Refinishing Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is known for being durable and long-lasting. However, there will most likely come a day when you’ll need to replace or refinish your current hardwood floors. Whether you bought a house with older hardwoods or you’ve had your floors installed a long time ago, when it comes time to refinish your flooring, follow these guidelines to determine the condition of your hardwood floors, how to refinish them, as well as maintaining long-term care for them. 

Do I need to refinish my current hardwood floors? 

The first question when considering refinishing your flooring is whether or not your floors actually need to be refinished. Performing the “water test” is a great way to determine the condition of your hardwood floors. To do the water test, first determine a high traffic area of your home. Then, pour one tablespoon of water onto the floor’s surface. If the water is absorbed into the wood (and quickly) then the finish on your hardwood floors has deteriorated and they need to be refinished. However, if the water forms droplets on the surface and does not absorb, then you don’t need to worry about refinishing or replacing your hardwood floors. 

How to refinish hardwood flooring

Follow these easy steps to refinish your worn out floors:

1. Clear the floor. As with any project, the first step is to clear the area. Remove any furniture, random objects or loose nails from the surface. After the space is clear, clean the floor with a hardwood floor cleaner. 
2. Sand the floor. After you have prepped the space by removing furniture and cleaning the floor, you are ready to sand. Be sure to evenly sand your floors, including around the perimeter of the room. Sanding your hardwood floors can be tricky, so do your research about the best method of sanding for your floors and get a professional opinion before proceeding. 
3. Prep the floor. Once the floors are sanded properly, remove any excess dust and dirt by vacuuming it up and wiping it away.
4. Stain the floor. Now that the floors are ready to be stained, choose your favorite stain color and evenly spread the stain on the floors using a paint roller (tip: to make this step easier, use a paint roller extension pole). 
5. Finish the floor. The last step in refinishing your hardwood floors is to apply the top coat. This protective layer is vital to the life span of your floors. Layers of polyurethane will help seal in your stain as well as protect your floors from wear and tear, spills, and minor scrapes and scratches. 

Now that your floors are restored and renewed, keep them in pristine condition by cleaning up spills immediately and not letting water sit on the surface, polishing and conditioning your floors often, and limiting risk of scratches and scuffs by not wearing shoes in the house, keeping pets’ nails trimmed and putting furniture pads on the bottoms of chairs, stools, couches, and the like. 

Refinishing your hardwood floors can be easy, with the right tools. By following this simple guideline, you’ll have your floors looking new in no time. However, if you’re looking for someone to guide you through the process and refinish your old floors, call Zack Hardwood Flooring and we’ll connect you with one of our hardwood flooring professionals.