Whether you are doing a renovation, painting, or completely new construction, there are many reasons why you may need temporary floor protection. Before you get started make sure to consider what type of floor you have and what method of temporary floor protection would work best for you and your project.
Why Do I Need Temporary Floor Protection?
What type of project are you doing, and why type of floor will you be working around? While you may think you’re capable of being careful and avoiding any damage to the floor, it’s better to be safe, rather than sorry. Depending on the type of project the type of temporary floor protection you use can range anywhere from plastic sheets, to floor protection boards. If you are working on a major renovation or construction in which there will be a lot of loose debris, a covering that will provide construction dust control is recommended. This way you can save on clean up, and potential damages.
Hard Board This board can be cut to fit any room specifications, and can help protect floors from dents, scratches, and spills. Lay the pieces down to cover the entire room and work area, then tape together at the seams to hold everything in place. This is especially handy for use on tile and hardwood, as dropped tools can easily lead to cracks, scratches, or denting.
Rosin Paper Rosin paper can also be layered over wooden or tile floors to help prevent scratching or staining. Though it isn’t as hard as the above, and it won’t protect from heavy impacts, it can be a good back up choice provided you’re careful.
Painter’s Plastic These durable sheets come in varying thicknesses, and rolls can be easily purchased at major home improvement stores. This is ideal if you are paining, as it resists tearing, and will catch any stray flicks, droplets, or spills that can occur. It makes for a good carpet shield, that can ensure a clean carpet at the end of a project. Lighter plastic rolls can make for walkways to and from the work area though the house, in order to ensure you don’t track anything messy onto the adjacent floors.
Cardboard Maybe not the sleekest looking material, but if you have enough of it, it can do that job. While not recommended for heavy duty projects, cardboard can be used to cushion areas, or protect baseboards, when cut and secured in place with tape. It can also be used to wrap corners, if you are moving furniture out of an area and back in, as it will prevent scuffs and dings on walls.
Whether you are painting, remodeling, or constructing something new, making sure the existing floors are kept in good shape can save you clean up time, and additional repair costs.
If you have any home projects planned in the future, don’t get ahead of yourself and skip this important step, your floors, and significant other, will thank you.