Signs Your Hardwood Floor Needs Refinishing

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Do you miss the sparkling, lustrous look of your hardwood floors? The newly installed hardwood floors look phenomenal but with age, they start looking dull and worn. Natural hardwood is the finest flooring material and can last for decades. However, similar to any other flooring material, hardwood also needs periodic care and maintenance. Hardwood flooring is a great investment for your home but with time your floors would need to be sanded again and refinished. No matter how much you maintain your hardwood floors, sooner or later your floors will need refinishing. With regular wear and tear, floors deteriorate, and to bring them back to their lustrous condition, refinishing can help. Whether there are too many scratches or the color has faded, most of the minor issues can be easily fixed by refinishing.

Unlike many other flooring materials, hardwood can be sanded and refinished to retain its original look. This process involves buffing the top layer to remove scratches and a worn-out layer. After sanding down the top layer of the existing floors, a fresh topcoat is applied. You can refinish your floors several times during the lifespan of the hardwood. However, you need to know how often this can be done. So, if you’re wondering whether your floor needs refinishing, here are some signs that indicate your floor needs a touch-up.

Too Many Scratches

One of the most obvious signs of hardwood damage is extensive scratching. If you notice too many scratches on the floor that have started looking ugly then refinishing can help. Scratches are a part of hardwood floors and minor ones can be easily fixed with sanding. However, some deep scratches penetrate the wood and that could lead to other issues like water damage. So, before scratches grow bigger, it is better to consider refinishing to protect your floors.

Gray Discoloration

When the boards on your hardwood flooring start turning gray, it means you need to refinish the floor before it leads to more damage. Gray discoloration doesn’t mean that boards have turned old. In most cases, the gray color indicates water damage. When water seeps into the floor, the polyurethane protection starts wearing off which leads to oxidation and the flooring turns gray. This type of damage can be caused due to rain, snow, or spilled drinks. To solve this issue, you need to refinish the hardwood floor and apply a new stain.

Water Damage

Severe water damage could cause separation or cupping of some of the boards or leave dark patches. Extensive water damage that causes warping or bubbling may need board replacement. However, minor cupping can be fixed with sanding. If a small area is affected then you can stain and refinish it but if the entire board has turned black then replacement is the only solution.

Color Fading Due to Sun

Exposure to sunlight or UV Rays can damage your hardwood flooring over time. If the color of your floors has faded and the cause of this discoloration is UV rays exposure then refinishing floors can help. Sanding and applying a new stain is the best way to renew the floor and get back the vibrant color that was lost due to the sunlight.