The entryway to a home is one of the highest traffic areas in terms of footfall which can cause a lot of damage to the floor beneath it. Although wood floors are highly durable, they still need to be protected especially in areas like an entryway – so let’s take a look at how to protect a wood floor entryway to maintain your wood floor.
Our favorite method is using an entrance mat and outdoor mat to keep the area protected, but we have a few other options for you to consider as all.
Let’s jump right into it.
Four Ways to Protect A Wood Floor Entryway
Check out these four easy ways to keep your wood floor entryway protected against the elements and high footfall.
1. Entrance Mat
Placing an entrance mat inside your door is an easy way to protect the floor beneath it. When people first step into a house they are likely to not consider taking off their shoes, if at all, until they have made their way properly into the home.
Some people will walk right to the kitchen which can drag all sorts of dirt and debris into the home.
An entrance mat will help catch any dirt from outside as well as moisture and is a good reminder for guests to remove their shoes if they are dirty or give them a wipe if they aren’t.
2. Outdoor Mat
An outdoor mat works in tandem with an entrance mat on the other side of the door.
Outdoor mats are much more likely to be used by guests and are more durable than entrance mats placed inside. They are textured to remove excess dirt, mud and anything else that may be on the underside of a shoe.
Having both an outdoor and indoor mat will remove almost all of the dirt on any shoe.
3. Shoe Rack
A shoe rack can be a great way to prompt guests to remove their shoes at the entryway.
This is a super simple way of not having to deal with mud or other things that shoes can bring into the house – and not just the entryway.
4. Don’t Forget Regular Cleaning!
Despite how effective the methods above are at protecting a wood floor entryway, it is still going to be one of the most important areas to keep clean.
Due to the footfall, entryways need to be vacuumed at least once per week and any spillages need to be dealt with as soon as possible. You should also make sure that the floor is properly sealed.
What Happens If You Don’t Protect An Entryway?
Is it really worth going through all that hassle just to keep the wood floor protected in an entryway?
In our opinion, it is more than worth it. The issues you can face from not keeping your floor protected – listed below – all cost money to be fixed. Water damage can lead to floorboards needing to be replaced which are very expensive.
Alongside the cost is appearance – the entryway to a home is where the first impressions are made. If your floor looks damaged and worn out then you will give the impression that the rest of the home is in a similar condition.
Scratches
Scratches are much more likely to happen at entryways as shoes are still worn at this point. This is quite common with sports shoes such as running or tennis shoes that are prone to catching stones and other sharp objects from the floor.
Whilst scratches are not super difficult to repair, they can still be tedious to put right depending on what sealant is used on your floor. They can also completely ruin the aesthetics of your entryway, which is another thing to consider.
In some cases you may even have to re-seal the entire entryway depending on the extent of the scratch damage.
Moisture Damage
If it has been raining outside then entryways are where most of this moisture will end up. Coats, shoes and other clothing can deposit rainwater onto the floor which can be a problem if your floor isn’t protected.
Moisture damage can lead to discolored panels and warping, both of which require replacement panels to put right – which is not only expensive but also labor-intensive.
Final Thoughts
It’s always worth it to protect wood floors at entryways in the home, not only to maintain appearance but also to save you money and stress in the long run.
Given how easy it is to do we recommend everyone with wood floors to keep them protected at entryways.