A wire-brushed wood floor is exactly what it sounds like. The floor is manufactured by brushing the surface with a stiff-bristled wire brush. The wire brush scrapes away the surface layer of softer wood and exposes the darker grains of wood. That creates more texture and exposes some of the most beautiful parts of the wood. The process can be done by hand or it can be done by a machine. Each approach has advantages. When it’s done by a machine, it makes the scratches more uniform. It’s much easier to match one plank to another. If it’s done by hand, they’re more random and look more like naturally distressed wood. There are other advantages and disadvantages.
Cleaning Your Floor
A wire-brushed floor is slightly more difficult to clean than a smooth finish on a hardwood floor. When the finish is smooth and well-maintained, the floor can be cleaned simply by sweeping it. However, a brushed floor has much more texture. That means that the tiny crevices will collect dust and dirt. You’ll have to do a slightly more involved job of sweeping to make sure you get all of the dirt. A mop might actually be your best bet.
However, brushed floors don’t need to be cleaned as often. The scratches from the wire brush will mute the light reflecting off the floor somewhat. That means that dust and dirt won’t show up as much. Furthermore, dirt can scratch the surface of the wood. That’s not as much of a concern if the surface of the wood has already been deliberately scratched.
Wire Brushed Wood Floor Maintenance
A brushed floor is designed to mimic distressed wood. That means that you don’t have to be as vigilant about maintenance if you don’t want to be. If you need to replace a damaged plank, you don’t have to worry as much about matching it perfectly to your floor. With a distressed look, a few mismatched planks will just match the look you’re going for. If the finish on the wood grows thin or the wood becomes stained, it will still match the look.
You should maintain your brushed hardwood floor as well as you would any floor. However, if life gets in the way, it won’t be much of a problem for a brushed floor.
These are just a few of the advantages and disadvantages for a brushed hardwood floor. If you’re looking for a new floor or to revitalize your floor, you should consider these things.