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Refinish or replace hardwood floors

Fix, refinish or replace hardwood floor - pros and cons of wood flooring refinishing and replacement

Hardwood is long lasting flooring material which can perform for decades. However, everyone understands that with some time anything including the wood floor will lose its appearance. In addition, some damages and tear to the floor can happen as well. Therefore, it might require some update to return back its beauty. This can be done in many ways, such as fixing, refinishing, or replacement.

Fixing of hardwood flooring

Hardwood floors design as tongue and groove where pieces fit together closely. This joints hardwood planks firmly together and makes a single flat flooring surface. That’s why if you have even one bad piece in the middle of the room it might be very hard or nearly impossible to fix that without damaging other planks. In addition, other problems might pursue, such as difficulties to find the right plank because of not knowing the brand of the wood or the materials might be discontinued.

Refinishing hardwood floor

Depending on how many times the hardwood floor was sanded before, your contractor can tell you whether refinishing is possible or replacement is necessary. This normally can be determining by examining wood condition and the thickness of wearing layer. Professionals normally even don’t need to see the wood entirely; they can visually tell you situation with the floor and options accordingly to that.

If planks of hardwood are too thin then the refinishing will not be a good idea. This is mainly because nails might be seen on the floor surface after sanding which spoil not only the floor look, but waist you time and money by trying to do that. In addition, after that you might need to replace the floor anyway.

Major pros of refinishing wood floor is getting fresh look in your home. In addition, refinishing is much cheaper than replacement. Other good thing about it is that you don’t need to match color or width of planks with other hardwood floor coverings in the home. Sometimes it is really hard to do that if the previous floor covering lay for over 50 years in the house because it is almost no way to find totally the same wood. In addition, more likely that the brand of the wood far long time discontinued already.

Replacement of hardwood floors

It can be tough, but sometimes necessary decision. On the bright side of the situation, if you replace the entire room floor you won’t need to worry about how many times the floor was sanded before. For example, if you apply stain and afterwards realize that it is not actually what you wanted, you don’t need to invite the contractor to evaluate your chances of refinishing it. If you are comfortable enough with a sanding machine you can perform the work yourself and stain it in some different color you like.

Even if it sounds a little bit unrealistic, but replacement can be a cost saving process as well. If you demolish hardwood from a larger room carefully and will be able to install that in some small one, then it might be a good deal for you. It won’t be necessary to buy for the small room materials. You just need to sand the floor surface and apply desired wood stain and hardwood finish.