Advantages of Refinishing Hardwood Floors

Many home buyers have faced the challenge of being left with ugly and damaged hardwood floors. Some are so discouraged by the bad condition of their floors that they immediately think about ripping them out and replacing them with new ones. However, not all damaged floors need replacement. There are certain advantages of refinishing hardwood floors.

Costs Less

The number of workers, time frame, and the nature of the job done all add up to the costs of a project. That's why one of the advantages of refinishing hardwood floors over replacing them is cost. Refinishing is easier to do, hence it takes less time and fewer people to do it. This is important if the homeowner needs work done on a wide area.

Saves Time

Replacing an entire hardwood floor even in just one room can take weeks. That's because the individual processes of removing the old flooring, ordering the new panels, and installing them all take days. With refinishing, the entire project takes only a few days. This is important for business owners who can lose a lot of money for each day that their office or store is closed.

Less Work

Another one of the advantages of refinishing hardwood floors is less work. For instance, it's easier to strip away the layers of a floor rather than to yank out every floorboard. Similarly, it's faster to apply some stain and finishing compared to kneeling to place new wood planks.

Saves Intricate Wood Work

Some floors are just meant to be refinished. For example, parquet floors are considered to be the royalty of flooring. Hence, it's a definite taboo to replace them. The only acceptable ways to deal with parquet floors are to either refinish them or cover them with a rug. The ability to save some intricate woodwork is one of the greatest advantages of refinishing hardwood floors.

Retains House Value

Some floors add to the value of homes. For example, old and rugged floor planks add value and character to an ancestral home. That said, replacing the entire floor will decrease the overall age of the house. Consequently, this decreases its authenticity and by extension, its value. Refinishing and restoring may be the only ways to save these wood planks.

Environmentally Friendly

Those who know the advantages of refinishing hardwood floors understand that the process is much more environmentally friendly. That's because new wood planks require more wood to be cut down. That said, refinishing helps decrease the demand for new hardwood floors; hence it hinders the cutting of a few more trees.

Complies with Apartment Standards

Most apartments that offer hardwood floors have rules against replacing them. Usually, they only allow the floors to be refinished. That's because they often consider hardwood floors as a selling point. This means any changes to the floor can greatly decrease the apartment's value. Similarly, replacing a hardwood floor involves a lot of noise. This will generate noise complaints from the neighbors. On the other hand, one of the advantages of refinishing hardwood floors is that its only noisy aspect is the sanding. This means the building mates only need to endure the noise for a single weekend. There are numerous advantages of refinishing hardwood floors. That said, it's best to consult professional wood installers or contractors to see if the floors of a home or building can handle refinishing.