Hardwood Floor Refinishing Bergen County NJ is a process that involves sanding your hardwood floors and applying a new finish. You should refinish your wood floors every seven to ten years or when there are stains or extensive damage.
Before refinishing your hardwood floors, you must remove all furniture, rugs, and other items from the room. This will allow the sanding and staining to be done efficiently.
Refinishing hardwood floors is a process that refreshes the look of your home’s interior. It involves sanding down the existing finish on the wood, which removes blemishes and other imperfections and allows for a new coat of stain or polyurethane to be applied. It’s a time-consuming and expensive project, but it’s an investment that will add value to your home.
Before beginning the sanding process, it’s necessary to remove all furniture from the room and cover vents and doors to prevent dust from being spread throughout your home. Using a large drum sander, specialized equipment strips away the existing finish on the wood, revealing the raw, bare wood underneath. Multiple passes with finer sandpaper create a smooth, even surface. Then, a new stain is applied to change the color of the wood if desired.
Sanding produces a lot of dust. During the sanding process, it’s essential to wear the proper safety gear and to cover any areas of the floor that aren’t being worked on with plastic sheets. It’s also important to pay attention to the grain of the wood and not to miss any spots when sanding. Once the sanding is completed, it’s essential to vacuum and sweep the floors to eliminate all debris. Then, you’ll need to let the floors dry and cure for a few days before they can be walked on.
If your hardwood floors aren’t in need of a complete refinish but they have become dull and scratched over the years, you can often restore them by performing a screen and recoat. This is a more cost-effective and less labor intensive process than refinishing. It can be done on solid wood floors that have a finish, as well as engineered hardwood floors, but only if the veneer layer of natural hardwood is thick enough to avoid touching plywood or other cheaper material.
During this process, the floors are lightly sanded with 120-grit sandpaper to smooth out any remaining rough spots and to prepare the floor for a new finish. Then, a buffer with a high-grit screen is used to “screen and recoat” the floor, eliminating any remaining minor scratches and smoothing out the transition area between the sanded and unstained sections of the floors. The floor is then swept and vacuumed once again before allowing it to dry and cure.
Staining
Staining is often confused with finishing, but they are two very different processes. Finish adds a protective coating to your hardwood, but stain actually colors the wood, enhancing or even changing its color. Staining requires careful preparation in order to ensure that your floor is ready for the new color. A thorough cleaning removes dirt and other debris from the surface, followed by sanding to create a smooth, uniform surface for the stain.
A variety of stain options is available, from traditional to trendy. The color you choose will be a big part of your final design, and it can make a dramatic impact in the room’s mood and feel. The color you choose should also be compatible with the existing furniture and other finishes in the home.
In addition to determining the right color, you should also decide whether or not you want your floors sealed. A gloss sealant is more popular than ever before, but it’s important to remember that a glossy finish can be slippery, especially when wet. A satin finish is a much safer option, and it can still enhance the look of your home’s flooring.
Once the floor is stained it takes several hours to dry completely. If the stain isn’t fully cured before you apply a layer of finish it will be unable to bond with the finish and may eventually smudge or peel off. If you have a dark pigment stain it can take even longer for the stain to cure.
Some species of hardwood don’t absorb stain evenly, leaving a blotchy appearance. This can be caused by oils and other chemicals that build up within the wood, or it can simply be a natural characteristic of the material.
You can minimize this problem by water popping the floor prior to staining. This process involves wetting the floor with a rag and allowing it to dry. This opens the pores of the wood, which helps it to accept stain more evenly. It’s also a good idea to test the stain on an inconspicuous area of the floor before applying it to the entire surface.
Sealing
Hardwood floors add elegance and beauty to a home, and are a valuable asset that increases the overall value of the property. However, they require proper care to ensure that they remain a beautiful and functional feature for a long time. A protective sealant is an essential part of this maintenance routine. It helps to protect wood floors from scratches, gouges, and moisture damage and enhances their natural shine. With regular sealing and the right care, hardwood floors can last a lifetime.
Professionals can perform a floor refinishing as an in-home project, but this is a labor-intensive and time-consuming task. It requires the use of a drum sander, which is a large machine that grinds and polishes the surface of hardwood floors. Homeowners can rent a drum sander from most hardware stores, but the process takes several days to complete and can be extremely dusty.
Aside from the grinding and polishing, refinishing also involves staining the hardwood flooring. This can be a simple color change, or it may be a completely new finish. The choice depends on the style and look that a homeowner desires in their home. Staining a hardwood floor is a great option for those who want to make the most of their investment.
Before the sanding and staining can begin, the floor should be sealed. This will help to prevent dirt and stains from scratching the surface of the wood and protect the finish during the sanding and staining process. It is important to use a water-based polyurethane sealer as opposed to an oil-based one because the latter can yellow over time and distort the color of any stain that is applied later.
Once the sanding and staining are complete, it is important to let the hardwood floors dry thoroughly before adding furniture and re-sealing. This can take several days, depending on the size of the room and the humidity levels in the area. It is a good idea to have fans and/or air conditioning running during this time.
Once the floors are sealed and protected, they will be much easier to maintain. Using the proper wood floor cleaners, sweeping and vacuuming regularly, and promptly wiping up spills will reduce scratches, gouges, and moisture damage. Placing mats at entranceways and rugs in high-traffic areas will keep dirt, grit, and sand off of the floors. Using felt pads under furniture legs will reduce scratching as well. Rearranging furniture periodically will distribute wear evenly, prolonging the time between refinishings.
Cleaning
Cleaning is one of the most important aspects of keeping hardwood floors looking lustrous. The frequency of cleaning varies, depending on the amount of traffic your floor receives. Cleaning with a pH-neutral, nontoxic cleaner that’s specifically formulated for wood floors is the best way to keep your floor looking great. Avoid harsh chemicals that can damage the surface of your flooring and use a dust mop or vacuum with a soft brush attachment.
It’s a good idea to have your floor professionally cleaned at least four times a year, but you should clean your floors more frequently if they see heavy traffic. You can also use a robot vac to speed up the process and reduce your cleaning costs.
If your hardwood floors are oil-finished, they need to be re-oiled periodically to replenish the protective coating. You can use natural oils such as tung or linseed oil or commercial products to recondition your floors. You should consult the product instructions for specific guidance on application and reapplication times.
Water-based polyurethane coatings on your floors can be polished with a hard-floor specific polishing product every two to four months to maintain their shine and protect the floor from dirt, spills and scratches. If your floors are waxed, you can re-wax them once a year to keep them looking beautiful.
When to refinish your floors
Even with regular care, your wood floors will eventually wear down and need refinishing. The first step is to sand off what’s left of the old polyurethane layer and any scratch marks that have gone through to the actual wood itself.
You’ll want to wear a respirator during this stage of the process, as there will be a lot of dust created. It’s also a good idea to close windows and move any furniture or rugs you have to a room that isn’t being worked on, and cover any wall items such as pictures with painter’s tape and plastic.
You’ll need to wait six hours before you walk on your floors in socks, and 48 hours before you place any furniture back on them. After that, you can enjoy your newly refinished floors.