Are you
considering a hardwood floor refinishing for your hardwood floors? Or do you find yourself asking the question, “When
should I refinish my hardwood floors?” Here at Chicagoland Pro we get asked questions
like that quite frequently. It may
seem like the answer to this question should be simple when in actuality, it’s
not. The answer to this question can vary. We typically see homeowners decide to get
their floors refinished after some wear and tear, while some homeowners will
get floors refinished that have very little defects just to achieve that
perfect, flawless appearance. The point
is, there really is no golden time to get your hardwood floors refinished. Here are a couple common refinishing
questions asked frequently by homeowners accompanied by our answers:
Q-“Does refinishing hardwood floors
effect the floors durability or strength?”
A- No, refinishing your hardwood floors should not affects
its durability or strength. This is
dependent on what type of hardwood floor you have. If you have an unusually thin hardwood floor,
then the answer to the question is yes, it could affect the durability or
strength of the floor. It depends on
how old the flooring is and how many times it has previously been refinished. Flooring
installed in the 30s was much thinner and as a result shouldn’t really be
refinished more than a time or two.
Really, it all depends on the wood type or specie. Most flooring today won’t be an issue and
refinishing your floors shouldn’t cause problems in terms of durability or
strength.
Q-“How many times can a floor be
refinished?”
A- This answer can depend on what type of flooring you
have. The thickness of the floor
determines how many times it can be refinished, so the thicker the floor, the
more times this process can be done. The condition of the floor also determines
how many times it can be refinished. For the most part, solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished
many times, unless it’s so old that the floors are worn down to the tongue and
groove, then that’s another story. We always suggest that
homeowners consider
what they are trying to achieve with the refinishing process first.
Q-“How long does the refinishing process take?”
A- The entire process, when accounting for sanding, can
take anywhere from 4-6 days. It is best
to be out of your home during that time or to avoid walking on the floors
during that time.
Q-“I liked the color of my old
stain. Is there any way it can be
reserved?”
A- Typically, when an older floor needs refinishing the
color and original finish is completely sanded off. It’s essentially like starting over new
again. New stain will be put onto the
floors.
Refinishing your floors, especially if they are older, can
really rejuvenate them. If you have more
questions on refinishing hardwood flooring, just contact us here at Chicagoland Pro. We’d be happy to give you a few
pointers.