However, the simplest/most generalized answer is that hardwood floors can last anywhere from 25 to 100 years, potentially even longer.
50-75 Years: With diligent maintenance and lower foot traffic, hardwood floors can surpass the 50-year mark and continue to look beautiful for decades. This longevity is achievable with hardwoods known for their hardness and resilience.
In the same respect, most properly maintained hardwood floors can go anywhere from 20 to 30 years without needing any significant work done. Their longevity makes hardwood floors a great investment for any house. However, there will come a time when every hardwood floor will need to either be refinished or replaced.
In my experience the best way is fine sawdust (from the floorboards themselves ideally, but any old sawdust will do), mixed with a resin or just plain old pva glue. Mix it up until it's like a peanut butter consistency and spread in to all the gaps with a filling knife.
Fixing floor gaps can be done a number of different ways; the most extensive is to have to completely replace a floor that has too many gaps to repair without losing its beauty. Ordinarily, you can “fill” the gaps with wood filler, putty, or with pieces of rope – and then finish with stain to match the floor.
Generally speaking, it is almost always less expensive to refinish your hardwood floors than to replace them. That's because replacing them involves paying for additional wood, the installation itself, as well as labor costs for tearing up and hauling away the existing hardwood.
The Best Time of Year to Buy Flooring
In fact, it's usually right around the New Year. Unlike cars, boats, and appliances that change models every year, flooring prices drop around the New Year because that is when demand is at its lowest and warehouses are willing to make deals to move product.
As a general rule of thumb, homeowners who put in hardwood floors see an increase in their home value of about 75% of the installation cost. If you spend $10,000 on new hardwood floors, your home value might increase by $7,500.
Use a microfiber dust mop to sweep up loose dirt and debris. Follow up with a microfiber mop dampened with cleaning spray recommended for hardwood floors. To recap– wet mopping wood floors is not a good habit for having long-life floors.
Don't use vinegar or baking soda.
Many DIY home cleaning solutions involve the use of vinegar or baking soda, but these are, in fact, the worst things you can apply to your wood floors. They actually damage and dull the polyurethane, which can irreparably ruin them.
Use a Revitalizing Product. A wood restoring product or revitalizer can help restore a wood floor to its original look. You can usually find these products in a hardware store. Try out the product in an out of the way corner before applying it to the entire floor.
Buff and polish it
Buffing your floor is a great way to breathe new life into it without having to go the whole hog and resand it. In very simple terms, a buffer is a machine with a heavy rotating pad that uses its movement to create a professional looking finish on tired wood flooring.
Hickory (1,820) is the hardest domestic wood species available. Its natural grain patterns do an excellent job hiding scratches and dents, so it's perfect for homes with kids and pets. Many manufacturers choose hickory specifically for their most durable flooring lines.
Hardwood floor installation costs $4,726 on average. This cost normally ranges from $2,469 to $7,033, or between $6 and $25 per square foot for both labor and material. You might pay up to $12,000 or more for high-end woods or large jobs. Your total cost will depend on the room size and the type of wood you choose.
Greige and white oak are two of the most popular choices for hardwood flooring when it comes to house resale. They provide timeless elegance and neutrality, making them ideal for any home.
Quality for the Price
Costco doesn't skimp on quality. They usually carry reputable brands like Mohawk and Harmonics. These brands are known for producing laminate flooring that looks great and can handle the daily march of household traffic.
Simply put, if your current floors are mostly just looking drab and dull, or if they have surface-level damage, you can probably save them. If they have deeper problems, you may need to replace them.
Flooring pros usually charge $3–$8 per square foot to refinish hardwood floors, so a single bedroom could cost $300–$800, while a whole home could range from $2,400–$6,000.
Next, you will need to determine whether the wood floors in your house are solid hardwood or engineered wood. That is an essential distinction because engineered flooring cannot be sanded and refinished like solid hardwood flooring can.
For more exact numbers, the cost of hardwood floors typically runs between $12 and $20 per square foot, while carpet is $7 to $12 per square foot. It may not seem like a big difference, but that means that for a 140 square foot room, it would cost between $1,680 and $2,800 for hardwood and $980 and $1,680 for carpet.
Howard expressed his perspective on this subject in an article published in Wood Floor Business Magazine. Please answer the question yourself: Is it possible to install hardwood flooring over existing hardwood floors? The answer is “YES”, it is possible to install new flooring over existing ones.
These gaps can be both unsightly and problematic, potentially leading to drafts, dirt accumulation, and further damage. The good news is that gaps in old hardwood flooring can often be filled, restoring both the appearance and functionality of the floor.
Foot Traffic and Wear
Over time, this can lead to all kinds of wood floor damage. For homes with children, pets, or frequent gatherings, refinishing may be necessary every 7–10 years. In contrast, floors in low-traffic areas, like bedrooms or formal dining rooms, might only need refinishing every 10–15 years.