4 Questions about Hardwood Floor Refinishing
Are your hardwood floors not looking so great and you're wondering if you should refinish and seal the wood? Here are some questions you likely have about the process.
Why Do You Want to Refinish Your Hardwood Flooring?
A common reason to refinish a hardwood floor is that the wood has seen a lot of wear and tear over the years. There may be scratches caused by kids playing with toys, pets with long nails, or just worn down places with heavy foot traffic. It can be a great way to revive the look of the hardwood floors and make them look new again.
Will Only Resealing the Floors Remove Scratches?
The need to refinish or reseal a floor will depend on how deep the scratches are. If you only have damage that is on the top layer of polyurethane, then it's possible that just resealing will improve the look. However, if scratches have gone deep into the actual wood, then the only option to fix the scratches is to sand and refinish the hardwood flooring.
Can You Spot Repair Sections of the Hardwood Floors?
Know that it is not possible to spot repair a section of your hardwood floors. You will need to remove everything off the floors so that the flooring can be sanded, stained, and sealed. You'll never be able to spot repair a small section of your hardwood floors and have it blend in properly where it is seamless.
What Are Your Options for Sealants?
There are oil and water-based polyurethane sealers. The advantages of a water-based sealant are that it dries quickly, it won't change the color of the floor, it creates a hard top layer to protect the floors, and it is easy to apply.
An oil-based sealant is going to be more durable than the water-based sealant and is known for giving the floors a glow that doesn't require many coats. However, the wait times for it to dry are very long compared to the water-based sealants, and it can create a very strong odor in your home when using it. Many people use oil-based sealants if they are going to be out of their home the entire time because the odor is so strong.
Have more questions about refinishing, sealing, or reparing your hardwood floors? Reach out to a flooring contractor in your area, who can handle the entire job for you.
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