A popular trend for older homes was constructing them with aged hardwood floors. While this is a durable and beautiful option, the flooring will show its age at some point.
If you have noticed this issue with your hardwood flooring, you may wonder if you should resurface or refinish the wood. While some people use these terms interchangeably, they have somewhat different meanings.
Knowing the difference will help you determine the best option for your flooring.
Refinishing vs. Resurfacing Hardwood Flooring
If you have hardwood flooring in Michigan, at some point, you may wonder if refinishing or resurfacing is the best option.
Refinishing refers to sanding down the top layer of the floor and applying fresh lacquer and stain over the current wood. It only requires you to have a drum sander, the desired stain color, and lacquer, which helps your floor appear new and shiny again.
Resurfacing is a process that requires you to put more than just a layer of polish on top of it. Sometimes, it requires you to remove the old floorboards, grind down uneven areas, and reinforce wood planks using new nails. While the process is more expensive and time-consuming, it does provide additional strength to the floor. This will help it last even longer.
What Is the Best Option for Your Flooring?
Refinishing your floor can help remove discoloration and scuff marks. If your floor’s planks are still smooth and even (for the most part), all it needs is light sanding and several coats of stain and lacquer. However, resurfacing may be the best option if your floor shows any of the following issues. These include:
- Floorboards are visibly rotted, water damaged, bent, or warped
- After you sand the surface, some or all the planks have an uneven or unattractive color
- Some or all the planks have missing pieces, holes, or cracks
- Nails are missing from the flooring
If your flooring needs to be resurfaced, it will appear ugly and even uninviting if you only apply a new coat of stain or lacquer. If you want to restore the look of your flooring, it’s a good idea to invest in resurfacing. This is going to provide the “new-like” look that you want.
Hire Professionals for Resurfacing Your Hardwood Flooring
If you decide to resurface your hardwood flooring, you need special equipment, including wood-grinding tools, lumber, a power saw, a nail gun, and more. Due to the investment you must make to handle this process, it is best to leave it to professionals. They will have everything needed to handle the job and ensure it is done properly the first time. Since the resurfacing process is more labor-and time-intensive, it’s best to make sure that you hire someone who knows what they are doing.
