Refinish or Replace

Preserving historic authenticity while renovating an old home can be a challenge for some home owners. There is a certain pressure that comes with owning an older home to "be true to the era."The main reason people opt to refinish their hardwood floors is cost. Between having to rip out and haul away the existing floor and having to purchase everything that’s needed for the new floor, replacing can be up to 5 times more expensive than refinishing your current hardwood flooring.

Another reason people prefer to refinish is because they want to maintain the original beauty and charm in an older home, as this can sometimes be lost if the original wood floors are replaced.However, not all wood flooring is a good candidate for refinishing and you want to make sure you make the best decision for your home before you spend any time or money on the project. Here are some basic things you should think about before deciding to refinish or replace your hardwood floors.

First, you must have enough wear layer to refinish your floors. The wear layer refers to the re-sandable wood surface above the tongue and groove on wood flooring. On 3/4″ solid wood floors, the wear layer is typically 6 millimeters (0.23622 inch). Depending on texture (yes, heavy texture does effect your future re-sandings), you can typically expect 4-5 re-sandings.

Refinishing will only brighten an already-damaged surface. On really old floors, you may see the tongue where the boards come together, or your boards may lack adequate thickness. Floors like this are definite candidates for replacement, as refinishing is purely cosmetic.

Refinishing is ideal to restore existing wood, while replacement is ideal for establishing a completely new look or feel. If your only goal is to brighten your floors and restore their original shine, consider refinishing them. But if you want to change some aspect of the floor itself, like the style of the wood, the direction of the planks or the consistency of the material, you will need to invest in a full replacement.Nothing rivals the way wood warm ups a room, its classic good looks, or how long it lasts—qualities that earn it the distinction of being one of our favorite flooring options.

The flooring experts at Schmidt Custom Floors are here to help guide you through the process of deciding whether you can refinish your floors or if you should replace them with new hardwood. Call our office today to schedule your appointment.