Refinishing your hardwood floor is a cost-effective and time-efficient way to restore its natural beauty for the years ahead. However, many homeowners find choosing the right time to plan their upcoming hardwood floor refinishing project difficult. Our experienced wood refinishers at Masters Wood Finishing work with hardwood flooring often and have completed transformative hardwood floor refinishing projects throughout the Greater Toronto area. Here is our guide to the telltale signs that it’s time to refinish your hardwood floor.
Visible Scratches and Scuffs
Visible scratches indicate it’s time to consider refinishing the hardwood. When scratches and marks are visible the finish is thinning, with little material protecting the hardwood underneath. If you’re noticing visible scratches, take the time to review your hardwood refinishing options and plan for an upcoming project in the coming months.
Faded Hardwood
Hardwood floors lose their luster over time, often due to ultraviolet light damage, heat damage, and other environmental factors. If your hardwood is fading, you can restore its natural appeal with a refinishing project. Severely sun-damaged hardwood with significant fading will require a comprehensive refinishing project, with a professional hardwood refinishing company sanding the wood, stripping the finish, and repairing any surface damage.
Water Damage and Stains
You can resolve issues with minor water damage by refinishing your hardwood flooring. Prolonged exposure to moisture can cause the hardwood to warp. Refinishing the flooring when you notice water damage is the best way to avoid complete wood floor replacement. Your wood refinishing company can guide you through this process and evaluate the level of water damage and the potential refinishing options.
Splintering
Splintering is a clear indicator the finish has already worn and that the environment and daily use are impacting the condition of the wood surface. If the hardwood is splintering in high-traffic areas of the home there’s an immediate need to evaluate your refinishing options. Splintering hardwood can cut skin so you might consider having a refinishing specialist visit your home for a quote in the next week. Refinishing specialists will sand the wood to remove splintering and apply a new smooth finish.
Difficulty Removing Dirt
When your traditional cleaning methods no longer remove dirt and grime from the hardwood floor, it’s time to evaluate your refinishing options. Removing stubborn stains and dirt embedded into the hardwood’s finish requires the removal of the old finish and sanding the hardwood to reduce the accumulation of debris. If you’re wasting more time attempting to remove dirt from your hardwood floors than enjoying the floor, turn to a refinishing specialist for guidance.
Gaps Between the Boards
Over time, hardwood floorboards shift and separate due to fluctuations in humidity and temperature. Wide gaps in your hardwood not only become a tripping hazard but also trap dirt, moisture, and debris, requiring more and more maintenance work the wider the gaps become.
Alligatoring
Alligatoring is the process through which small interconnected gaps appear in the wood finish. It results from the finish pulling away from the underlying floor, causing ridges similar to an alligator’s skin. The problem is primarily due to environmental conditions within the home, such as high moisture or heat levels. Alligatoring may also result from a poor finish application from several years ago.
Book Your Hardwood Floor Refinishing Project with Masters Wood Finishing Toronto
Masters Wood Finishing is transforming hardwood flooring across the GTA with our decades of experience in hardwood refinishing services. Request your flooring refinishing project quote by contacting our team at 416-223-9292 or book online!