You want a new look Refinishing floors is an excellent option for changing the color of your floors. While most refinishing jobs simply remove and replace a floor's existing finish, refinishing can also remove a floor's existing stain to capture the look of the original hardwood floor.
Restoring a wooden floor is often worth it, especially if the flooring has good quality wood and structural integrity. Restoration can enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home, increase property value, and prolong the life of the floor.
Cons of refinishing hardwood floors:
Expense: While refinishing is often more cost-effective than replacement, it can still be a significant investment if the floors are in poor condition. Disruption: The process of refinishing involves sanding and applying finishes, which can create noise, dust, and odors.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2022 Remodeling Impact Report, hardwood floor refinishing has an impressive ROI of 147%. This means that for every $3,000 you spend on refinishing, you could add approximately $4,410 to your home's resale value.
Recoating only restores the existing finish of your hardwood floors and cannot change their color. If you want to change the color of your floors, refinishing is the better option. Keywords: recoating, existing finish, color, refinishing, hardwood floors.
The average refinish removes about . 75 to 1mm of the floor's surface. We use this benchmark as a way to calculate the approximate number of times a floor can be refinished. A ¾” tongue-and-groove solid hardwood floor can be refinished about 10 times during its lifespan.
If you chose to refinish your hardwood floors, then you can expect to pay between $3 to $8 per square foot. To replace your floors, it could cost you between $6 to $12 per square foot, and the cost can be higher for more premium jobs.
When over 30% of your hardwood floor has received damage, it is more cost-effective to replace the flooring rather than trying to refinish the hardwood. Common severe floor damage comes in the form of warping, chipping, stains, or termite infestation.
What Flooring Adds the Most Value? Hardwood flooring has long been the top choice for homebuyers and remains so today. According to Realtor.com, installing new hardwood floors may increase a home's value by as much as 2.5%, though some realtors place that figure at 6 to 10% or more.
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.
Depth of Sanding: Resurfacing involves light sanding, whereas refinishing requires sanding down to bare wood. Extent of Restoration: Refinishing can address more severe wear and damage compared to resurfacing. Time and Cost: Refinishing generally takes longer and is more expensive due to the intensive labor involved.
Perform thorough cleaning on your floor and ensure it's dry. Add a bit of wood floor polish along with the room's corners, ensuring it takes the S shape. Then carefully spread the polishing with a flat-surface mop. Always work with the wood grain.
Wood Floor Condition
The condition of the flooring is the most significant factor when choosing to refinish or replace. If the damage is mostly superficial, refinishing is usually the best choice. But if the damage is severe and includes rot or water damage, those planks will have to be replaced.
Short Answer: Yes – Old Flooring Should Be Removed
Any time you hear “renovation” it means there's some demo involved. In the case of a flooring renovation the bulk of the demo work is usually removing the old flooring. (Removing old quarter-round and trim might also be necessary.)
In the short term, carpeting is often the cheaper option. Even with installation costs, a new carpet is generally more affordable than sanding and refinishing floors. However, in the long term, sanded floors are the more economical choice. Their durability and minimal maintenance costs can save you money down the line.
Due to the potent fumes, many homeowners stress how important it is to leave the house while polyurethane is being applied. Some people have stayed in their homes throughout the process, but they advise against it due to the unpleasant stench.
Traditional refinishing costs $3 to $8 per square foot. During traditional refinishing, your contractor will sand down the top layer of your hardwood floor. This creates a lot of dust, which can be difficult to fully clean after-the-fact and can trigger allergies for some homeowners.
Depending on a floor's thickness and the experience of the flooring professional, a floor can be sanded around 4-6 times in its entire life. Hardwood floors can be refinished every 7-10 years, making the 4-6 refinishes more than enough.
We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours before you walk on your floors– and 48 hours is even better. Start with socks only and keep pets off the floors for a few days. Wait at least two days for water-based finishes and four days for oil-based finishes before carefully putting furniture and back into the room.
One of the most common mistakes is over-sanding, which can lead to an uneven, distorted floor surface. This typically occurs when you focus too much on a specific area or try to refinish a stubborn knot, bump, or defect in the wood.
One of the most common methods of refinishing hardwood floors without sanding is through a process called screening. This involves lightly abrading the existing finish using a floor buffer with a screen disc or a sanding screen.
Floors with extreme movement between boards are not good candidates for refinishing because "the movement will affect the sanding and finish," Lupresto says. Substantial structural problems — those that require the flooring to be removed so the subfloor can be fixed.
Floor resurfacing involves applying a new layer of material on top of your existing flooring, while refinishing involves sanding down the surface of your floors and applying a new stain or finish.