7 Signs You Need to Refinish Your Hardwood Floors

Part of keeping your hardwood floors in shape is knowing when its time to refinish. Here are signs you need to refinish your hardwood floors.

Hardwood floors are a timeless beauty that add value to any home. But after pets, kids and moisture reach the floor, that beauty is sometimes unrecognizable.

Set up a maintenance calendar for your hardwood floors to keep them looking brand new. Here are 7 signs it may be time to refinish your hardwood floors. 

1. Water Damage

It’s no secret that hardwood hates water. Water damage is the worst way to warp your hardwood floors beyond repair.

If you see minor evidence of water damage, there might be a chance at salvaging your wood floors. The best time to address water damage is at the time it happens.

When you notice the spill or leak, dry the area as fast as possible. The worst damage happens when you don’t know it’s there.

Leaving the water for too long can lead to buckling in the floors which means they’ll need to be replaced. Floors with minor damage like dark stains can usually be refinished. 

2. Scratches and Dents

It’s impossible to prevent scratches on wood floors. Unlike tile or vinyl, just the friction of walking creates small scratches across the hardwood. 

But when the scratches go beyond just a walkway or small area, it may be time to refinish. Sometimes the scratches are only in the stain and may not look bad enough to warrant a refinish.

Whether or not to refinish scratches in the stain is a matter of personal preference. But if your scratches are in the wood beneath the stain, it’s a good idea to get your floors refinished. 

The stain works as a sealant against moisture. A few cosmetic scratches in the stain might not lead to significant damage at first.

Once the wood beneath the stain gets scratched, it leaves the floors vulnerable to water damage. Never reapply stain to scratches to try and improve the look of the hardwoods.

This will result in a patchy look on your floors. Let a professional take the proper steps to sand down your floors and apply a new stain once you’re ready to work on your floors.  

3. Discoloration

Another reason to refinish your hardwood floors is if you notice discoloration. Gray discoloration on the floors isn’t a sign of age.

It’s usually the result of minor water damage. The sealant protectant on your wood will wear off with time leaving the wood underneath exposed.

Water naturally splashes onto the floor in kitchens where you have hardwood. Even these tiny amounts of water become a problem for floors over time. 

The wood and water combined begin to oxidize resulting in the grayish coloration. The minute you notice gray on your floors, set up a consultation to have your hardwoods refinished. 

If you don’t this gray will eventually turn black. Discoloration that lingers creates damage to the structure of the wood which means it’ll need to be completely replaced. 

4. Stains

Stains are a part of life. But hardwood isn’t a substance that develops a beautiful patina over time. 

Stains on wood floors look damaged and dirty. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s possible to remove some of these stains with cleaning solutions. 

Once you’ve given those stains your all and they still won’t come out, it’s a good idea to have your floors professionally refinished. 

5. Renovating

Ready to give your interior design a facelift? Don’t forget about the floors.

It’s not always necessary to completely replace your floors when renovating. If your hardwoods are in great condition, opt to refinish them instead. 

It’s possible to change the color of your hardwoods with a new stain that matches the new home style. Get a consultation first to make sure your floors are a good fit for a color change. 

Make sure to protect your hardwoods from damage during the renovation process. It’s not uncommon for floors to be damage during home renovation projects especially if you’re doing them yourself.

Put down a protectant on your floors until all painting, sanding, and furniture moving are complete. 

6. You’re Ready to Sell

It’s time to refinish your hardwood floors when you put your house up for sale. Newly refinished floors can be a great selling point for a home buyer. 

Chances are high that beneath all the furniture in your home lies deeply scratched floors.

It’ll be easy to hide until it’s time to stage your home and declutter. If you plan to move before the house sells, it’ll be even more noticeable in an empty house.

Don’t scare off potential buyers. Get your hardwoods refinished before the agent starts to show your home to increase the home’s appeal.

7. Fading

Everyone loves natural light. Oversized windows, however, are a serious burden on your hardwood floors.

Major sun damage is a sign your hardwood floors might need to be refinished. The damage is caused by the ultraviolet (UV) rays coming from the sun.

The floors might look a little faded or unhealthy near the windows. To see whether there’s sun damage, move an area rug to see if the coloration on the floor changes dramatically.

Sanding and refinishing the floors corrects this problem since you’re getting rid of the faded stain. 

A Home for Beautiful Hardwood Floors

The best way to manage your maintenance schedule for your floors is after your hardwoods are refinished. Once your hardwood floors are repaired, you can put protections in place to prevent them from getting damaged again too quickly.

If you have large windows that allow lots of natural light, consider hanging window treatments. Put down area rugs or hallway runners where you get lots of foot traffic. 

You won’t be able to protect your floors from every scenario, but as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

For more information or to get a flooring quote, contact us today.