Care & maintenance
A hardwood floor is a long relationship
Cared for, a hardwood floor outlives every other surface in the house — and can be renewed instead of replaced. Here is how to keep yours honest, plus the two reference documents we hand every client.
Water and Wood: How Moisture Affects Wood Flooring
The National Wood Flooring Association's classic explanation of how moisture moves wood — why floors gap, cup, and crown, and what keeps them flat.
Read the PDFAce Hardwood's Flooring Care Guide
Our own care guide: cleaning methods, products by finish type, and the habits that make a floor last decades.
Read the PDFSix habits
What actually keeps a floor beautiful
Keep grit off the floor
Walk-off mats at doors and felt pads under furniture — most finish wear is abrasion from tracked-in grit.
Wipe water quickly
Standing water is the enemy of any wood floor. Spills happen; sitting spills do the damage.
Watch the humidity
Wood is happiest in the same humidity range people are. Big seasonal swings drive gaps and cupping.
Mind the sun
UV shifts wood color over time, fastest in the first months. Rotate rugs and furniture so the floor changes evenly.
Use the right cleaner
Oil soaps and steam mops ruin many modern finishes. Use the product matched to your finish system.
Recoat before you must refinish
A maintenance coat at the right moment costs a fraction of a full sand-and-refinish later.
Common questions
Care questions, answered directly
How should I clean a hardwood floor?
Dry methods first: sweep, dust mop, or vacuum with a hard-floor head. When it needs more, use the cleaner recommended for your specific finish — the products differ between urethane, oil, and hardwax finishes, which is why ACE documents what went on your floor.
Why do gaps appear and disappear with the seasons?
Wood exchanges moisture with the air: it shrinks in dry winters and swells in humid summers. Small seasonal gaps are normal behavior, not failure. Keeping indoor humidity reasonably stable keeps the movement small.
When is it time to refinish instead of clean?
When the finish — not just the surface — is worn: graying boards, water no longer beading, scratches that catch a fingernail across large areas. Bring photos to the showroom and we will tell you honestly whether it needs a recoat, a full refinish, or nothing yet.
The showroom
Not sure what finish is on your floor?
Bring a photo — or the story of who installed it and when. Knowing the finish decides the right cleaner, the right recoat, and the right moment to act.
923 Westbank Dr.
Austin, TX 78746 · West Lake Hills
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Walk-ins welcome.