In the above photo the left side shows an example of unsealed reclaimed wood while the right side shows an example of the same reclaimed wood sealed.
Sealed vs unsealed wood floors.
We use a matte sealer but there is still a very slight sheen.
It is quite common to find unfinished wooden floors in older homes and apartments while finished or sealed floors are characteristic of contemporary homes with different sealing or treatment choices available in the market today.
Off with the dust.
Locate an out of the way area that is not on a seam for the hardwood boards.
Get a small glass of water.
Another thing to keep in mind is though not drastic the wood slightly darkens with the sealer.
So how do you clean unsealed hardwood floors without experiencing any of these problems.
Although cleaning unsealed vacuum floors requires extreme care and caution simple cleaning principles also apply.
Do not use water to clean your hardwood floors.
A sealed floor has been sanded and had a sealer applied to it.
If it stands for 5 minutes without soaking in your hardwood floors are sealed.
However if the bead of water sinks down into the floor and makes a spot the sealant on your floors is no longer sound and water damage can and will occur.
Protip don t do this in the middle of the floor where you could stare at it for a few days.
So how do i know if my hardwood floors are sealed.
Wax finished wood floors are a thing of the past.
Similarly hardwood floors which have not yet been sealed face the same misfortunes.
If it touches a seam try again with a smaller amount in another area.
Pour a small amount on the wood.