Applications / Moving Tips: Protecting Your Floors & Surfaces

August 22, 2019

Floors are expensive and add value to your home. Whether you’re a homeowner or renting, the last thing you want when moving (in or out), is having to repair scratches, scuffs, dents and dings made on the hardwood floors.

The packing and moving process is a stressful one as is—starting your life in your new home with a damaged floor will put a damper on the start of your new chapter. Damaging laminate or hardwood flooring will either result in a loss of security deposit or a costly repair, putting a strain on your budget, in addition to the high costs of moving.

There are a few precautions you can take on moving day in order to prevent scratching or gauging your floors and surfaces while moving. Save yourself time and money by avoiding the repair process with these helpful moving tips.

Moving tips and tricks

1. Place a doormat outside the entrance

Since we’re talking floor protection, it’s important to protect against water, mud and other debris that can be tracked inside while continuously going in and out of the home. We suggest using dirt trappers outside the front door or entrance to help trap dirt and debris.

In addition, place our Heavy Duty SuperTuff Surface Protector inside the doorway to absorb water and reduce tracking mud/salt/snow throughout the house. Bonus, it is non-skid and requires no adhesive to stay in place. For extra protection, our E-Z Floor Guard shoe protector, an alternative to shoe booties, can be placed at the entrance to trap any debris on the bottom of your shoe.

2. Don’t drag furniture

Remember, bend with your knees and not with your back when you move furniture! You can remove the friction between heavy furniture and the floor by placing a large dropcloth or old blankets underneath the piece of furniture or large size boxes. This allows you to push any large furniture or heavy appliances with more ease and will protect the floors from scratches.

Furniture sliders are also a great moving tool that specifically help take the load off of you when moving heavy items, keeping you safe during the process, as well as your floors.

3. Create a protected walkway from the door to your rooms

Our Stay Put Surface Protector will cling to your floors without adhesive and will stay put where you place it, making it a great option for hardwood floors. This product can be cut and used on the bottom of your furniture or heavy objects to provide padding that protects against scratches and performs much better than area rugs or other makeshift options. Simply remove once the furniture is in place, at its new home.

4. Use carpet film

Using self-adhesive carpet film is a simple and low-cost way to protect the carpet from spills, stains, and dirt. It is highly resistant to punctures and tears, making it great for carpeted stairs or high traffic areas while you are moving. You can purchase temporary protection rolls from your local hardware store or ask your moving company.

For easy application explore using a film applicator. This easy to use product traditionally works with 24″, 30″ and 36 carpet films.

5. Protect your door jambs

It’s inevitable to hit a door jamb (or door frame) when moving furniture both in and out of rooms. Avoid this expensive repair, by simply slipping a door jamb protector over your door jambs that will experience heavy traffic. These low-cost surface protectors are easy to install, reusable and will fit all standard size doors, interior or exterior.

Moving Materials

Moving involves many different materials to ensure your belongings are secure while in your car or moving truck. Use this short moving checklist to gather the materials you’ll need before moving:

• Garbage bags
• Moving boxes (cardboard boxes or plastic bins)
• Packing paper
• Carpet film
• Temporary floor protection
• Plastic wrap and bubble wrap for fragile items
• Tape
• Dirt Trapper
• Packing tape

Additional packing and moving tips

1. Pack one room at a time. We know packing and moving is a stressful process. Tackling each room separately will keep your items organized and make the process less overwhelming.
2. Label each box! Trust us, this will help unpacking much easier and less overwhelming.
3. If all else fails, and you need an extra hand, explore hiring professional movers.

Following these moving tips will help prevent costly mistakes and save you time fixing them. Additionally, using quality products that make the moving process easier in an already chaotic time will be key for successfully protect wood floors and surfaces, including carpet protection. No matter how you go about this, be sure to protect them so you don’t create costly blemishes.