What You Should Know Before Refinishing Hardwood Floors

Refinishing hardwood floors can revive their natural beauty and provide a durable protective layer for floorboards. However, refinishing will not eliminate urine stains or odors from the boards, nor can it fix extensive water damage. Preparing for refinishing can be a lengthy process. Be sure to move all furniture out of the room and seal off ducts, vent holes, and door-ways cracks.

Sealing

Resealing is an alternative to refinishing that refreshes the shine of wood floors and adds another layer of protection. It can only be done if the existing finish is in good condition and can bond with a new sealant coating. Unlike refinishing, resealing doesn’t remove the deep scratches or gouges characteristic of old hardwood flooring. If your hardwoods suffer sun damage (bright light bleaches the color and darkens the grain), resealing won’t fix this either. Several different kinds of wood floor sealants can be used to reseal your hardwood floors. Wax is popular because it dries with a low sheen and doesn’t emit many volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Sanding

Your hardwood floors will have improved integrity and a fresh layer of protection after Denver hardwood refinishing, which will increase their lifespan. Refinishing your hardwood floors requires sanding. A certain amount of dust will be produced during the sanding stage, so protecting your furniture and covering your walls with drop cloths or cardboard is important. Also, a face mask is recommended (unless you like blocking your sinuses with old peppery varnish and wood dust), as well as eye protection and gloves.

Before sanding, ensure that your wood floors are thick enough to be refinished. Usually, you can tell if your wood is thin by looking at the baseboards and seeing how much space is between them and the floorboard. You can also remove any heat registers or vents to get a better look at the thickness of your floors. If your wood is thin, you will need to replace it. A good refinisher will help you determine this before starting the work.

Staining

The color of your hardwood floors will change slightly over time. The wood darkens, the polyurethane amortizes, and cleaning products can also affect the stain color. A refinisher will not be able to match the original stain color exactly. For example, the wood species (pine and fir) have different undertones, and the graining is distinct. Using the same stain on various sections of the same floor will also have a difference. When choosing your stain color, consider the other colors in the room and what furniture you have. A darker stain may look best if the furnishings are cooler in tone. Then again, if the rooms are light and bright, a lighter shade will look better.

Varnish

After sanding, staining, and buffing, it’s time to put on the final protective layer of varnish. It will help protect the sanded wood from water and sun damage. It will also make future scratches and scuff marks less noticeable. A good quality urethane will keep your floor looking great for years. The most common type of varnish used on wood floors is oil-based polyurethane. This type has a more natural appearance and offers better protection against heat. It’s more durable than water-based polyurethane but can still be damaged by sunlight and moisture.

Another option is water-based polyurethane, which has a lower odor and dries quickly. Both types of varnish require several coats, and each one should be allowed to dry fully between applications. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for application and drying times. There’s nothing worse than grinding over your refinished wood floors only to go out for a night of fun and suffer a painful splinter under your toenail!