Shaw Industries applies its DuraShield finish to their branded hardwood flooring products to protect the surface from wear. The company claims that the finish makes Shaw hardwood floors easy to care for -- with no waxing required -- while providing resistance to staining from common household products such as coffee, shoe polish, lipstick, acetone, as well as discoloring foods such as mustard.
Shaw hardwood flooring is marketed in a number of species including bamboo, beech, birch, cherry, hickory, maple, oak, and walnut. These come in dark, light, and medium shades, and consumers can order samples from 33 styles to ensure a closer match to the home decor.
Epic flooring is marketed as Shaw's breakthrough engineered hardwood. It uses 50% less newly harvested wood than conventional engineered flooring; it is made, according to Shaw, from well-managed domestic forests; it qualifies for LEED credits; it is Greenguard certified; and is certified as an Environmentally Preferred Product. Shaw describes the Epic line as "an engineered hardwood that has a stellar position in the marketplace. It's harder, denser, and greener than many other solid and engineered products."
Spills should be wiped up as soon as they occur using a damp cloth. For paint, lipstick, markers, or other tough spots that could stain, use acetone or nail polish remover to remove the spot and then wipe with a damp cloth. Hardwood floors should be dusted, vacuumed, and swept regularly so that dirt does not accumulate as grit can scratch the floor finish. The floor should be washed with a damp mop or cloth but oil-based cleansers, wax, polish, strong ammonia, or abrasive cleansers should never be used on hardwood floors.
Floor mats, especially at entry points, will collect dirt from outside and prevent it from scratching the finish on hardwood floors. However, rubber- or foam-backed plastic mats should be avoided as they may discolor the flooring.