Things To Know Before You Refinish Hardwood Floors

Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Over time, wood floors lose their shine, discolor, scratch, extend and bend. With proper care, hardwood floors can last up to thirty years before needing a new finish. However, if your hardwoods floors are showing battle scars or you feel like it’s just the right time to freshen them up, then go ahead and refinish your Hardwood Floor.

Renovating your old hardwood floor can be very straightforward and cheaper than you think. Indeed, unhitching the concealed beauty of a hardwood floor does not always need messy sanding and staining, especially if yours is not that much damaged. Most hardwood floors can be refinished, which involves simple tools and materials and some coats of clear polish with a good finish. Here are some things to consider before renovating or repairing your old hardwood floors.

Prepare Your House

You will have to remove all the furniture, curtains, and lower cabinets. Cover vents and electrical boxes with painter’s special tape to prevent dust from entering ducts and electrical work. If you’re just renovating a room, you might want to use plastic sheeting to seal the doors. Use a pry bar to gently lift the molding off the base, it is necessary. You can remove the small quarter-turn piece and leave the rest of the baseboards in place.

Check for squeaks and secure loose floorboards with finish nails. Remove debris from the floor with a vacuum or mop. Seal the ventilation covers to prevent sanding dust from entering your ac ducts. Use plastic sheeting to seal the doors of each room, it helps to stop dust from entering the rest of the house.

Find Hardwood Flooring Contractors

You don’t need to become a parquet expert. But it is wise to learn enough so that you can properly assess your Hardwood Floor Refinishing contractor before, during, and after the job. Evolving an eye for well installed and properly maintained floors makes it easier to spot those that are not. Visit different exhibition halls. You can get referrals from trusted friends and traders, check referrals, and check out their past work. You can also search for certified sand and finish designation contractor, which requires passing a practical test and at least two years of experience.

Hire The Hardwood Floor Contractor Wisely

Plan to interview at least three entrepreneurs and remember that cost is not the only or the best measure of a good entrepreneur. Apply and take the time to contact references. Inspect a portfolio of each contractor’s work. Make sure that everyone you hire is properly insured and licensed, and that all-important details are written into the contract. Good planning and good communication will make the job easier and help you avoid unpleasant surprises. Make sure you get a quote rather than an estimate and be sure to ask what types of unforeseen costs may arise.

Check The Wood For Stains

If your hardwood floor is an unusual color, like gray or darker than a brown paper bag, it was probably stained before you were done. Partial repainting will not remove the stain. However, if the floor is fully restored, the sander will also remove the stain from the wood. Your hardwood floors will be a much lighter color once they are finished. If that’s what you want, great. However, if this is not what you want, you should ask the contractor if you can tint it before reapplying the polyurethane.

Ask The Contractor About Refinishing

If your floor doesn’t have deep indentations and the finish isn’t completely worn out anywhere, you may be able to escape without a full refinish job. Instead, the flooring manager lightly sandpapered the existing finish using a process called sieving, then applies the new polyurethane finish on top. This is sometimes called a screen and poly job or sometimes a maintenance coat, and it can save you around sixty percent on the cost of a full refinish.

You Will Need To Select A Color

If your floors are a deep, rich color darker than, say, corrugated cardboard, it’s probably not the natural color of the wood. The stain was probably applied during the initial installation or last finish of the flooring. Having your floors checked and polished won’t affect the stain, but if you repaint completely, the stain will be removed in the process. This will ensure that your flooring will be a much lighter color when the job is done unless you ask to stain it to match the original color.

It Will Take A While

It takes you about five to six days to put the furniture back on the floor after refinishing. This is something to keep in mind when considering hardwood floor refinishing. These things could affect your decision to renovate your hardwood floor. They might also determine when you decide to do it. For instance, if you are planning a vacation, that might be a good time to renovate your hardwood floors. All you need is just hire a good laminate flooring contractor.

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