Solid Hardwood Flooring: Which Is Better? Once the finish is roughed up, we put on a water-based polyurethane, which can be recoated in 3 hours. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. I realized I hadnt even sanded past the sealer with the square buffer.

Here are a few more floor finishing facts: Types of Flooring. AHHh now you make me want to re-do my floors. To sand, I used a pole sander that is used for sheet rock sanding., Thats it! "In other contexts, we suggest adding a floor covering, like sisal or carpet. All it takes at that point is a good sanding followed by staining, sealing, and adding a final protective finish like polyurethane, and you've got the prettiest floors in all the land. And it can be sanded and refinished "easily six or seven times" over its lifetime, he says. "However, it is incumbent on the installer to source the best possible matching lumber. Schedule a free consultation with a flooring expert to learn about the best options for your home. Rust-Oleum Wood Floor Transformations Kit, Begin by thoroughly sweeping floors with a.

Thanks for the info! Uncovering Hidden Hardwood Floors Under Old Carpet, https://tandgflooring.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/TGFlooring-logo.png, https://tandgflooring.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Water-based-finish2.jpg, Two Styles of Parquet HardwoodFlooring https://t.co/tjXSQVNawh https://t.co/CWmxrxOm0g, Parquet floors are going from the ballroom to the bedroom and all the rooms in between. I would prefer wood floors over carpet any day! If I were to do it again, like in a bigger space, I would just use a mop., After letting the stain dry overnight, it was time to seal her up. To avoid this, apply a base coat before applying your water-based poly. Getting the job done is a lengthy and labor-intensive process. Refinishing your hardwood flooring may be easier and cheaper than you think. fantastic job! What species of wood is this? Quite often, we specify custom mill flooring to match old flooring. Remove Careless White and Dark Rings From Wood Floors and Furniture, Make Marble Floors Last By Learning How to Clean Them Correctly, The Best Tile Floor Cleaners From Tools to Solutions, Pros and Cons of Hardwood Flooring for Bedrooms. Or even better, rent both at the same time.. Join the party!

ABM + Habitat for Humanity Refinishing Old Wood Floors, Wood floors. How do you decide whether to try to salvage that 50-year-old hardwood floor or just replace it? I am loving the big projects youre tackling in this house and all the helpful information youre sharing!

Beautiful job on your home!! The main reason: compared to their shiny counterparts, it's harder to slip on a satin finish. Hey gurrrl ! Gives me something to look forward to we salvaged old flooring from a farmhouse for our new tiny home that were renovating! Ive only just started blogging. Patches that match the species, cut, grain and color of the wood and are feathered in go unnoticed, Lynn says. Brush a 3-inch-wide stripe beside the baseboards at a point farthest from your exit door. but as soon as it kicked on and I saw bare wood appearing, I knew I was on the right path. They always make places feel more like home and you did a great job making them look like new . Kitchen Cabinets: Should You Replace or Reface?

Leaving the smaller ones unpatched will accommodate wood expansion. Keep in mind steam, water, and cleaners that produce bubbles or suds should never be used to clean wood floors. Virgin wood, such as antique heartpine logs dredged from river bottoms and sold through distributors, Environmentally friendly wood that's certified to be from sustainable forests, Water-based finishes (wax or tung oil may be appropriate for antique floors), Oil-based finishes in kitchens or other heavy-traffic areas, Special installations, such as parquet and "wood bricks" or cobbles, Painted, stained or inlaid patterns and borders. We hope our blog inspires you to do just that.

What type/brand of poly did you use? Carpeting started becoming popular in the 1960s, and although your home may not have the thick brown shag carpeting that was originally installed, the hardwood underneath may have taken quite a beating from years of carpeting. Experts like these typically usea scrubbing machinedesigned to remove embedded dirt. Thanks for all the awesome tips!!! Uncovering hardwood floors is like finding a hidden treasure. We love them here at ABM, and were so excited when we pulled back the gross carpet in the Habitat house to reveal the house had (possibly original) wood floors in OK shape. I went ahead and sanded the entire house from the baseboard to about a foot out. Ive always been intimidated with owning hard wood floors. "If 30 percent of (a floor like this) is bad, 50 or 60 percent will be bad after sanding.". Do I have to sand down to bare wood to get rid of them? Rub with the grain 4 to 6 inches out from the baseboard, working over each board until the finish dulls and a powder forms. I didnt really know what to expect. Holes can be plugged. Continue until the floor is covered. Im thinking this post may save us a couple thousand dollars. <3 <3. You should be so proud of yourself! Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design. http://www.hannamarielei.com, I love wood floors! Easier to maintain, eco, natural looking, longer lasting, etc. Q: My oak floors are covered in scratches. Our inventory and skilled wood flooring artisans will be able to breathe new life into old hardwood floors. Founded by sisters Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman the A Beautiful Mess motto is stay home and make something. -The drum sander cant get reach all the way to the wall. Close the windows and doors to keep dust contained in the room you're sanding. Good on you for having the gumption to just go ahead and do it! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That can be avoided by renting the edger after you sand. Copyright 2022 This Old House Ventures, LLC. Quality wood floors. Or there may be obvious damage upon first glance: "If there is significant water damage or deep-set staining, that could also prevent us from successfully refinishing an existing wood floor.

No matter how terrible the state of the wood floors, sanding off the stained and damaged top layer and putting on a nice finish is all you need to give your home good-as-new hardwood floors. 2 quick questions: 1. You can choose from a variety of colors and finishes to fit your needs. What grit sandpaper did you use for the different sanders or did they come with the paper/grit already attached? Hardwood floors add value to your home and provide a classic look that goes with any style.

I have appreciate with getting lot of good and reliable, legislative information with your post. Smooth the base coat out evenly around the edges with a paint brush. The answer usually comes down to preference, not do-ability. You can almost always bet that refinishing is cheaper than replacing hardwood floors. We know, it sucks, but it's not the end of the world! These look amazing! Pro Tip to Prevent Discoloration: Sometimes the tannins from your wood floor react to water-based polyurethane, causing discoloration. Great job on this one. A tip on the water stainsI have had great results using a poultice of Barkeepers Friend and water. Im bookmarking this in case I ever find a house with floors in need of some TLC . I love your Habitat house project, is going to bring such happiness. I wasnt worried about it then, because I figured I was sanding the floor anyway. ", 2022 Cond Nast. So for about $500 we had closeto new looking floors throughout the entire house. Great job, the floor looks beautiful! We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. But along with the charm may come stains, squeaks and other signs of age. My eyes had been opened to the potential of those floors! Fabulous! Looks gorgeous! The entire process cost about $350, which included the rentals (could have done without the square sander), sanding pads, stain, and sealer. All rights reserved. You were looking for the noun: advice. Almost all old floors can be salvaged and refinished by skilled contractors. You should know each step: Sanding, patching, staining, and top coating could take a weekend or more to complete if you're refinishing less than 500 square feet. The products included in this article are available at various home improvement stores, local home centers, and online retailers like Amazon. Here are some additional common questions weve come across: If you plan on DIY-ing your hardwood floors, expect to pay a little less than $500 per 275 sq. Is there any big difference between brands of water based high traffic floor varnishes?

So, before you get too excited, make sure that you can sand and refinish the wood floors to add beauty and property value to your new home. "We love the opportunity to specify wood floors to be hand-scraped with a microbevel on the edges because this treatment adds an amazing depth of character to the surface of the floor," notes architect John B. Murray. The total cost includes renting sanding equipment along with purchasing sanding pads, wood stain, brushes and finish. Deep clean once per month using a concentrated wood floor cleaner. I chose to stain the floor Special Walnutbecause it was a good medium shade between the raw wood and the dark water stains. Finally, dry-tack the floor with a microfiber cloth pushed with the grain. Termite-damaged planks, insect-infested boards or delaminated strips can be replaced if there aren't too many. Don't give up on the whole floor, Overhead Lofts Leveled Up These 6 Renovated Homes, This Garden-Level Apartment in Greenwich Village Got a Chic Update, Lorla Studio gave the hidden gem a sexy and sophisticated refresh, This Rundown Silver Lake Home Had the Square Footage, It Just Needed the Right Style, A realtor and a designer came to the rescue of this rundown L.A. home, An Apartment in Rome Becomes a Showcase for Contemporary Design, This diplomat's historic home is filled with a wide range of worldly treasures. When you buy an old home with the intention of fixing it up, theres nothing more incredible than discovering hidden hardwood floors under old worn carpeting. Here are some tips for sanding I picked up: -A square sander is for newer unfinished floors! They are not hard to work with! Peisers Sons, refinish floors, because there is always a strong chance of oversanding the flooring or improperly applying the finishes. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. I personally have not but was told that it does work. Good luck! One would want to use a poly coat instead of wax for longevity.

You either hate them or love them.

That's because unlocking a sad floor's hidden beauty doesn't always involve messy sanding and staining, particularly if yours aren't damaged. Mix them into a paste and apply over the water stain and let it dry completely, then remove with a damp cloth. As soon as I started sanding with that thing, I knew that I was going to need to resand the entire house. xo, Warm Regards, I had never restored old wood floors before and had only a slight notion of the process from watching HGTV.. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board. Until then I was under the impression that other sanders were squirrelly and only pros used them. Im loving the home renovation posts. Then working from the back room toward the front door I rolled on the polyurethane. We live in an old house as well and pulled out carpet up last year. Thanks so much for this post, it will really help us out! That sander was so aggressive, it sanded down to bare wood with no problem. Walnut is one of my favorite stain colors because it is dark but not so dark the wood of the grain is hidden. I rented a machine called a square buff floor sander on the advice from friends and the rental guy. If you still have any doubts, take a look at this list of the characteristics of what today's homeowners want in hardwood floors, and compare them to what you're likely to find in an old floor: Refresh your home with stylish products handpicked by HGTV editors. Hello! The products included in this article are available at various home improvement stores, local home centers, and online retailers like Amazon.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Photos edited with. Replacing a wood floor usually is considerably more expensive than refinishing it, once you factor in removing the existing floor, buying the new flooring, and the labor required to install, sand, finish it and cut it to fit at walls and doorways. As soon as I was done doing the edges, I rushed back to rentals, anxious to get the right tool and get the floors done right. Still, I decided to see if I could improve the floors. http://www.modeography.com/2015/03/sheer-and-velvet/. Here's what to do: Afterward, mop using a micro cloth andconcentrated cleaner for hardwood floors. That stained color is gorgeous! Easily repair a hole in the wall of any size with these step-by-step instructions. I was going to say the same thing. But wheres the fun in that? Were really happy that we decided to do it ourselves. Turn off the machine before you stop moving. The average range tends to be between $1,000 to $2,400. Leave the room for 10 to 15 minutes to let the powder settle. We did the same thing in our rental place, it cost us about $175 and a whole lot of time but is so worth it. Its amazing how revitalized the hardwood floor! Using a long-handled roller with a -inch nap cover, roll out the finish with the grain, then across it. I hadnt covered the floors completely when we painted, so there were portions of floor covered in paint. Planning to DIY? feet. Carpets can be installed in a variety of ways, from glue to staples to screws and nails. Homeowners who have old floors should not expect them to look like brand-new floors, according to Sprigg Lynn of Universal Floors in Washington, D.C. Over the years Lynn's company has restored or refinished historic or just plain old hardwood floors in buildings ranging from simple homes to the White House. Thats what the edger is for. Alexandra Pet urine and water marks can be minimized with stain or covered by a rug. It made the stains less obvious, and gave the floors an overall even color. Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Sanding that floor felt great. Read these 6 steps for refinishing the wood floors in your home: Pro Tip: Don't use a sanding block for refinishing hardwoodit might miss uneven spots in the floor. But those could only be fixed by replacing the hardwood, and we didnt want to take the project that far. After 10 minutes, brush more finish along the edge, then pour and roll again for 10 minutes. He applies the desired finish color to the questionable areas and lets the customers decide if they are content. Ive been looking into renovating older homes to their former glory and these have been so helpful! Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. This is exactly what I was looking for! Absolutely love the finished product!! Plus, learning new skills is always a mega plus if you ask me. Here's how to figure out if yours areand what to do next. The one thing I want you to take from this is, dont be afraid of the sanding process. First I swept the entire floor again to get rid of dust or particles that might have snuck in overnight. Squeaky floors can be tightened and quieted, at least temporarily, with nails or dry lubricant. In this review, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the five best weed killers on Amazon to help you find the product thats right for you. http://www.jujusprinkles.com.

How to Use a Drum Sander on Hardwood Floors. If the scratches don't go all the way through to the wood, you can scuff-sand your floors with a buffer and apply a fresh coat or two of finish. To bring out the beautiful grain of the wood like that is what wooden floors are all about. It's beautiful, natural, hypoallergenic and long-lasting, and it's considered a sign of quality in a home. Consider this renewable resource for durability and affordability. Awesome job! Hardwood floors in high-traffic areas in your home may require adeepcleaning by a flooring professional. If there are a few boards that need replacing, a skilled flooring craftsman can help you match the wood and the stain for a beautiful result. Got questions? "The two best indicators to tell if a wood floor is not salvageable are cracking or breakage along the perimeter of individual planks, and exposed nailheadsmeaning the flooring has been sanded down so much the heads of the original blind nails are exposed," says Murray. This is awesome! If you want your floors professionally refinished, you can find local contractors using several online services like Yelp or Angi. Put a clean filter in the vacuum, and sweep the floor using a felt-bottomed attachment.

Good work! The floors look amazing. That is for what is called screening scuffing up an existing finish so it can be recoated. And, if you're lucky, original hardwood floors underneath the bad carpet job. Message the person who left the review for additional information. Thank you for making this less intimidating. I did two coats of sealer, letting the first one dry overnight, sanding, then applying the 2nd coat. Clean and refinish hardwood floors without sanding down to the bare wood. Rooms that https://t.co/rGcFno4cQV. Beautiful. I was apprehensive about using it. 2. But if done during the wrong time of year, it's not a long-lasting fix. thanks for pointing us in the right direction on a pretty intimidating project. Refinishing them was added to the list of to-dos. Looking for help with repairs around your home? Use heat or ice to effectively remove those accidental wax drippings from your wood floors. After deep cleaning your floors, here's what you need to do to keep them in tip-top shape: If deep cleaning didn't restore your wood floor's glow, you could give it a fresh new finish without sanding or stainingusing one of the following products: Another good thing to know is that products like these that were created to refresh floors without sanding have a thick consistency that willfilllight scratches and soften small dings. Anyway mind to follow each other ? Its nice to hear about the process, including concerns and confusions; itll be helpful in the future! When you start to tug at the old carpeting and the hardwood floors are revealed, you need to check the wear layer to see if they can be refinished. Nothing beats the summery pleasure of a juicy burger seared to perfection over an old school charcoal fire. It takes some elbow grease to refinish hardwood floors, but it's worth it. In a couple of hours I had the entire floor down to bare wood. As with just about everything else in remodeling, the key issue is expectations. Buffing hardwood floors can be tricky, so if you've never used a buffer before, practice in the middle of the room until you get a feel for how to maneuver it. Learn about this renewable, tough flooring material. Old hardwood floors offer the extra allure of charm and a little history. Architectural Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Man, I was so stoked when I had the entire floor down to bare wood. Those floors look amazingthat is pretty handy advise about the water stain and using a stain that is close to it in color to even out the overall look! We disclose all sponsored posts by both calling out the sponsor in the text of the post as well as tagging the post with our sponsored tag., It was time to stain the floors. ", "A floor can be replaced in parts," says Murray. Deirdre Sullivan is an interior design expert and features writer who specializes in home improvement as well as design. Surface clean three times per week using a vacuum or micro cloth. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. If you are redoing a crappy old stained floor, rent a drum sander!

I sanded the entire house with the square sander. It took most of the paint off, and kind of made the color look more uniform, but I wasnt impressed. By edging a foot from the baseboard all the way around, I got most of the surface sanded. I love it!! Wait 3 hours before recoating and a week before putting back furniture. Floor buffer, fitted with maroon buffing pad, respirator fitted with organic vapor canisters, By submitting your email, you agree to our. I was overwhelmed thinking about doing the floors, but this made it seem doable! wow! Building Clean, BlueGreen Alliance Foundation. Like everything else, there are so many different resources for refinishing wood floors. A home warranty may help. Need to give this a try! -The drum sander does not take much to control.

Wood reclaimed from old buildings.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. The job requires using a buffer, which you can rent at a home center, and a vacuum to suck up dust. I found this error. We try to be careful with mixing in newer wood because it typically has wider growth rings. Replacing that throughout the house, cost about $165. I just finished sanding my floors and am looking for advice to get the perfect look and you guys nailed it! Wooden floors are just gorgeous and I must say elegant over carpets. I need to redo my hardwood floors in my house. Can you split the house in half and do half Saturday and the rest on Sunday? * starts plotting to get mum to do this*. Solid hardwood floors can go through more refinishing than engineeredfloors, and hopefully, youve discovered floors that still have a thick enough wear layer to bring them back to life. Read all of their online reviews carefully. We could have hired a pro, they would have done a good job, and the floors would have looked great.

With most solid floors, even some engineered floors, theres an excellent chance that you can have the floor sanded and refinished, revealing classic, warm, and timeless wood floors. I sell hardwood flooring and this tutorial is really great for a DIY. This post is a jumping off point. Work with a professional to refinish your floors and bring them back to life. Learn how to tell when interior hardwood floors are worth saving or replacing. Spelling fairy here! It was time to stain the floors. Jennifer Ashley Method Squirt and Mop, and Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner are two good ones.

Stick a maroon buffing pad to the buffer, and put on a dust mask. We are one of Colorados largest hardwood flooring retailers. The hardwood floor refinishing process is easier and less expensive than sanding down to bare wood and takes less time. Cover your shoes with booties and your nose and mouth with a respirator that has organic vapor canisters. Very interesting blog lovely post and photos. Those floors look amazing! Before deciding which contractors to reach out to, do the following: Trowel filling after sanding is the easiest way to repair deep gashes, dings, and gaps when refinishing your floors. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Advise is a verb. Thanks for breaking it down. Oil-based polys are cheaper, but each coat takes about 8 hours to dry. A square sander is for newer unfinished floors! and a usual a great article by josh . But, they were old floors, so I thought it was as good as it was going to get. WOW!!!!!!! You also may find dirt and pet dander around the edges where its been pushed underneath the carpet. If you decide to refinish your wood floors, the fun part is picking a new stain color like richMahogany, or dark Oak, which are bothvery popular right now. Concerned about fake reviews? Fortunately, a professional sanding and refinishing job will take care of all the damage. Are You Considering Hardwood Flooring for Your Bathroom? Fixing up a historic home has its challenges, sure, but also its glorious discoveries. It took some strength to keep that sander under control, but it wasnt too bad. It was a project I was looking forward to tackling. My problem would be getting my furniture somewhere while I do this. . Strain the finish through a cone filter into a clean plastic watering can, minus a sprinkler head, then pour some strained finish into a small plastic container. Seeing it remove all the dirt, paint, sealer, and stain was so satisfying!. Your floors look amazing! With the latter, youd be paying not only for the new wood but also for the labor of ripping out the old wood and toting it away. Great work, thanks for sharing. Check out these in-depth guides from the This Old House Reviews Team: Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our expertsstraight to your inbox. If your hardwood floors are dull and in need of rejuvenation, you should consider whether buffing or sanding is the right approach. The problem is, while you may think darker colors would hide dirt, they make dust particles more noticeable. I love to see that there are still people with common sense in this world. Juju Sprinkles theyre GORRRRRRRRGEOUS! Of course, some old floors are beyond repair. With either finish, we recommend a fresh coat every two years or whenever the floor looks worn. Ive always been pretty optimistic that I could re-finish them myself (as opposed to professionally) so Im glad that it really doesnt seem to hard. Waxed floors are not only super slippery, but they also aren'tas durable as a urethane-based coating. The old finish turns to powder as you go, so it's easy to see the areas you've covered. In a few hours, your floors will look as good as new. I am glad you posted this!! You work your way backwards.

Most people are not aware that under their carpets hides a perfectly good wood floor that can be transformed in hours. wow the floors look great! I dream of the day we no longer rent and I can take on diy projects to our house. Remove all the furniture, and spray the floor with a hardwood flooring cleaner or your own mix of 10 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. the advise from friends and the rental guy. Not so bad, right? ), Wow, awesome! Read our guide to learn everything you need to know before installing one. All rights reserved. Stick to that routine and your floors will never wear out. It must be the bleach in the Bartenders Friend that bleached the floors. Were getting close to finishing the flooring in the renovation process! what a difference it made. Those posts are my new ABM favorites! Here's how you can decide what you need to do. I want to refinish my floors, but dont know what to do with the furniture while I do it. It looks more or less the same, it comes in two pack, it dries in 1 hour, etc. An effective herbicide can get rid of a variety of weeds that have invaded your lawn. Great job! Ad Choices, Original Hardwood Flooring Isn't Always SalvageableHere's the Deal. Plus, you may be surprised at how dirty and stained the wood will be. Our house is filled with wooden floors, many different kinds, but all of them beautiful as well:-), I love wood floors! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. That's why it's best to fill floors when the humidity is higher during the summer. Tiny drops of bleach also work to remove black stains on wood. Repeat til the stain is gone or almost gone.I have faded completely black stains to almost nothing using this method. www.littlewildheart.com. But when the dust (and fiberglass) settles, you'll enjoy a fatter bank account and more comfortable indoor temps year-round. Ive been trying to find an easy and inexpensive way to refurbish our original hardwood floors. but I did miss a couple places. For centuries, parquet https://t.co/0LPGIibSYH, There are a few rooms in the house where solid or engineered hardwood just isnt the most practical. Heres what the floors looked like just after the old, stained carpet was removed. After all, red wine may be cleaned out of the carpet, but a remnant may still be left on the wood underneath. But you may be surprised to learn that when tracked, both leave behind superficial scratches that dull the surface. You'll want to get bids from three or more companies, which will involve a visit to your home to inspect the floors at no charge. Read our, Deep Cleaning is as Easy as One-Two-Three, What You Need to Know About Dark Floor Stains, Make Your Floors Shine With the Best Hardwood Floor Cleaners, Learn How to Clean Wood Floors to Keep Them Looking Great, How Much It Costs to Refinish Hardwood Floors, How to Protect Hardwood Floors From Damage, 3 Ways to Fill Gaps Between Wood Floorboards, Tips For Cleaning and Shining Laminate Floors. im in the process of refinishing my living room floor (it was covered in terrible paint stains from the previous tenants) and weve been using your guide. Work in line with the flooring strips, then sweep across them to get any powder that settled between the boards. Thought you should know. Reclaimed wood creates floors that are truly one-of-a-kind and Mother Nature-friendly. Unfortunately, some hardwoodfloors are beyond quick fixes. . Nice wooden floor changes an entire room:), Wow! Only fill larger gaps. ", "I think it is important to have a professional, like Stephen Estrin of I.J.