You may be evaluating the expense of refinishing hardwood floors vs. installing a new floor since your once gorgeous hardwood floors are now damaged and worn. It’s true that the capacity to refinish a long-lasting hardwood is one of the major advantages of having one. However, depending on your scenario, this may not always be the best or most cost-effective alternative.
The best floor sanding in Geelong provided some information why you might choose to replace rather than refinish your furniture.
Get to Know Your Floor
The type of floor you have is arguably the most significant factor to consider when comparing the cost of refinishing hardwood floors vs. installing new floors. The first step is to get to know your hardwood floor.
You might not know what sort of hardwood you’re working with if your floor is old and damaged and came with the house, or if you just acquired a fixer-upper. That’s fine because there are numerous approaches to determining the answer.
The simplest method is to locate a floor vent that you can raise to inspect a cut edge of the wood. Does the flooring’s cut edge resemble a layer cake, with defined layers or a thicker foundation with a thin veneer? After then, it’s engineered.
A solid hardwood plank, on the other hand, is made entirely of one species of wood and is generally 34 to 1 inch thick.
It’s easy to confuse a subfloor or plywood buildup for flooring while using this approach. As a result, removing a board from the floor is another possibility. In case it becomes more damaged, it’s better to take it from a closet or another inconspicuous location.
It’s simpler to examine your plank’s structure and determine the species now that it’s been removed. You may take the plank to a flooring store to have it recognized if you’re still not sure.
The Devastation
Let’s analyze the damage now that you know what kind of floor you have. Take a good long look at your floor, as much as you may not want to. Is it really that bad?
Sometimes a damaged hardwood floor isn’t all that bad. Years of poor cleaning procedures, chemicals, and high filthy foot traffic have caused it to appear that way. In the best-case scenario, a little TLC will bring your floor back to life.
If your floor still has noticeable traffic patterns, scratches, slight discolouration, scuffs, and tiny dents after a thorough cleaning with a hardwood vac and dust mop, you may want to consider refinishing it.
However, if your floor has severe gouges, massive dents, is water damaged, wavy, buckling, splitting, or other indicators of extensive structural deterioration, you should consider replacing it.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Refinishing
For this reason, you may have always desired a hardwood floor. Many homeowners like the idea of refinishing their floors, but is it always the best option?
As previously said, a great floor refinish may solve a variety of issues. Keep in mind that these are small flaws like scratches, dents, and gouges on the surface.
The main advantage is that your floor will remain intact. Refinishing your floor is a fantastic alternative if you enjoy the general appearance of it but want a fresh start, a different texture, a new color, or just to have it repaired.
If there are a few damaged boards, refinishing also allows you to replace them. The fresh finish might help the repair fit in with the rest of your floor.
It’s also crucial to know the distinction between refinishing and screening. Screening is a procedure that removes the top layer of the finish layer to remove surface damage before applying a fresh protective coating.
Refinishing, on the other hand, removes all of the layers, including the stain, down to the bare wood, allowing fresh stain and protective coatings to be placed.
There are several things that refinishing can’t do, despite how much it can bring a floor back to life.
Water damage, broken and buckling boards, and water damage cannot be sanded away. Those will have to be replaced. You also can’t finish an engineered wood if it’s gouged deep into the wear layer.
Another disadvantage is that refinishing your floor is a dusty, filthy, and odorous procedure that can make your home unlivable while it is being done. Dust and odors are especially harmful to children, pets, and individuals who have respiratory issues.
Hazardous fumes can be reduced by using environmentally friendly, water-based finish materials. However, others claim that these finishes don’t hold up as well over time as the long-established solvent-based alternatives.
You may not be able to enter the room again for several days or more, depending on the cure durations of the finish materials you employ. Staying with friends or hiring a hotel room are two options.