Most hardwood floors are going to need to be sanded and refinished every once in a while. If you’ve been inspired by the latest reality sensation “Making It” you may be tempted to take on this project by yourself. However, having your floors sanded and refinished by a professional may be the smartest and most cost-effective way to go.
Reasons to sand and refinish
A professional will come with all the right tools and the skills to use them.
Hardwood floors get worn over time, and they change color and tone, sometimes unevenly. Areas that have exposure to direct sunlight for years may have discoloration and a patchy look. Natural wear and tear from shoes, pets, and parties may have scuffed up some areas and left other areas barely touched. Some people like the natural patina of aged hardwood floors, they like to see imperfections, like dents and scratches to remind them of good times. But, not everyone loves the rustic effect, and want to even out their hardwood floors and make them new again. To those people, we say: hire a professional to sand and refinish!
Why hire a professional?
To properly sand and refinish your floors you need time, patience, and the right tools. The tools used to sand and refinish don’t come cheap, and if you don’t know how to use them, they can do more harm than good. Professionals will come with their tools and the skills to use them quickly and effectively. Hiring a professional is often the cheapest option and will get you high-quality results.
Sanding hardwood floors
The first step to renewing your existing floors is to sand the old finish off and smooth out the dents and scratches. If you’re looking to apply a new finish and color, you’ll want to get as much of the old stain out of the wood. However, you want to make sure that you don’t sand too much off of your floors, especially if you have engineered floors. Engineered floors only have a thin top layer of wood to work with. Once that layer is used up, you can’t go back and fix mistakes. A professional will also sand your floors evenly, and won’t risk taking off a lot more in some areas, leaving your floors uneven.
Staining the floors
A professional can apply the color and stain evenly and smoothly for the best effect.
Getting the final stain to be one smooth and evenly distributed color is something that a professional can do, might be a lot harder for a layperson. If you don’t stain your floors evenly, then the whole project is moot. Why spend all that time, energy, and money on DIY tools, only to end up with an even more uneven and patchy looking floor. Paying for a professional is going to pay off in the long run. Their work is going to be higher-quality and longer-lasting than your DIY work.
Talk to a trained wood flooring artisan about sanding and refinishing your uneven and dented hardwood floors.