You may be wondering how often you should refinish your hardwood floors as a homeowner. Refinishing your hardwood floors may give your home a new appearance while also increasing its value. Nevertheless, knowing when to refinish your flooring may be difficult, especially if you’re new to home repair chores. In this piece, we’ll look at how frequently you should refinish your hardwood floors and what warning signs to check for.
Why Should You Refinish Your Hardwood Floors?
Before we get into the technicalities of refinishing your hardwood floors, let’s talk about why you would want to. Hardwood floors are a lovely addition to any house, but they can show signs of wear and tear over time. Refinishing your flooring may bring them back to life and make them seem like new. Also, it can assist to prevent them from additional harm and increase their longevity.
How Often Should Hardwood Flooring Be Refinished?
The frequency with which you should refinish your hardwood floors is determined by a number of criteria, such as the kind of wood, the quantity of foot activity, and the general quality of the flooring. You should aim to refinish your flooring every 7-10 years as a general guideline. But, there may be times when you need to refinish them sooner.
When Should You Refinish Your Hardwood Floors?
So, how can you know whether your hardwood floors need to be refinished? These are some warning indicators to check for: Scratches and dents: If your flooring are scratched or damaged, it’s a sign that they should be refinished. These flaws may make your flooring appear old and antiquated. Fading or discoloration: Hardwood floors can fade or get discolored over time, especially in locations that receive a lot of sunshine. Refinishing your flooring might assist to restore their color and revitalize them. Water damage: Your floors may need to be refinished if they have been exposed to water, whether through a leak or a spill. Water can cause the wood to distort or buckle, both of which are dangerous and ugly. Worn finish: If the finish on your flooring is wearing thin or has entirely worn away in certain spots, it’s time to refinish them. A deteriorated finish may expose your flooring to harm and make cleaning harder.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing
You may refinish hardwood floors yourself or contact a professional if you’ve determined it’s time. Refinishing flooring may be a time-consuming and dirty procedure, so plan ahead of time.
Steps For Refinishing Your Hardwood Floors
- Preparing the flooring: Before refinishing your floors, remove any furniture and rugs from the room. Finally, thoroughly clean the floors to eliminate any dirt or debris.
- Sand the flooring: Using a floor sander, sand the floors all the way down to bare wood. This will remove the previous finish as well as any blemishes or flaws.
- Stain the flooring (optional): If you wish to change the color of your floors, you can do it now. To ensure that you like the color, test the stain on a tiny area first.
- Apply the finish: Once the stain (if you used one) has dried, it’s time to apply the finish. There are numerous finish options available, including oil-based, water-based, and polyurethane. Read the directions thoroughly and apply the finish in thin, equal layers.
- Let the finish to dry: It is critical to allow the finish to cure fully before walking on the floors or replacing any furniture. The drying time will vary based on the type of finish used, so carefully read the directions.
How to Care for Refinished Hardwood Flooring
You’ll want to keep your newly refinished hardwood floors looking beautiful for as long as you can. Here are some pointers to keep your recently refinished flooring in good condition.
Sweep or vacuum your floors on a regular basis to eliminate dirt and debris: To clean your floors, use a microfiber mop and a light cleaning solution, taking cautious not to use too much water. Wearing shoes indoors may track dirt and debris onto your flooring, causing scratches and scuffs. Upon entering your house, ask your family and guests to remove their shoes.
Employ furniture pads: To avoid scratches and dents, place furniture pads under the legs of your furniture. To protect the pads from wearing down, change them on a regular basis. Puppy nails may scrape and harm your floors, so keep them clipped. To avoid injury, keep your dogs’ nails clipped.
Refinish your floors regularly: To extend the life of your hardwood floors, it’s important to refinish them regularly. By following the guidelines above, you can help to ensure that your floors stay looking beautiful for years to come.
Final Thoughts
Refinishing your hardwood floors is a great way to protect your investment while giving your house a brand-new look. Your floors can continue to look beautiful for many years if you pay attention to the signals that they need to be refinished and take good care of them after they have been. Refinishing your hardwood floors is a fantastic way to increase the value of your home and create a lovely living space, whether you choose to take on the project yourself or hire a professional.