Refinishing Old Wood Floors: What You Need to Know

Wood floors aren’t supposed to look perfect. They can and will sustain some level of wear and tear which is important in allowing the flooring to take on a life of its own. Your wood floor develops a character of its own, displayed in the myriad scuffs and scrapes and dents that become part of the aesthetic.

This is much different from damage, which should be repaired to keep the floor sturdy and reliable as a component of your home’s interior. The trick is knowing when it’s time to refinish a floor and that can depend a lot on the amount of foot traffic the flooring receives and the surface condition. Hardwood that has character is not the same as hardwood that is dull, faded, and tired.

So here’s what you need to know about floor refinishing austin tx and whether it’s time to have the work done in your home.

To Refinish or Not

No one wants a hardwood floor that looks like it’s seen better days and whether you plan to do the work all by yourself or you are considering hiring a professional at the task you need to first know how to determine if the floor needs to be refinished to its original luster or if it should be left alone.

A badly worn or damaged floor is going to need some attention sooner than later while a well-aged floor should be left alone and allowed to develop that visual character. Do you know the difference between the two? There’s one place to look: the grain. The grain of your flooring will give you all of the information you need to know.

Take a good long look at your floor, do you see patterns and small incongruities in the surface of the wood? These are things that aren’t just only normal but they are to be expected in a healthy hardwood floor. Some scuffs and scrapes are par for the course and should be allowed to remain in the wood.

But if you notice your wood has started to look dirty and damaged in areas, then it’s time to have some work done on your floors.

Identifying Problem Areas

Some homeowners are a little too critical of their flooring and they will refinish the wood a bit earlier than they should. This could actually do greater damage to the surface of the wood than if you just left well enough alone. Some blemishes and minor dents are not a reason to have your floors refinished.

But if you notice areas of the floor where the finish has been worn away and the surface of the wood is bare and exposed, then it’s time to refinish. Further, if you find some deep cracks, fractures, broken floorboards, discolored wood, or water damage, you will need to have the problems fixed. All of these issues are serious and should be acknowledged immediately. Don’t put these things off as they will only deteriorate the condition of your flooring and that could result in higher repair or replacement costs.