Protecting Your Floor

Published July 20, 2012

If you have recently installed a new floor or perhaps have noticed your existing one is getting quite scratched it may be time to have a look a the culprits causing this wear and tear and do something about it before it becomes a real problem.

Thankfully we can prepare for the everyday scratches ahead of time with simple felt pads and plastic sliders. These great, little gadgets are found everywhere from department stores to your local hardware store and can be put to use in many ways.

The most obvious and probably the most troublesome spots are the chair legs that we move back and forth everyday in our homes. Heavy duty felt pads are easily attached with  self-adhesive labels to almost every type of chair leg. These pads come in all sorts of sizes and can be cut into any shape to fit your chair. They may also be doubled together to level the height of wobbly chairs or tables. I love the way these pads allow  chairs to  just gently glide across the floor as opposed to being dragged and leaving a nasty scratch.

Other great uses for these felt pads are dog dishes, umbrella stands and plant containers. All of these items tend to move around from time to time and the pads help keep your flooring scratch-free. Simply attach the felt pads to the pot before you place your plant inside.

Plastic sliders are great for helping chairs and other pieces of furniture such as ottomans and stools gently glide over bathroom and kitchen floors. They are especially great for floors that may become wet (like bathrooms). These sliders come in self-adhesive or screw attachments.

Look for rubber carpet pads to put under your area rugs to prevent them from sliding across the floor as wells as soaking up potentially damaging stains that may occur. They are great for protecting floors from rough textured rugs that may scratch your floor over time.

Another great option are the small, plastic cups that are used for  heavy furnishings. These plastic cups often have a spiked, rubber side that help to prevent rug marks by spreading out the weight of the furniture.

Lastly, casters are another option for protecting your floors. They come in rubber, wood or glass and are great for those antique pieces of furniture that have built-in rollers on their legs. The smaller, built-in casters that come with the piece of furniture can sometimes dig into your floor or carpet and dent it over time. The larger, store-bought casters will prevent this by providing a more solid base and prevent any skidding that may occur.