If you want to better protect your investment, read this blog to learn about four types of flooring materials and the damage they often experience.

4 Flooring Materials and Common Causes of Damage

If you rent out property, you know that some tenants may cause damage while others care for it as if it’s their own. Floors, in particular, face a lot of wear and tear and damage. If you want to better protect your investment, check out these four types of flooring materials and the damage they often experience.

1. Linoleum/Vinyl

Linoleum and vinyl are susceptible to scratches and cuts. Smaller scratches may happen when you drop something on the floor, like a knife. However, moving heavy furniture and appliances like the fridge can create deeper scratches if you try to move them improperly. These deeper scratches increase the risk of something snagging on the linoleum and causing it to tear.

Another complication with linoleum is loss of adhesion. Linoleum floors have a sticky side that allows the floor to stay in place. Overtime, wear and tear causes this adhesive to become less effective, which can cause the linoleum to lift at the edges or create bubbles in the middle of the floor.

2. Tile

Tile is sturdy, but it isn’t impervious to cracking, especially if tenants drop heavy items on the floor. Even if the tile doesn’t break, the impact may scratch the outer glazing, which protects the tile from moisture. Impact and wear and tear may also cause some tiles to become loose. In all three examples, it is best to replace the tile.

Tile grout can experience discoloration, but as long as it’s in good shape, a decent scrubbing should improve the look of the grout. Foot traffic and other forms of wear and tear can also cause the grout to crack.  

3. Hardwood

Hardwood floors are very stylish beautiful floors, and they are also durable and usually require little maintenance. They are, however, prone to scratches. Something as simple as scooting a chair to sit down at the kitchen table can scratch the wood. Luckily, most of these are surface and can be fixed with some waxing and buffing.

Pets can also cause damage to your hardwood floor, especially if they urinate or defecate on the flooring. If you don’t immediately clean the mess, it can stain. In addition, cat and dog claws may cause some surface scratches (or deeper if your cat chooses to use your floor as a scratching post).

4. Laminate

Laminate also easily scratches by simply moving items, but it may also start to bubble. This happens when water or another spill is left on the floor for too long. The liquid may penetrate the top layers of the laminate, causing them to separate and develop an unattractive bubble in the middle of your floor.

Laminate floors also have an issue with peaking. This is when the boards become too cramped, causing small peaks where the boards meet. This is often caused by poor installation, which leaves little room for boards to expand and contract.

Damage is bound to happen in your rental property. Luckily, Surface Experts is ready to be part of your team! Our technicians have the ability to repair the above floors saving you time and money. If you would like to know more about surface repairs for your floors, contact us at Surface Experts today.