Hardwood floors add charm and character and provide a classic decor that is incomparable. Truth be told in the interior decorating game, hardwood flooring never goes out of style. With so many different species and colors to choose from, laying hardwood throughout your home is an obvious choice. Whether renovating and adding new flooring to a new build or inheriting aged hardwood from a used home purchase, investing in hardwood is a good choice. While it may be more expensive to lay down initially, with proper maintenance and care (including refinishing,) hardwood can last a lifetime. Its natural properties provide a clean environment and are typically low maintenance provided the right care is used with your hardwood flooring. But, over time hardwood floor is susceptible to scrapes and scratches resulting in damage that can’t be swept away. Unlike other floor types like ceramic or laminate floor, hardwood can be restored to its original condition if the wood itself is in decent shape. This not only makes it more economical in the long run, it is more ecological as well for those who are concerned with environmental impact and living a greener life.

There are many causes that will lead you to refinish your hardwood floors. Over time, high-traffic areas may have developed scuffs and scrapes due to pesky rocks and pebbles caught up in shoes. Or exuberant pets may have helped to wear down the hardwood floor over time. Think of all those times you dashed through the house in high-heeled shoes and left marks or scuffs on the hardwood floor. Or simply, the color you chose when it was first installed is now out of trend and you want to refinish the wood. Hardwood floor refinishing offers an opportunity to give your hardwood floor a facelift. That said, it’s hard to know what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors. Refinishing is a big job and may warrant putting aside your handy DIY attitude and partner with a professional service. There are different types of refinish styles that professional contractors provide.

Surface finishes use synthetic resins referred to as urethanes or polyurethanes remain on the surface of the wood to create a coating. Like a protective barrier, the synthetic resin blend will adhere to the wood and create a polished shine. The types of surface finishes are water based, oil based, acid cured and moisture cured. Alternative finishes include penetrating and hardening oils which assist with drying and hardness. A professional contractor specializing in hardwood refinishing will know which treatment is best for your flooring project.

Expectations Set when Refinishing Hardwood Floor

Professional contractors should help to explain the process so you understand what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors. However, tradespeople often lack the finesse we have come to demand from a customer service-driven society. We demand top-notch service and are often let down when it comes to having contractors install or refinish projects. Many clients turn to online searches and use word-of-mouth referrals to obtain a contractor. There are many testimonials on sites such as HomeStars and Houzz that rank and rate professional hardwood refinishing companies. These reviews will also give perspective on what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors.

But what if you could have the best of both worlds, with excellent workmanship paired with an award-winning level of service? There is one company in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) taking a new approach to seeking out customers looking to refinish hardwood floors, and their approach is winning over customers. Through surveying and asking what the needs and wants are of the customer, this professional team pairs clients up with top-notch contractors who have been vetted and rated the best in the GTA. All of those pesky questions you have about what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors are answered by a service-oriented team, dedicated to providing you with the best information to truly earn your business.

Refinishing Hardwood Floors Through Buff and Coat Treatment

After completing your survey, professionals assess what type of treatment your floor is required. Think of it as determining what type of spa treatment your floor needs. Deep scratches and dents require a more invasive treatment, whereas scuffs and marks only need a surface treatment. A buff and coat treatment (also known as scratch and coat treatment) is very effective and less intrusive. An abrasive pad is placed on a buffer and used on the floor. This scratch pad is less abrasive than sandpaper and allows urethane or polyurethane to adhere to the wood floor. It is then buffed and polished to a shine, just as brilliantly as when your hardwood flooring was first installed.

This is a great maintenance treatment for your floor as well, extending the life of your flooring by years. By understanding what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors, it is important to provide the right care in cleaning and maintaining your floors. Adhere to the following rules of thumb:

· Do not use waxes or treatments on your floor that make use of acrylic products. Some products can leave a residue on your floor that will not work with the buff and coat method of refinishing hardwood floors. The residue will not allow the coating to adhere to the floor, leaving a lackluster impact.

· Use appropriate cleaning products designed specifically to work with hardwood flooring. Do not use products designed to work with laminate or ceramic flooring as their properties are much different from hardwood floors.

Following those two simple rules help to maintain your floor and will qualify it in the future for a buff and coat refinishing treatment.

Hardwood on Trend: Refinishing Expectations to Change Esthetics

There are many reasons you may want to refinish hardwood flooring to change the colour. It could be that you inherited a home which has an older, more traditional stain that doesn’t suit your decor. Or, you chose a trendy colour when originally installing the hardwood floor, and now you want to go with something more traditional. Whatever the reason, it is possible to change hardwood flooring colour through refinishing. Refinishing is a large home renovation project, and partnering with the right professional team will make sure the job gets done right. Going into the project, you should know what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors for colour.

The first step is to determine if you can refinish your hardwood floors. For older floors, the hardwood must have good bones. The boards themselves must be in good condition, without tragic damage such as mould or termites. Also, the hardwood can only be sanded down so many times, so if this is your first attempt, you should be golden. 

Choose a couple of different colours of stain to test on your floor. With colour, it’s hard to know what to expect when refinishing hardwood floors as the natural properties of the wood will take to the stain differently. This is why it is strongly recommended to have a professional complete the project for you.