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HARDWOOD floors have an incomparable beauty and can add warmth and style to any room.
If you are fortunate enough to have original hardwood floors, consider restoring their original beauty. Below are tips from hardwood flooring experts to help you.
Recoat/Refinish
If your wood floors start to look dull, they can be renewed through recoating. A maintenance coat involves cleaning the existing floor’s finish, then lightly sanding it.
After that, you just need an application of a fresh coat of wood floor finish.
You can also apply a new coat to your floors every three to five years. However, the maintenance schedule may depend on wear and tear, as well as your lifestyle. A complete sand and refinish is recommended when there are deep scratches, dents and other flooring damage.
Don’t use the wrong equipment
Wood floor restoration starts with sanding the floor. This strips away the previous finish a
nd removes surface-level scuffs and scratches. However, if you try to sand the floor with home power tools, you might sand the floors unevenly. In some instances, you could also severely damage the wood. Do it right — use a drum sander.
Avoid uneven sanding
Even if you use a drum sander, there is no guarantee that you will not make mistakes if you are not careful. Under-sanding can leave spots of old stains or finish, and then these areas are unsuitable for refinishing.
Over-sanding can lead to divots or scratches that only a professional can fix.
Be aware of improper edging
Also, be advised that a drum sander cannot get close enough to your walls and baseboards to sand them.
To get these areas, you will need an edger. You will also need to be patient when using the edger. Do not rush these areas, because it results in a noticeable colour/texture difference around the edge of the room with a higher risk of degradation.
Notice lingering wood dust
The sanding process will create a lot of wood dust. Keep this in mind when you are applying the stain/finish to your floors.
Thoroughly clean the floors first. If you do not, these particles will become embedded in the stain/finish. Vacuum up as much dust as possible, then give your entire room a detailed cleaning before applying any kind of stain/finish.
Don’t use the wrong products
Only certain types of stains/finishes are suitable for certain types of woods. Others are specially formulated for specific uses. Choosing the wrong stain/finish could give your floors an unappealing appearance. If that is not bad enough, the wrong product could cause accelerated wear or discolouration. Only use professional products recommended by your contractor, flooring manufacturer or finish manufacturer.
Maintaining your wood floors
Since wood is an organic material, it will react to its environment. In humid environments, wood gains moisture and can swell. In dry environments, wood loses moisture and can shrink. If the environment changes, there will be changes in the floors themselves and how they perform. For example, moisture can cause the floors to cup. This causes raised edges and lowered centres.
On the other hand, if your floors lose moisture, they can gap or split. This can occur between floorboards or on the face of the boards. If these gaps and splits occur but go away during seasonal changes, there is no reason for concern. However, if the gaps in your floors are large or do not close during more humid months, it is time to call a professional. — mymove.com
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