How to Determine If Your Hardwood Flooring Needs Refinishing

Over time, your hardwood flooring will eventually show signs of wear and tear. However, you can revive its lustre by refinishing it periodically. While 10 to 15 years is considered the average time span between refinishings, you may need to do it sooner than that. This depends on the foot traffic, the kinds of activity the flooring endures every day and how well you maintain it.

The following are some major indicators which can give you a fair idea about whether your hardwood floor needs to be refinished anytime soon.

Hardwood flooring will get scratched and dented over the years. When you see plenty of visible scratch marks that make the overall floor unsightly, perhaps it is time to consider refinishing before the damage goes deeper. The unsightly scratches become more evident when you have a darker floor stain. Covering them up with an area rug is not always a feasible solution, its better to sand and re-stain the floor. The deeper scratches can develop into splits and then, you will have to replace that floor plank.

There is a simple way to determine whether your floor needs to be refinished immediately. You have to locate the areas where you get regular and maximum traffic. Take a tablespoon of water and pour it into that section and watch how it goes. If it forms puddles which stay on the floor, the stain is intact and your floor is in good condition. If the water penetrates slowly, it indicates the finish is wearing out but does not require immediate attention. However, if the water is soaked up quickly by the wood and leaves a dark blotch, the floor needs to be refinished immediately.

Hardwood floorboards have a polyurethane coating that protects it against moisture damage. When it wears off and the wood soaks up moisture in the form of water spills, wet dirt from pet’s claws, water-based cleaning products, it oxidizes and turns grey over the years. It is a very obvious sign of damage and requires immediate attention. The greying parts will eventually turn black and then replacing the floorboard will be the only feasible option left.

A sliver from the surface may not give you the proper idea about how deep the damage goes. However, if the crack runs too deep, the floorboard must be replaced. If it isn’t too bad, it can be fixed by sanding the floorboard and then staining it anew. Take an old business card and insert it through the groove that is formed. Take note of how far the card can be inserted with a pencil. Remove the card and measure the portion that was inserted into the groove. If it is less than 3/4th inch from the edge, the crack can be fixed by the method mentioned.

Due to continuous exposure to the sun, certain parts of the hardwood flooring will get discoloured and the overall flooring will look unsightly. When this happens, you can re-stain the entire floor to give it a brand-new look. The discolouration happens only on the top layer and hence can be fixed by sanding it properly.

The necessity of refinishing the hardwood flooring depends on numerous factors like the thickness of the floorboards, the species of the wood and the maximum traffic of your home. The above mentioned are some prominent indicators which will help you to recognize the condition of your flooring and whether refinishing is urgently needed.