Refinishing: Does Your Floor Need It?

  • Post category:Blog / News
When was the last time your hardwood floors have had any maintenance done to them? Daily traffic from members of the family, humans and pets alike, can wear down the wood, making it look worn out or old. If you’re worried about needing brand new floors installed, don’t panic! Chances are all your hardwood needs is to be refinished. How can you tell the difference between needing a refinish versus a full installation? Here’s what you need to know:
What is the hardwood floor refinishing? The hardwood is made up of several layers. When you see old and worn floors, usually, it’s only the first couple of layers. Refinishing the wood is sanding down those affected layers revealing the untouched wood underneath. With a fresh seal, your wood floors will look like you just had them installed again.
How to tell when it’s time to refinish?
  1. The fastest method is to place a couple of drops on the surface and see how fast it soaks in. If the water stays in beads, your floor may not need refinishing. If the water sinks into the wood, that means the seal has been worn away, and it’s time to refinish the surface.
  2. Another way to tell is by how thick the boards are. If your hardwood is ¾ of an inch thick, it can be refinished three to four times every seven to ten years. Other hardwoods may only be a ¼ of an inch thick, however. Removing the floor vent, base trim, shoe trim, etc. can help you see the side view of the wood floor to measure.
  3. Your floors might have various scratches, discoloration, and/or fading. These occur from everyday activities from:
    1. Kids and pets playing
    2. Long-term sun exposure
    3. Water damage if the seal has worn down enough. In this instance, if you notice the hardwood turning gray water has made its way into the wood. If the wood has turned black, you will need the wood replaced.
polished hardwood floor
Could you do it yourself? People often misunderstand what all goes into refinishing hardwood floors. They believe all it’s a thorough sanding, applying some seal, and viola. This is where a lot of homeowners go wrong accidentally damaging their floors to the point of needing a board replaced. One of the most common accidents is sanding down way too much, revealing the subfloor. Unfortunately, this can’t be reversed by adding a seal. Another thing people don’t realize is how loud and messy sanding can be. It can be time-consuming if you’ve never done it before, which will disrupt the household’s daily activities. At Dream Hardwood Floors, we are dedicated to restoring your floors to their former glory and ensuring no one in the house is inconvenienced for too long.