Refinishing Hardwood Floors
1/29/07
The great thing about having hardwood floors in your home is that they can be brought back to life after years of service. Carpeting, linoleum, natural stone - they all need to be replaced if there are rips and tears, stains, chips and gouges. Replacing these other products can be expensive and it's not environmentally friendly, either. But wood flooring is different. Just about every type of hardwood floor can be resurfaced to remove just about any deep scratch or surface stains.First, it's important to make sure that you really do have a hardwood floor. An engineered or veneer surface wood floor may be too thin to resurface as they usually have about an 1/8" surface of wood on top of particle boards. Check a small section, near a furnace grate or by pulling up the edging near a door.
Next, you need to consider whether you'll do this project yourself or hire a company to resurface the wood for you. You'll need to clear and prep the room, remove exposed nails or carpet tacks, and rent a sanding machine, an edging sander, and a floor buffer. The project should take you one to three days, depending on the size and complexity of the room. There are also hardwood floor resurfacing companies that will do the work for you.
Finally, you'll need to choose the type of finish you want on your new floors. You can go with either a water-based polyurethane or an oil-based product.
Water-based Polyurethane:
- No-to-low Odor
- Dries Quickly
- Requires More Coats Than Oil
- Higher Cost
- Easy to Clean Tools
- Has No Yellowing or Amber Tint
Oil-based Polyurethane:
- Requires Fewer Coats
- Takes Longer to Dry (6-12 Hours)
- Strong Odor
- Lower Cost
- Adds Rich Amber Glow
RELATED POSTS:
Types of Hardwood Flooring
Advantages of Hardwood
Labels: Flooring Companies, Hardwood Flooring, Resurfacing
