When to Sand and Refinish your Hardwood Floors…

Has the thought of sanding and refinishing your floors popped into your mind recently? Or have you been thinking about it for a while, seriously considering it, but aren’t sure whether it’s the right time or even a necessity to have your floors done? I know that sometimes taking the next step in having a professional come over for an estimate and then actually doing the work can feel like a daunting commitment…

But don’t worry, we’ve listed some key points on what to consider and even look for on your floors to know if this is something you should do now.

1. Your hardwood floors have been covered with carpet for some time;

Did you just move into a home that has old carpets with hardwood underneath? Or have you been living in your home for some time with carpets and you’re ready to have them removed and want the hardwood floors to look brand new again. If you answered yes to any of these questions then let’s have your floors refinished! Chances are your floors are in good condition under the carpet. What we mean by good condition, however, is that your floors have no major damage to them and that a sanding and refinishing will bring them back to life! Even if there is some repair work needed due to some damaged areas, refinishing the floors will blend the weave in repair and it will look good as new!

2. You’re ready to get rid of that old area rug;

Did you have an area rug down on your hardwood for quite some time? If you’ve had an area rug covering up even a small portion of your hardwood floor, you’ll often find discoloration underneath when you remove it. Usually it’s really noticeable discoloration.  Well, instead of covering up this unsightly blemish on your hardwood floors, this would be a great time to sand and refinish them instead.  You could change the color and the finish, creating something completely new and updated!  This is just one of the many great things about having solid hardwood flooring. When installed properly, they have the capability of lasting for years, and you can change their look, creating an entirely new atmosphere in your home.

3. The finish has worn off in many areas, especially high traffic areas of the home such as hallways, entry ways and kitchens;

These high traffic areas of your home are particularly important to keep maintained.  If and when the finish has worn away in areas like entryways or kitchens where the impeding threat of water/moisture is present, the hardwood is then vulnerable to potential damage.  You always want to keep a watchful eye on areas of your home that have a lot of foot traffic.  If you notice that in your kitchen, where you stand to do dishes, or the entryway, where you first walk into your home, show signs of wear in the finish, this might be a good time to start thinking about refinishing.  Even if you choose not to go through the entire sanding and refinishing process, a screening and recoating of polyurethane is a great option.  Maintaining the integrity of the finish will ultimately give your hardwood floors the longest lifespan.

4. If you’re moving into a new home;

Many homeowners that have just purchased their house usually like to have the floors refinished prior to them moving in. Sometimes they just want to change the color but other times the floors NEED to be sanded due to various reasons. (normal wear and tear, water damage, previous owners having pets, etc…) We’ve had customers pleasantly surprised to find hardwood under carpet that they were planning on replacing. It’s always best to refinish your floors PRIOR to moving in and allotting enough time for the process from start to finish(including drying times.) Sanding the floors before moving in is much more convenient for our customers because they aren’t in the space during the process. Plus it gives time to air out the house from the stain and polyurethane smells.  Feel free to CLICK HERE to reach more about the sanding process.

5. There are many scratches and blemishes on your hardwood floor;

Over time, your floor will start to show wear and tear. It’s normal as you can only preserve your floors so much over the years. You’re bound to get a scratch or two or three. However, if scratches and blemishes are overwhelming the overall look of the floor, it’s probably time to refinish them.

6. If you want to change the color of the stain or the floor;

We are often asked if a sanding and refinishing is needed to change the color or the floor- Almost all of the time the answer is yes. If your floors currently are a Provincial stain color but you want them darker- say the Jacobean stain color- the floors will need to be sanded down to the raw hardwood and have the chosen stain color applied.

7. Animal stains on your hardwood floor are present;

There’s no denying we love our animals, but truthfully speaking, they often do a number on our floors! Whether its scratches from their nails or sometimes urine stains, your hardwood floor gets the brunt of it. If your floors happen to have some discoloration from pet accidents, we may be able to sand it out; but if not, we can certainly repair and weave in a section of hardwood and then refinish the area to blend the repair.

If a section of your hardwood floors needs to be repaired. If this is the case, we will remove a section and weave in the new flooring in a way to blend it with the existing. After the floor has been repaired, we will sand and refinish the room.

Another question we get asked a lot is:  “If your hardwood needs to be repaired in a section, does the whole floor need to be refinished?” More often than not the answer is yes. If we’re repairing a prefinished floor, we MAY be able to get away with just doing the repair (it all depends on the location and size of the repair). However, if the floor was site finished, the hardwood used for the repair needs to match the species and grade in its unfinished form. After the area is repaired, the whole room should really be sanded and refinished to blend and hide the patch job.