Refinishing Hardwood: What you should expect.

Are your floors ready for a makeover? Refinishing damaged or old hardwood is the best way to restore and revitalize the floors in your home. When hardwood is refinished it gives you a chance to update your floor’s style with a new color or shine. It also reinforces the protective layers that help to ensure their longevity.  

Walnut Hardwood LLC is a Denver-based flooring contractor committed to providing the best information for our clients and neighbors. In this article, we will answer some of the most commonly asked questions about hardwood refinishing so that you know what to expect during the process. 

If you’re refinishing your hardwood floors soon, feel free to jump ahead to learn about how to prepare or the refinishing process.

When should you refinish hardwood floors?

Hardwood floors can last for over 100 years and can be refinished multiple times throughout their lifespan, usually around 5-7 times. The amount of wear and tear a floor has endured, and the type of original finish, will determine when a floor should be refinished. 

What is involved in a screen and coat?

If your floors are in good shape (i.e not worn down to the wood, stained, or significantly gapping) it may be in your best interest to do a recoat of finish. Depending on the original finish, additional finish can be applied to reinforce the protective layer on your hardwood while refreshing its color and shine. A contractor will be able to determine whether a recoat is an option for your floors. A screen and coat requires less labor, generates less mess, and is overall a faster project than refinishing.

For more information about the differences between oil and water-based finishes, please see our hardwood finishing guide.

Refinishing hardwood floors can help eliminate: 

Of course, we’d like to add a disclaimer that refinishing a hardwood floor isn’t always going to fix everything “good-as-new.” If damage from pets, spills, or other sources has penetrated deep into your hardwood, stains can be very difficult to remove. One option is to replace those severely damaged boards with new hardwood, however, this will add additional costs to your refinishing project. 

Preparation and What to Expect 

So the time has come to refinish your floors, very exciting! First, we recommend hiring a professional to do your project because there is a great amount of technique involved in refinishing. Secondly, expect to:

In truth, you will not be able to walk on your floors while they are being stained or finished. This process may take several hours or full days, depending on the materials that are being used (see again: oil vs water polyurethane). With multiple coats applied over several days, it can become very difficult to use your living space during a refinishing project. Although you can walk on your floors during the initial stages of the refinish, once a stain or sealant is applied, access will become very limited, typically for large portions of the day. 

If possible, we also recommend staying out of the house throughout the refinishing process for the following reasons:

Once the finish has been applied, furniture is recommended to remain off of the floors for 3 full days to prevent damage and to allow the floors to cure fully. Heavy furniture and rugs should also be kept off of newly refinished floors anywhere from 10 days to 1 month.

The Refinishing Process

Finally, let’s take a look at the nitty-gritty of the refinishing process to give you a better idea of what’s happening throughout your hardwood restoration. Today, both traditional methods and new technologies combine to make refinishing easier and more effective than ever. 

Once the hardwood is prepared, the staining and finishing processes will begin. There are a variety of stain and finish options and most contractors will be able to provide samples to help homeowners decide. If you are interested in maintaining the natural look of the hardwood, a sealer will be applied to the floor followed by a finish. Stains typically take around 24 hours to dry. 

After the stain has completely dried, the final step of applying the finish will take place. Since cheap finishes can significantly lower the overall durability and longevity of your floors, it is critical to choose a high-quality finishing product . Much like in the staining process, applying finish will require homeowners to stay off their floors for hours at a time and, in some cases, a full day or two depending on the type of finish. 

Conclusion 

Although the process of refinishing hardwood floors can be somewhat daunting, most homeowners agree that it is well worth the time and effort. After all, it helps to maintain your floor’s longevity and durability while making them look new again. 

Whether you are refinishing or installing new hardwood, check out our complete guide on how to keep your floors clean , to decrease the effects of everyday wear and tear and increase the time between hardwood refinishes.