You’ve made the investment in new flooring for your home. So what can you do to help ensure your flooring stays looking like new?
One of the biggest flooring maintenance issues is scratches, especially those caused by furniture that is regularly moved back and forth across flooring, such as kitchen chairs and tables. To help reduce the likelihood of these types of scratches, there are many products available, ranging from simple self-adhesive felt pads to rolling casters that can be mounted onto furniture legs. Some products offer better protection than others, and some work better with different furniture and flooring types.
Regardless of the products you choose, keep in mind that no furniture protector is fail-proof.
Improper installation of the protectors could lead to unwanted scuffs and scratches. For example, some furniture protectors are designed to be nailed into furniture legs. If the protector is made of plastic, and you hammer it directly, the plastic may crack, leaving sharp edges. With these types of products, it may be better to place a piece of wood over the cap when hammering, so that the hammer is not in direct contact with the plastic. Also, when installing a screw-in or nail-in product on a wood furniture leg, pre-drilling a hole into the leg first may make installation easier, help prevent the nail head from pushing out and the wood will be less likely to split.
Even when attached to furniture properly, many of the popular felt-adhesive products will wear over time and may fall off or rip, especially when placed on chairs that get frequent use. If dirt or grit gets trapped in the felt or the adhesive, damage to floors can also result. So it’s important to check furniture often to ensure that protectors are securely in place and free of dirt and debris.
Remember: New protectors are not expensive – but new floors can be!
http://www.wfca.org/Pages/TheImportanceOfFloorProtectors.aspx

The following table lists a sampling of some of the more popular furniture protectors available and the pros and cons of each.
Floor Protector Type Description
Self-adhesive felt pads Felt pads with an adhesive backing.
Installation Method
Peel back and apply self-adhesive side to clean, dry surface
Recommended Use
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Safe on all indoor hard floor surfaces: wood, ceramic tile, finished concrete, vinyl composition tile
Will adhere to most types of furniture
Pros Cons/Recommended
Maintenance
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Offered in a variety of shapes, sizes, and thicknesses.
• Easy installation
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Helps prevent flooring damage by softening edges
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Allows for furniture movement
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Reduces noise associated with moving furniture
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Dirt and debris can get trapped on/under the pads, which may lead to scuffs on flooring
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Adhesive tends to lose stickiness over time, especially when used on furniture that is moved frequently
• Will not prevent indents from heavy furniture
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Check furniture often to ensure pads are in place and free of debris
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Vacuum or replace damaged/dirty pads. http://www.wfca.org/Pages/TheImportanceOfFloorProtectors.aspx

Floor Protector Type
Formed-felt pads
Tap-In felt glides
Description Installation Method Recommended Use Pros Cons/Recommended
Maintenance
Made from reinforced felt with formed sides designed to fit more securely around table and chair legs
Peel back and apply to clean, dry surface
• Safe on all indoor hard floor surfaces: wood, ceramic tile, vinyl composition tile, finished concrete
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Can be used with desks, bar stools, folding chairs, and other chair and table legs
• Available in various square and round sizes
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Easy installation
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Formed sides fit securely around chair and table legs creating more durability and better fit than standard flat felt pads
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Allows for furniture movement
• Protects flooring from rust
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Reduces noise associated with moving furniture
• Dirt and debris can get trapped on/under the pads, which may lead to scuffs on flooring
• Check often for proper fit and evidence of debris.
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Vacuum or replace if damaged or dirty
Felt-tipped glides held in place by a thin-walled metal rivet
Tap metal rivet into the bottom of wood furniture legs with a hammer
Note: In some cases, drilling a hole into the wood first, may work best.
• Safe on all indoor hard floor surfaces: wood, ceramic tile, finished concrete, vinyl composition tile
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For furniture with wood feet/legs
• Felt tip protects floors from scratches
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Less likely to come off with frequent use than stick-on
• Dirt and debris can get trapped on/under the pads, which may lead to scuffs on floor
• Limited use: only for furniture with wooden legs/feet
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More effort required for installation
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Check often for proper fit and evidence of debris
• Vacuum or replace if damaged or dirty http://www.wfca.org/Pages/TheImportanceOfFloorProtectors.aspx

Floor Protector Type
Rubber/Teflon-like grippers
Description Installation Method Recommended Use Pros
Many contain an O’ring design, specially formulated to prevent furniture from moving
• Place securely over clean, dry furniture legs
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Some include self-stick adhesive for added adhesion
• Ideal for use with recliner chairs
• Protects hardwood, laminates, tiles, parquet and slate
• Stops furniture from moving/ sliding
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Easy installation
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Available in a range of sizes.
Cons/Recommended
Maintenance
• Indentations may occur when used on cushion vinyl or soft wood floors
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Not recommended for use with furniture that moves frequently
Stick-on/Screw-on foot protectors
Cup-shaped protectors
Made of an easy-glide material that can be applied to furniture using a stick-on or nail-on method
Cups are typically made from rubber or plastic.
Screw-on method:
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Drill hole in existing leg and screw glide in
Stick-on method:
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Peel and place securely on clean, dry furniture legs
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Designed for narrow furniture legs (3/4” to 1
1/4” in diameter)
• Ideal for dining chairs with leveled feet and lightweight furniture.
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Protects hardwood, laminates, tile, vinyl, slate
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Allows furniture to slide without scratching floors
• Available in a range of sizes.
• Helps furniture move more easily – good for rearranging furniture
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Less likely to wear out or collect dirt or dust
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Drilling may be required for more secure fit
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Not made for wide furniture legs
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Indentations may occur when used on cushion vinyl or soft wood floors
• The sliding inserts can pop off
Place on floor and rest furniture legs on top
• Designed for heavier furniture
• Used only with stationary objects, such as heavy appliances and furniture that will not be moved frequently
• Easy installation
• Good weight distribution over a larger area to help decrease the likelihood of a heavy item crushing or puncturing the flooring
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Not for use with furniture that requires frequent movement
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May not distribute weight over as large of an area as glides (see below) http://www.wfca.org/Pages/TheImportanceOfFloorProtectors.aspx

Floor Protector Type
Caster cups
Swivel glides
Casters
Description Installation Method Recommended Use Pros Cons/Recommended
Maintenance
Coasters that typically extend up the leg approximately 1”; some include an O-ring design to hold legs in place
Place on floor and rest furniture legs on top
• For use on hard flooring surfaces
• Good for pianostyle wheels and other furniture with caster wheels
• Stops furniture with castor wheels from rolling around
• Protects the floor from damage when chairs slide or tip at an angle
• Available in a variety of diameters
• May not distribute weight over as large of an area as glides (see below)
• Indentations may occur when used on cushion vinyl or soft wood floors
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Check for cracks and clean periodically
Swiveling glides typically made of Teflon-like material
Typically ball-shaped and constructed of rubber, metal, or
Teflon-like plastic, designed to roll under a heavy load; stem is typically made of steel for added strength
• Nail into the bottom of the furniture leg
• May require drilling a hole first.
• Some products offer screw-on option
• For use on hard flooring surfaces
• Use with furniture that is moved frequently
• Caster will move when a chair leg is tipped back
• Allows heavier weight distribution over a larger area than with a fixed protector
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Indentations may occur when used on cushion vinyl or soft wood floors
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Check and clean periodically
• Typically used as replacement of existing furniture foot, in which case old foot is screwed off and caster is screwed in
• May require drilling a hole.
• Use for office chairs, refrigerators, bed frames, etc.
• Before using on carpeting, a chair mat should be in place to deflect the impact of swiveling casters and allow for a smoother glide
• Can be used on most hard floor surfaces
• Caster will move when a chair leg is tipped back
• Allows heavier weight distribution over a larger area than with a fixed protector
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Indentations may occur when used on cushion vinyl or soft wood floors
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Attention should be paid to achieving the widest amount of contact with the flooring as possible. Too narrow of a contact point can have a blade-like effect under load.
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Check and clean wheels periodically http://www.wfca.org/Pages/TheImportanceOfFloorProtectors.aspx

Floor Protector Type
Cloth furniture gliders
Description Installation Method
A round disc typically with a foam center and cloth protection pad
• Slip the protection pad around the glide disc
• Slightly raise or tilt the object to be moved and place glide underneath each leg or corner
(foam side of the mover faces upward)
Recommended Use Pros
• Intended for temporary use and not as permanent protection
• For use on all hard flooring surfaces
Cons/Recommended
Maintenance
• Ideal for moving furniture from one place to another
• Reusable
• Made for heavy furniture (many hold up to
1,000lbs)
• Before moving furniture, ensure glides are correctly in place and under all legs that will slide across flooring http://www.wfca.org/Pages/TheImportanceOfFloorProtectors.aspx