Hardwood floors provide a comfortable warm homey feeling to a room. Floors are shiny and provide years of utility. The downside is that the finish will eventually dull, and marks will develop from furniture and everyday use and traffic. The good news is that these floors can be refinished and brought to a like new surface and shine.
When Does a Hardwood Floor Need Refinishing?
Refinishing will only work on flooring retaining their full integrity. Broken, split or other damages will have to be addressed prior to the refinish and restoration. This is usually done by replacing the damaged pieces.
For professional refinishing, you will want to engage a certified professional contractor.
How to Refinish Wood Floors Step By Step
After ensuring that all repairs have been done, the contractor will begin sanding the floor using the different grit sandpaper rolls on a machine designed for floors. We will start with a course grit to knock down the distressed surface and remove any surface marks or stains. Then we will progress to a medium grit to a final fine grit for a smooth open grain surface to accept the stain and surface coatings.
Types of Hardwood Floor Finishes
Water Based VS Acid Cured Finishes – Most finishes are water-based polyurethane and there are acid cured finishes. The water-based products are economical and user friendly but less durable. Acid cured finishes are very durable but are the most difficult to apply and can be dangerous if not handled properly. Water-based polyurethane is the hands down most popular finish in the world of hardwood floors. Oil based polyurethane is another option, though it may ‘yellow’ over time.
Oil Sealers – An oil sealer doesn’t dry as hard as polyurethane but penetrates deeper bringing out the wood grain and enhances the natural wood color. It is low gloss producing a natural look ideal for older or traditional style homes. Primarily Tung oil, a natural product it will need to be reapplied ever three to five years and this product needs 24 to 48 hours to dry. Hard-wax Oil, though outdated to some, is easy to apply but the least durable of the finishes considered so far and must be reapplied every 2-3 years.
Acid Cured or Swedish Finish – Acid-cured or Swedish finish are the most durable finish of all, even better than polyurethane. Smooth textured or exotic woods necessitate acid curing finishes. However, during drying and curing process acid cured finishes are highly toxic the drying time lasts from 3 to 30 days.
Aluminum Oxide Finish – Aluminum Oxide is the king of wood finishes as to durability. This finish can last up to 25 years, great for engineered flooring products but is only available on prefinished products and not adaptable to refinishing.
Hardwood Floor Installation, Refinishing, Cleaning & More in Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Diamond Bar & Agoura Hills, California
High quality finishes need only two coats while the less quality finishes may require three or more coats to complete the job. The primary consideration whether it is a DIY or contracted project is patience. A day to sand. First coat then let stand to dry and cure for 8 hours, then the second coat with another 8 hours before final buffing. You’re looking at about three days for the complete job, maybe two for a smaller room. Patience is a virtue when refinishing hardwood floors. Refinishing hardwood floors is a major undertaking and your time and skill level will need to be considered, some projects are best left to the pros. Go Green Carpet Cleaning & Restoration offers hardwood floor installation, refinishing and cleaning among our other quality flooring and upholstery cleaning. Contact us today.
