Can You Save a Hardwood Floor Covered by Carpet?

New homebuyers sometimes discover a pleasant surprise when they purchase an older home: hardwood hiding underneath a carpet. If you come across wood floors in the middle of a remodeling project, it’s like discovering gold. This rich material can add immense beauty to any home, but first come the steps of restoring and sanding hardwood floors. How easy is it to save the wood in this type of situation?

Call a Professional

The best thing you can do when discovering hardwood in some of the rooms of a house during remodeling is to contact a flooring professional. This helps you avoid wasting time on a project that costs too much for your budget. The professional will look at several factors to determine if the hardwood is worth saving:

• Thickness of the boards
• Condition of the wood surface
• Moisture damage present
• Warping or structural problems
• Wood color

Sanding hardwood floors to remove leftover adhesive from carpeting requires removing a portion of the wood. This process isn’t a problem as long as the boards are thick enough.

Check Your Project Budget

Ask the contractor to provide you with an estimate for the job and an estimate for new flooring. That way, you can compare the cost of restoring and simply installing a new floor.

Prepare for Sanding Hardwood Floors

If the price looks good and the condition of the wood is solid, the next step is to proceed with sanding. Often, wood covered by carpet is still in relatively good condition, simply because hardwood is one of the most durable flooring materials out there.

The same hardwood flooring installation company can handle this type of restoration. Experts know how to take care of old hardwood without damaging it. Everything from the grit of sandpaper and type of sanding equipment to the depth of sanding and the type of finish applied makes a huge difference. Don’t right, you can enjoy a beautiful floor with the tone you want for ages.