When should you refinish your hardwood floors?
Hardwood flooring is subject to daily wear and tear. Regular maintenance will help to keep them looking good; however, there are times when sanding and refinishing hardwood flooring is needed.
Heavy foot traffic, daily wear, sun exposure, and accidental scratches and gouges vary from home to home, causing floors to vary in the length of time before they might need refinished. On average, floors will need to be refinished every seven to ten years.
The following key factors will help in determining if your hardwood floor needs refinished:
Water Damage
Water damage to a hardwood floor will cause stained or discolored wood planks. Depending on how much water the wood absorbs, individual boards may need to be replaced before refinishing the surface.
Scratches, Dents, or Gouges
If your hardwood floor has scratches, minor dents, or gouges, these are often caused by moving appliances, furniture, or pet nails. These floors must be sanded, possibly filled, and refinished to look new again.
Fading and Discoloration
Hardwood flooring can fade or become discolored over the years. Exposure to sunlight will often be seen in areas not covered by furniture and rugs. Once you move those items around or remove them from the room, you will begin to see that the color is no longer even due to the sunlight exposure.
Wood species can also take on a darkening phase over time. This process is called Patina. Patina is exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet light. When the light rays shine on the hardwood flooring, it causes a chemical reaction with the wood, altering its color.
Stains on the Wood
Wood flooring can become stained due to pet accidents in the home. If a pet has an accident and deep stains are set into the wood, sanding the floor down, staining, and applying a finish may need to be done to remove the stain.
Simply Wanting a New Color
Sometimes we purchase a home with a hardwood flooring color that doesn’t agree with our style or liking. This would be a good time to assess the overall quality of the floor and decide if it is time to refinish it. Sanding the floor and placing different stain color swabs on the hardwood flooring allows you to see what the new color would look like in your home.
Giving your hardwood floors new life will extend the life of the hardwood flooring and add value to your home. Reach out to The Ohio Floor Company if you would like to have an estimate to have your hardwood floors refinished.