It does not need to cost a substantial amount of money to renew your old hardwood flooring. This stylish flooring option can add a touch of luxury and style into your home. All it takes is a little bit of research to create a stunning floor that will wow your guests and makes you excited to return home after a long day. If you want to transform your home, here are four factors to consider before refinishing hardwood floors.
Sanding the Hardwood Floor – You must decide whether you want to hire a professional or refinish the hardwood floors yourself. Most professionals will commonly charge between $3-$5 per hour for a refinish, but the prices may also vary depending on the material, space, and size of the project. There will also be a one-week clean-up period. If you decide to refinish the flooring yourself, you may need to buy or rent a solid wood sanding machine and hand sanding tools, which could cost hundreds of dollars. If you lack sanding experience, you should be aware that mistakes can result in irreparable damage to the wooden flooring.
Deep Cleaning Your Flooring – Deep cleaning is essential before attempting to refinish your hardwood floor. However, there are various mistakes you can make that could damage the flooring. For example, you should only sweep the floors using a broom with soft bristles, because stiff bristles could potentially scratch the wooden flooring’s surface.
You should also only mop the flooring using a concentrated cleaner and micro cloth, which should be specifically designed for hardwood flooring. Also, you should never use vinegar, water, or steam when cleaning wood floors. If in doubt, turn to a flooring professional for an effective deep clean service, as they may also have scrubbing machines to efficiently remove any embedded dirt.
Fix Any Gaps – Many people choose to trowel fill their flooring to repair any gaps and gashes successfully,but you must do so at the right time of the year. For example, it is often better to fix any gaps during the summer, as the humidity will be higher during the summer and so the wood will expand to fill the gaps, while the wood can compress during the winter, as temperatures will be colder.
Choose the Right Stain – There are multiple stain options to choose from when refinishing hardwood flooring. While waxed floors can offer a shiny finish, they can be incredibly slippery. What’s more, they lack durability as they only feature a urethane coating. Click here to learn more about tung oil, as it can deeply penetrate the wood flooring, which can add character to the finish and it’s also water resistant. It also will not darken with age, but many other stains will over time.
Regardless of the stain you choose, you must ensure the surface is free from oil, grease, dirt or another contaminant. You also should not add a stain over another finish. You should also chemically strip the existing finish and lightly sand the surface for best results.
