When deciding whether to have your hardwood floors replaced or retreated, there are numerous things to take into account, such as the state of the floor, your budget, and so on. Firstly, let’s cover the things to look out for when your floor needs retreating and not replacing. The best-case scenario is that you can spot wear and tear early on to avoid large costs further down the line to replace your floors completely.
Signs of Splintering
As hardwood floors get older, they are more prone to damage such as splintering and worn areas. If you see any areas where the wood appears worn and the stain is obviously removed, it’s time to have your floors refinished. If you keep using it as is, the wood will start to splinter, increasing the cost of the project as well as the risk of accidents.
Grey Boards
Your wooden floors will start to absorb water when the polyurethane layer that was used to polish your floor begins to wear off. This moisture might come from snow, rain, pet paws, liquids that have spilt, and even cleaning solutions that have been used to clean the floors. When your floorboards start to become grey, this is your floor’s way of pleading for help. The sooner you have your floor refinished, the better.
You Simply Want a Change
Retreating your floor will enable you to acquire a new-looking floor without having the floorboards replaced. If your hardwood floor is in good shape but the design is outdated, this is a much more time-effective alternative to a full replacement. Retreating your floor with a new stain will make your room look fresher and brand new immediately. Additionally, the original wood flooring in your home will raise the value of your home should you decide to sell it, making this option more cost-effective as well.
Now let’s cover the signs that your flooring is at the end of the road and needs a full replacement.
Water Damage
Flooding can cause irreparable damage to your floor. The wood may warp, bulge, or buckle as a result of water damage, endangering the stability of the floor. The good news is that you only need to repair a few boards rather than the entire floor. However, this is only possible if only a portion of the floor has been damaged. A complete floor repair, however, might be the best option if the problem extends beneath the surface.
Permanent Staining
Things like alcohol, juice, and paint can permanently stain hardwood floors. The majority of hardwood floor staining can be avoided if spills are cleaned up quickly. However, after your hardwood floors have been cleaned multiple times, you can eventually notice a deeply embedded stain. Usually, this stain won’t fade or vanish no matter how many times you refinish the wood. This usually suggests that it cannot be fixed and that a full replacement is needed.
Loose Floorboards
If your flooring flexes, moves, wobbles, or buckles under your weight it is time to replace those floors. Or at least that portion. Although some floor movement can be minor, you can check for areas that have dropped significantly and floating weak points in the floors by using something sturdy to gauge the severity of the damage.
Hopefully, you know what to look out for when considering both retreating and replacing your floorboards. It is important to know these differences. Ultimately, you can save yourself hundreds of pounds if you can avoid a full replacement. If have a flooring project in mind, contact us today and let our expert team help you.
