No, prefinished hardwood floors cannot be meaningfully refinished. Why? The beveled edges have to be sanded out to create a flat surface and removing those bevels eliminates most or all of the wear layer. Once that’s gone, the tongue is exposed and your floor’s structural integrity is compromised.
Many homeowners feel deceived because they get told “they can be refinished just like site-finished hardwood.” Unfortunately, this isn’t true and it’s a discovery that happens years later when homeowners call for refinishing quotes.
At Tongue & Groove, our Denver-based wood flooring contractors are honest with homeowners and have been since 2007. Let’s discuss the truth about refinishing wood floors in Denver and particularly prefinished wood floors.
Why Can’t Prefinished Wood Floors Be Refinished?
The beveled edge design prevents refinishing. These edges create v-shaped grooves between boards to hide height variations between planks during manufacturing. This provides a finished appearance without the need for on-site sanding.
When refinishing is needed, these bevels can become a problem. In order to sand and refinish the floor, bevels have to be sanded out. This process involves cutting deep into the wood, consuming the wear layer in the process.
The wear layer is the solid wood thickness above the tongue. Once you sand through it, you expose the tongue joint and the floor is structurally compromised. Prefinished hardwood products tend to have wear layers as thin as less than 2 mm, leaving no room for the aggressive sanding needed to remove bevels.
What About the Factory Finish?
Prefinished hardwood planks have aluminum oxide or extremely hard factory finishes. While prefinished hardwood planks are excellent for withstanding wear, they can make refinishing challenges.
Hard finishes need more aggressive sanding than softer site-applied polyurethanes. As a result, more wear layer gets consumed. By removing bevels AND cutting through hard factory finishes, prefinished floors don’t have enough material left to work with.
Homeowners might attempt to screen and recoat prefinished floors to avoid full sanding. It’s possible if the existing finish is still intact and adhering well. It doesn’t remove bevels, allow for color changes or address floors where the finish has worn through to bare wood.
Wondering what’s possible with your prefinished hardwood flooring? Visit the Tongue & Groove showroom in Denver to discuss it. Show us and tell us about your product and we’ll explore options.
When CAN Prefinished Floors Be Refinished?
It’s not impossible to refinish prefinished hardwood flooring. However, your floor does have to meet certain conditions:
- Thick Wear Layers (3mm or more): Prefinished products with thick wear layers let you sand out bevels while leaving behind usable wood above the tongue. However, the refinishing potential comes at a higher price.
- Micro-Bevels vs. Deep V-Grooves: Floors with subtle micro-bevels require less aggressive sanding to flatten than floors with V-shaped grooves. Shallower bevels increase the possibility of refinishing.
- Softer Factory Finishes: Some prefinished hardwood floors use UV-cured oils or softer polyurethanes over aluminum oxide. Because of this, they don’t need aggressive sanding to remove, leaving behind a thick wear layer for refinishing.
If your floor has all of these characteristics, refinishing is a possibility, but this is a slim exception. Most products on the market don’t fit this criteria.
What Are Your Options for Worn Prefinished Floors?
When you can’t refinish your hardwood floors, there are still options. Consider the following:
- Screen and Recoat: If the finish is worn, but still intact (not worn through to bare wood), a screen and recoat might be a possibility. This involves abrading the finish and applying a new top coat without removing bevels or changing color.
- Spot Repairs: If some boards are scratched or damaged, you might be able to replace the planks individually. Be sure to buy extra product from the start as yours might be discontinued by the time you need to replace individual planks.
- Full Replacement: Sometimes, you can only replace your flooring. It’s more expensive than refinishing, but you can always purchase site-finished wood flooring that can be refinished later.
Trying to choose the best option for your floors? Schedule an assessment with our team. We’ll check the condition of your floors and recommend the best measure.
Get an Honest Assessment of Your Prefinished Floors
If you have worn out prefinished hardwood flooring and wonder what’s possible, turn to Tongue & Groove. We’ll let you know if refinishing is an option. If it’s not, we’ll help you explore alternatives.
Want to learn more about prefinished floors? Visit our Denver showroom or contact us today!
