Christmas without a Christmas tree? So it’s no accident here… But did you know that this conifer can irreparably damage your parquet floors?
The Christmas tree is now the number one topic. What will yours be this year? “I have a plastic tree that I have been using for maybe six or seven years,” says 60-year-old Šárka from Krnov and says that she is satisfied with such Christmas decorations. But most Czechs prefer a live tree. It looks, smells, and generally has a different feeling to have a “piece of forest” at home than to decorate a plastic dummy from China… Do you feel the same way?
The destructive power of conifers
Yes, a live tree brings the right Christmas atmosphere to your home. But few people suspect that they can pay for this euphoria with a damaged apartment. “Live saplings are a threat to wooden floors in particular,” says the expert, explaining why: “Dewing branches and pouring water into the plinth can make the floor unnecessarily wet and deformed. The needles themselves are also a threat, as they scratch the surface of the wood. And when you add pitch (resin) that soaks into the floor, you can’t just remove it.”
Scratched parquet floors
The chapter itself is mechanical damage to the floor during the transportation of the tree. “A lot of people just take the sapling and drag it home… They don’t care at all that the trunk of the conifer drags along the floor and thus totally destroys it,” says the expert, adding that even installing a sapling in a stand is risky. The metal structure that grips the conifer trunk is quite heavy on its own, but when you add the weight of the split fir, spruce or pine, the floor is nicely articulated.
A waterproof pad makes sure of that
So, if you don’t want to have parquet floors as rough as a grater and some bruises here and there, you need to think about prevention in time to protect your “wooden pride”. “The first thing is the actual import of the tree. Never drag a conifer across the floor, but carry it in your arms,” says the expert, adding another recommendation: “Always put a waterproof mat under the tree to prevent the parquet from getting wet. And thirdly: Never leave fallen needles under the tree! If you don’t want to have scratched parquet floors, you’d better remove it continuously.”
Just nice surprises
Pwith these measures, the risk of a damaged floor is minimal. Therefore, it is always better to prevent accidents than to find many unpleasant surprises under the Christmas tree (together with the presents). So happy and cheerful!
