How Difficult Is It to Refinish Hardwood Floors Yourself?
If I were to take a shortcut to the end of this article, I would rank sanding and refinishing hardwood floors a solid 10 when it comes to the level of difficulty required to produce professional-grade results.
Read more: How Difficult Is It to Refinish Hardwood Floors Yourself?
Screening vs. Sanding Hardwood Floors: Which Do You Need?
A hardwood floor can begin looking tired long before it needs to be completely refinished. Fine scratches can dull the sheen, traffic patterns may become visible through hallways, and a finish that once looked new can gradually lose its appearance.
Read more: Screening vs. Sanding Hardwood Floors: Which Do You Need?
Can Uneven Hardwood Floors Be Fixed?
An uneven hardwood floor doesn't always mean the floor needs to be replaced. A raised area, low spot, loose board or section that moves underfoot can have several causes, and the right repair depends on finding out what is happening underneath the hardwood.
What Causes Hardwood Floor Crowning at Home?
A hardwood floor should look relatively flat from one board to the next. When the center of individual boards rises higher than the edges, the floor has developed a condition known as crowning.
For homeowners, the important question isn't simply how to make the floor flat again. It's why did the floor crown in the first place?
10 Hardwood Floor Warning Signs to Act On
Hardwood floors rarely go from good condition to needing major work overnight. They usually give you warning signs first: worn traffic areas, deep scratches, new gaps, dark stains, loose boards or changes in the way the floor feels underfoot.
Wood Floor Acclimation: When Is It Necessary?
A new hardwood floor can look perfect on installation day and develop gaps, raised edges or cupping weeks later. In many cases, the problem began before the first board was installed. Proper wood floor acclimation gives hardwood time to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the home, reducing the risk of movement after installation.
Can Floorboards Be Replaced Individually?
One blackened board near a dishwasher, a deep gouge in the middle of a room or a few boards damaged by termites can make homeowners wonder whether the entire hardwood floor needs to be replaced. Fortunately, the answer is often no.
Floor Contractor Checklist: What to Know Before You Hire
A low flooring estimate can look attractive. But before choosing a contractor based primarily on the number at the bottom of the proposal, there is another question worth asking:
How much time do you have to do the project twice?
Hardwood floor refinishing, repairs and installation can involve thousands—and sometimes tens of thousands—of dollars. More importantly, the work can temporarily turn your household upside down. Furniture has to be removed, rooms must be cleared and portions of your home may be inaccessible for several days.
Read more: Floor Contractor Checklist: What to Know Before You Hire
