When Do You Need to Refinish Hardwood Floors?

Hardwood floors are known for their superior beauty and durability, but they’re still no match for the wear caused by generations of families. Spills, drops, shifting furniture and the claws of pets all wear down your floor’s appearance. Fortunately, this damage usually isn’t permanent. Most wood floors can be refinished to restore their beauty. The question is, how do you know when it’s time to restore your floors?

Refinishing hardwood floors too early can be a waste of money. On the other hand, doing so later may be too late for your floor. Handyman Connection® of Lexington shares ways to help you find out:

Focus on High-Traffic Areas

Locate the sections of your floor that experiences the most foot traffic. These are the areas that are most likely to need refinishing. Start by pouring a tablespoon of water on the floor, and wait for a reaction. If droplets start to form on its surface, the finish is still in good condition. If the water starts to soak into the wood slowly, however, it’s a sign that the finish is already starting to wear down.

We recommend refinishing as soon as possible if the water quickly penetrates your floor, leaving a dark stain. Wipe up the remaining liquid with a paper towel, and repeat the rest in other areas. If it leaves the same stain, you may need to refinish your entire floor. Otherwise, you can ask local contractors to target the problem areas to keep you floor’s beauty intact.

Locate Deep Grooves

Another way to determine whether your floor needs to be refinished is by finding two floorboards with a deep groove between them. Insert a business card into this space as far as it will go, and mark its end with a pencil. Remove the card, and measure the depth of the crevice with a ruler. If the mark is not more than 3/4 inches from the edge, we recommend hiring a professional to refinish your floor. Refinishing requires sanding off the old coat, and if your floor is less than 3/4-inch thick, sanding it is a delicate job best done by professionals.

Unsure if your floor needs to be refinished or not? Handyman Connection of Lexington can help you. We can also offer quality flooring services. Contact us today at (859) 274-4477 to get a free estimate.