Beautiful wood flooring has been a long-loved choice of homeowners for decades. It’s warm feel and durable properties make it a great option for any home, but it does require specific care and maintenance to keep it in good condition. Learn more about how to care for your hardwood floors on a daily basis and what to do when they start looking worn and faded.
Floor Care and Maintenance
To ensure that your wood floors last as long as possible, there are things you can do every day to keep them in top shape. These simple tips will prevent fading, scratching, and overall wear:
- Limit the floors exposure to moisture
- Brush or sweep your hardwoods with a soft bristled broom
- Keep your flooring out of the sun with blinds or UV window film
- Remove your shoes at the door to limit scratches and dirt
- Clean with flooring cleaner made specifically for wood floors
Maintaining your wood floors with these daily floor care tips should prolong the lifespan of your floor. But no matter how well you care for them, wood floors do need to be refinished once they begin looking faded and worn. With proper care, this should only need to be done every few decades.
Refinishing Your Hardwood Floors
If your hardwood floors are looking run-down and faded, refinishing them will make them look gorgeous and new! You can hire a professional to take care of this process for you, but if you’re interested in saving some money, a DIY refinishing project isn’t as daunting as it might seem. Block out your entire weekend and follow these steps to bring your old hardwood floors to life again:
- Prep Your Home
First, you’ll want to get your space ready for your project. Clear out any rugs and furniture that will be in the way and put up plastic sheeting to protect your walls and vents from excess dust. And don’t forget your safety gear! You’ll want dust masks and ear plugs during sanding and a respirator, gloves, and eye protection for sealing.
- Sand the Floor
Now that you’re ready to go, you need to remove the existing finish so that you have a blank slate to work with. Using a random orbital sander (the easier route) or a drum sander (the faster route), get rid of your floor’s current stain. For hard-to-reach corners, use grit sandpaper or a putty knife.
- Clean Up
Make sure you remove all the dust debris after sanding so that you can continue your project. You’ll want to vacuum the flooring and wipe it down with a cloth.
- Apply Wood Stain
Next, stain your floors as evenly as possible with the color of your choice. You may want to try it out on a patch of flooring that will be hidden by furniture before you begin.
- Apply Polyurethane
For the final step, choose a water-based polyurethane or an oil based polyurethane to seal your wood floors. Roll it on with a foam roller in a thin, even coat to refinish your hardwood floors with a glassy floor finish.
Real hardwood floors are a desirable flooring option and can last years with the proper care and maintenance. If you’re interested in adding new hardwood flooring to your home, Re/Defined Flooring would love to help! You can browse our entire selection here.
Ready to upgrade your flooring? Let one of our experts help you find the perfect option.