If you’re a homeowner with hardwood floors in your house, it’s inevitable that they will need refinishing or replacing eventually. If you’re torn between refinishing your existing wood floors or replacing them, read on for our answer to the question: When are hardwood floors beyond repair? Here are some important questions to consider to help you determine the best outcome:
Have your hardwood floors ever been refinished before?
If your hardwood floors have been sanded and refinished before, there’s a chance that they may be too thin to be refinished again. If you’re not sure, one of our experts can help you determine this. It’s also important to note that prefinished wood floors are notoriously harder to sand and refinish, and it’s quite a dusty job!
Is your wood floor severely dented?
It’s important to assess what kind of condition your flooring is in. If your flooring is deeply dented or damaged, it might be beyond repair, or the repair job may be very labour intensive and expensive. At a certain point, we will advise you that a replacement is the better option.
Are there gaps in your floor?
If there are gaps in your wood floor, they will need to be filled with putty. It’s not an impossible job, but it will be time-consuming and labour intensive. If there are a lot of gaps, sometimes a replacement is the best option. Our team can help you determine which route will work best for your budget and lifestyle.
Consider all your options & costs
If you’re considering the DIY route and thinking about refinishing your floors yourself, it’s important to factor in these important points when making your decision:
- You’ll need to take measurements and purchase your flooring
- Supplies and tool rentals — you’ll need a special cleaner designed for wood, a professional buffer, sandpaper, a respirator, paintbrushes, and more.
- Factor in drying time, which can be up to 48 hours
- Physical demand — it’s rigourous, so you’ll want to make sure you’re up for it
What to do when your floors are beyond repair:
If you’ve determined that your floor is beyond repair, there are some great options that we recommend. Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring clicks together and can be installed right overtop of a wood floor. We can also install LVP relatively quickly, usually in about half a day or up to 2 days, depending on the size of your space.
We also highly recommend Engineered Hardwood. It’s an investment, but its durability and longevity makes it worthwhile for many homeowners.
One thing we’ve learned throughout this crazy time is that shopping online for flooring is a good place to start – but not always the best option!
When it comes to ordering flooring online, it can be tough. You might like what you see in a photo, but you can’t really be sure what it’s going to look like with the lighting in your home, colours on your walls, and with the furniture you have in place.
If you see something online that you like, we can have it ready for you to view when you come in, just give us a phone call at the number listed below.
Reach out to us and one of our Bigelow Flooring Specialists will be happy to help you find the best solution for your home.
