor with a damp cloth or micro fiber mop regularly. Bevels should also be cleaned in the same direction as the bevel. For optimum cleaning we recommend a product-specific flooring cleaner.

For common spills such as coffee, tea and basic foods, use appropriate vinyl cleaner. Paint, lipstick, ink, tar, etc. can be easily removed using an absorbent cloth and a basic cleaning solvent such as acetone or stain remover. Neutralize the affected area with a damp cloth after using solvents.

Optimal Protection for TimbrCORE™ Flooring:

• Entrance areas must have a properly sized walk off mat/rug.
• In commercial applications where TimbrCORE™ Flooring area leads directly outside, an appropriately sized clean-off zone must be built into the floor structure
• Attach felt pads to the feet of furniture, including chairs and tables. Clean these regularly, check for proper functionality, and replace when worn out.
• Lift furniture when moving, rather than pushing or dragging across the floor. If sliding is necessary, use a blanket or towel under the furniture feet to protect the flooring surface.
• Built-in kitchens and built-in cupboards should not be affixed directly to TimbrCORE™ Flooring. TimbrCORE™ Flooring is intended to be installed as a floating floor, and therefore the flooring must have the ability to expand and contract. Movements of the floor should not be blocked or limited by the placement of overly heavy objects. If any bulges in the flooring are observed after placing furniture, appliances or other heavy objects on the flooring, then it is recommended that the heavy object be moved to a different location.
• Use soft furniture casters in the case of office chairs and all other objects on casters. Clean office chair and furniture casters regularly, check for proper functionality, and replace when worn out. Floor/chair mats should be used in the absence of approved casters.
• Beater bars should be disabled or removed.
• Never use abrasives, steel wool or scouring agents on TimberCORE™ Flooring.
• Immediately remove all liquid spills, and avoid prolonged exposure to humidity or other moisture.
• Do not use steam cleaners, except on TimbrCORE™ with Aqua Advantage™ Flooring.
• Do not use scrubbers, polishing machines, pressure washer or similar products.
• Clean the floor with a damp mop. Do not use a saturated mop/cloth. Do not pour liquids of any sort directly on TimbrCORE™ Flooring.
• Do not flood the floor with water or other liquids.
• Do not use cleaning products that may leave a residue. We recommend a product-specific flooring cleaner.
• Do not apply wax or polish to TimbrCORE™ Flooring. The use of wax or polish may void the warranty.
• Do not apply sealant to TimbrCORE™ Flooring after installation. The use of sealant by the consumer or installer may void the warranty.

No matter how durable your TimbrCORE™ floor is, a panel may still get damaged. If the damage is slight, the problem can usually be solved with a product-specific repair. More severely damaged panels should be repaired or replaced by a professional floor fitter.

All Paramount Flooring hardwood floors have the latest and toughest factory-applied UV-cured urethane finishes with aluminum oxide. Bottom line – no wood floor is easier to clean and maintain. But there’s still a little work involved. And, even though our floors are as tough as they come, did we mention they aren't bulletproof? 

Keeping your wood floor looking like day one is pretty easy and is just a matter of some preventive maintenance and, like most things in life, some good old common sense. Here are some “do” and “don't” pointers.

DO THESE:

• Use mats outside entryways to keep dirt and grit that can scratch your floor where it belongs. You can use area rugs inside for added protection.

• Sweep or vacuum when needed. This will get the scratchy dirt and grit that makes it inside.

• When deeper cleaning is required, we recommend the Bona line of products.

• When moving heavy things – appliances, furniture and such – slip a blanket or carpet scrap face down under each foot of the piece and slide it over the floor to prevent scratching and gouging. It’ll move a whole lot easier, too.

• Use floor protectors on the legs of furniture to avoid scratching and gouging. Also, if your furniture has floor casters, make sure they're the wide-barrel type. These work best. If your furniture doesn't have these, we suggest changing them. Your local hardware store can help you with any of these products.

• Wipe spills up as soon as possible. Liquid and wood floors just don’t get along.

• Keep your home's relative humidity ideally between 45% and 55% – although between 35% and 65% is acceptable. This will help prevent excess shrinkage, cracking, swelling or cupping. You can keep your relative humidity just right by using a humidifier or dehumidifier or even with the proper air conditioning.

• Use runners or area rugs in high traffic zones to minimize wear. If you see wear developing, you should refinish the affected area. Catch it early, if you can. If you re-coat before the finish is completely worn, you can avoid the need to completely re-sand and refinish.  It’s also a good idea to ask your wood flooring professional for their advice.

• Wood floors age. It’s natural. Over time, your floor will change in color as it gains its final character and patina. Some wood species – cherry, for example – change more than others. So your floor ages uniformly, it's a good idea to move furniture and area rugs from time to time – especially in areas exposed to direct sunlight.

DO NOT DO THESE:

• Don't allow water to stand on your floor at any time. This will cause cupping, swelling and, eventually, gapping. When cleaning, don't “over wet” your floor. Use only a slightly damp mop, sponge or rag.

• Don’t allow “spike heel” shoes to be worn on your floor if you can help it. They’ll indent the floor, especially if the heel tip is damaged or has lost its pad.

• Don’t use products such as ammonia, pine soap, oil soap, chlorine bleach or any abrasive cleaners. All of these can damage your floor’s finish.

• Don’t wax your floor. Using waxes on our pre-finished floors can make them slippery and dull the finish. If you do wax your floor and it ever needs renewing, you'll have to sand the entire floor down to the bare wood before re-coating.

Initial Cleaning During Installation

As with any flooring material, the most important step in the care and maintenance of your porcelain floor is the initial cleaning. The single most important step in caring for your porcelain floor is the complete removal of setting material, grout residue, and/or any construction residue from the surface of the tiles before they have a chance to dry. In most cases, porcelain tiles can be cleaned successfully by scrubbing the installation with a "neutral detergent cleaner" followed by a thorough rinsing. If a grout residue still remains, rinse further, cleaning the tile several times with clean water, to be certain you have removed traces of grout residue from the surface of the tiles. Grout manufacturers have printed detailed instructions for the proper cleaning of grout residues available. The grout manufacturer's directions should be followed if a grout film is present on the surface of the porcelain tiles. Once the initial cleaning process has been completed, porcelain tiles just need to be swept or vacuumed and damp mopped with a "neutral detergent cleaner" followed by a thorough rinsing.

Special Grouting Precautions

It is recommended that a test patch be done prior to grouting the installation to determine if contaminations of grout pigment will occur on the tile - especially when using light colored tiles or polished tiles that are to be grouted with a dark contrasting colored grout, or when dark colored tiles are to be grouted with a light colored grout. If discoloration does not occur on the surface of the tile, then proceed with grouting. If dislocation does occur, it is recommended to request from the grout manufacturer a proper procedure for the protection of this surface.

Proper Care During the Construction Phase

Like any other finished material, porcelain tiles are viewed as a finish flooring material. We strongly recommend that a protective cover such as cardboard, construction paper, plywood, and/or other covering which will protect the porcelain tile during the initial construction phase be used. The use of plastic as a cover is not recommended, since plastic becomes slippery when construction residue comes in contact with the plastic. In addition, plastic has a tendency to delay the natural curing process of the thin-set and/or grout.

Glazed, Matte, Honed and Textured Tiles

Porcelain tile products do not require the use of sealers, surface coating or waxes on the Glazed, Matte, Honed and Textured porcelain tiles. In fact, the surface of the matte series is so smooth, and non-absorbing, that Stain Tests results show that Paramount Flooring's porcelain tiles are virtually stain resistant. Applying a sealer or surface coating to matte finish porcelain tiles will only add unnecessary steps to the overall maintenance program - without enhancing the overall appearance of the tile. The use of sealers on impervious porcelain paver tiles will turn a low-maintenance tile into labor intensive high-maintenance tile, and in most cases, these applied surface sealers on matte porcelain tiles change and/or diminish the slip resistance of the porcelain tile.

 Please Note:

- Paramount Flooring highly recommends the use of low voc, non-hazardous and non-polluting products for the cleaning and maintenance of tile and grout products.

- Acid washing is rarely recommended. Acid or acid based cleaners should not be used to clean a grout residue. Some acids can burn non-epoxy or cementitious grouts and leave a white film that is almost impossible to remove. Also, the sue of certain acid solutions can structurally weaken the grout in the joint of the tile. If in the event a mild solution of sulfamic or phosphoric acid base cleaner is needed, carefully read the manufacturer's instructions.

IMPORTANT

With all Paramount Flooring products, Steam Cleaners are never to be used.