Refinishing wood floors is a great way to extend the life of your flooring and is cheaper and more environmentally safe than a full replacement. If you're tired of the current look of your floors and want an update, you can refinish your floors to get an entirely new look with much less effort and inconvenience to you.
In almost every case it is preferable to refinish rather than replace hardwood floors. Part of the appeal of hardwood is that it lasts so long. A quality hardwood floor can be sanded down and refinished at least six times, and up to ten times before you need to replace it.
It's commonly accepted that you refinish every seven to ten years. Important note: some hardwood is only 1/4 inches thick. In this case, a refinish could strip away all traces of the floor.
In most scenarios, refinishing rather than replacing your hardwood floor is the ideal outcome. While refinishing hardwood can be a long and tedious process, it is much more cost-effective than a total replacement. During the refinishing process, all furniture will have to be removed from the room.
On average, a hardwood flooring finish lasts approximately ten years. But with proper care and maintenance, it can last much longer.
Installing hardwood flooring averages between $6 and $12 per square foot. On average, wood flooring costs between $3 and $7 per square foot for materials and $3 to $5 per square foot for labor. An estimate for installation of 1000 square feet of hardwood flooring runs between $6,000 and $12,000.
Your beloved hardwood floors' aesthetic can be easily upended by a rogue board with water damage, cracks, or grooves. But try not to fret—you can replace individual wood planks on your own without having to replace the entire floor.
Water Test. Pour a spoonful of water onto the floor. If it forms droplets that stay on the surface of the wood, the floor finish is still good. If the water is slowly absorbed into the wood, the finish is worn and needs to be restored.
If your hardwood floors have been sanded and finished with Bona Mega Clear HD, it is safe to sleep in the home about 2-3 hours after the project is finished, but again, only if there are other rooms that have not been robbed of their furniture – furniture should stay off floors for at least 24 hours after ANY project ...
So is it possible to pull up hardwood floors and reinstall them? Yes, this is definitely possible. Since they are environment-friendly and extremely durable, hardwood floors are often reused when remodeling or building a home. They also offer better aesthetics and lower costs than buying new materials.
"The two best indicators to tell if a wood floor is not salvageable are cracking or breakage along the perimeter of individual planks, and exposed nailheads—meaning the flooring has been sanded down so much the heads of the original blind nails are exposed," says Murray.
Prices for hardwood floors have increased anywhere from 15 to 70 percent. The increased lumber costs are due to species scarcity, fuel inflation and a lack of truck delivery. But even if you're not getting all-natural hardwood floors, you may still see a price increase.
Expect to pay between $4,500 and $30,000 for 1,500 square feet of solid wood flooring. The species of wood you choose for your home can be a big determinant of the installation costs.
Installing hardwood flooring averages between $6 and $12 per square foot. Wood flooring costs $3 and $7 per square foot for materials and about $3 to $5 per square foot in labor to install.
The national average cost to install hardwood flooring is $6 to $12 per square foot for both labor and material fees. For higher-end wood and larger spaces, like if you're redoing your entire first floor in hardwood, you may pay more—possibly between $13 and $25 per square foot.
When calculating how much it costs to refloor a house with vinyl or linoleum, homeowners can expect to pay between $3 and $10 per square foot. Better quality products like luxury vinyl will be at the top of this price range.
Typical costs: Installing a standard solid-strip hardwood floor averages about $8 a square foot for materials, insulation and site finishing, and up to $12 a square foot for wide pine planks, or $1,150-$1,750 for a 12x12-foot room.
The acid in animal urine or vomit can damage the finish and the wood floor boards. Large, active dogs with long, sharp nails digging into hardwood can cause scratches and dents. Spilled food or water, when left for extended periods of time, can seep into hardwood plank seams and lead to unsightly water damage.
If you're thinking about selling your home and it has hardwood flooring that's scratched and worn, you would be wise to have it refinished before listing the property. Having hardwood floors refinished can cost thousands of dollars, but it will be money well spent.
You should NOT use vinegar to clean your wood floors regularly. You won't notice any damage right away, but over time, the acidity in the vinegar will break down the floor's finish, allowing water to penetrate and degrade the wood.