How Refinishing Your Hardwood Floors Can Work Wonders
Nothing beautifies your home more than a gleaming Hardwood Floor. But while these beautiful floors can last the lifetime of your home, they can become dull or damaged over time. This is especially true of high-traffic areas.
Unfortunately, even the best quality and most professionally installed Hardwood Floor will eventually require refinishing to restore its original beauty and luster.
Determining Your Refinishing Needs
The best way to tell if your floors need to be refinished is to choose a high-traffic area, drench a small portion of it with one or two tablespoons of water and watch carefully for what happens.
If the water beads, this means that your floor’s protective sealant and polish are still working properly and the floor isn’t truly damaged. You likely can easily restore the shine by simply wiping with a wet cloth or using a non-abrasive stain remover.
If, however, the water seeps into the wood, darkening its color, this means that your floor’s protective coating has been damaged or has worn away and you need a full refinishing in order to prevent any further damage and restore your floor to its original condition.
Keep in mind that Hardwood Floor refinishing is a job best left to the professionals. They not only have the necessary tools, but also the knowledge required to do the job properly.
What Your Contractor Likely Will Do
Floor refinishing usually consists of the following six steps:
- Removing your floor’s old, damaged coating
- Sanding the entire area with a commercial floor sander
- Wiping the sanded area with a resin-coated cloth to remove the microscopic dust particles that even a shop vac may miss
- Applying the new coating based on your preference of wax, varnish or paint
- If more than one coat is necessary, allowing each coat to completely dry and lightly sanding before applying the next one
- Giving your newly refinished floor a final wipe with a clean resin-coated cloth to bring out the shine
And that’s it! You now have a beautifully refinished Hardwood Floor that looks like new.