Wood floors tend to look a little shabby after a few years and you may be wondering if it’s time to replace them. Often, you don’t need to actually replace the floor, as you can simply sand it down and refinish the entire space, making it look like new again.
What should you do? Replace the floor? Restore it? That depends on a few different factors.
Most of the time, it’s best to simply refinish the floor and you’ll save time and money. You will also enjoy having the same wood flooring over the lifetime of your home. However, there are times when you will certainly need to tear it all up and replace it. Here are some signs you need to go the replacement route:
You have water damage. Water soaks into the floor and can cause the wood to warp or even split. The best refinisher can’t fix this problem and it will need to be replaced. You should always be careful to seal your floors so they will be resistant to liquids.
The floor is worn down. Over the years, the constant foot traffic on your floors can cause the floor to actually wear away, leaving grooves and divots in the floor. Again, this is not fixable by simply sanding and resealing, so you’ll need to replace the floor.
The wood has changed colour. Many things can cause the floor to change colour and this can leave it rather unsightly. If you aren’t happy with the new colour from fading sun or greying from water damage, it may be time to get a new floor.
You have a large stain. Some stains can simply be sanded out, but not everything works this way. You may need a new floor if you have a large stain that simply won’t buff out.
In some cases, you may just want a different type of wood floor, which is also a good reason to change things up.
If you aren’t having any of the above issues with the floor and still love the look of it, why not refurbish? You don’t even need to do it yourself. There are flooring companies that will handle everything for you, from protecting your home from the dust to sanding and polishing and refinishing the floor. They will even stain it if you would like another colour.
Are you debating what to do with your wood floor? At Just Wood, we offer both new wood flooring and refinishing. Contact us today for more advice.