what is the best time of year to refinish hardwood floors

How often do you should refinish hardwood floors?

● Usually engineered hardwood flooring is ¾ inches thick or sometimes more. With this thickness it is safe to refinish them up to 4-6 times. ● If you are happy with your flooring and just want to refinish your flooring to give them a new life, hardwood flooring usually only needs to be refinished once every 7- 10 years.

What to consider when buying hardwood floors?

Here’s what to consider

• Your lifestyle. The biggest factor in deciding whether hardwood floors will work for you is your lifestyle. ...
• Solid wood versus engineered. ...
• Appearance. ...
• Stability. ...
• Site-finished or prefinished. ...
• Local climate. ...
• Hassle factor. ...
• Cost. ...
• Your installer. ...

What is the average cost to refinish wood floors?

The cost of labor for sanding and staining is the major variable when figuring the average cost of wood floor refinishing, because the price of skilled labor varies throughout by ZIP code. Overall, the average refinishing project costs anywhere between $1,200 to $2,400, however square foot, materials, and labor can greatly affect the total cost.

How to restore hardwood floors without sanding?

Case #2: Non-Waxed Floors

1. Clear and Clean the Area. The first step here is to clear the area of all furniture and belongings. ...
2. Apply the Liquid Abrasive and Scrub. In your liquid abrasion kit, you should have a scrubber pad with a wooden block, one that allows you to screw your ...
3. Reclean the Floor. ...
4. Take Care of the Worst Damage. ...
5. Apply the Finish. ...

What are the biggest mistakes customers make as it relates to timing for their floors?

Why do you need to refinish your floors before moving?

When should I refinish hardwood floors?

What to do when moving into a new home?

When is the most humid time of year?

Can you move in before doing the floors?

Does Westchester County offer color consultations?

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What time of year should you refinish hardwood floors?

If your floor has absorbed any moisture at the time of hardwood flooring installation, then gets dried up during the winter, the swollen floorboard could get pulled apart. This damage is known as the cupping effect. Hardwood floor installation done during the spring or fall helps in minimizing this.

Can I refinish hardwood floors in winter?

Sanding and refinishing can be done throughout the year, as long as the indoor air temperature is kept between 65 and 75 degrees during the process and 30 days afterwards. Other than that, it doesn't matter that much.

Can I refinish floors in winter?

Yes, you can still refinish your hardwood floors in winter.

How much does it cost to refinish 1000 square feet of hardwood floors?

between $3,000 and $8,000The cost to refinish 1,000 square feet of hardwood flooring averages between $3,000 and $8,000.

Can I stay in my house while floors are refinished?

We recommend a minimum of 2 days of socks-only traffic for floors finished with oil polyurethane. The house is not inhabitable for a minimum of 2 days after the job is completed, and better to stay out for at least 5 as the fumes/off-gassing is not advisable to breathe in, even if there are other rooms to sleep in.

How many finish coats on hardwood floors?

The standard for a hardwood floor is at least three coats. This consists of one seal coat (which may be the stain) and two coats of finish. Additional costs of finish may be applied depending on the need.

When should you stop sanding floors?

You really want to keep sanding until all marks and any shadows are completely removed. What is this? You need to sand your floorboards until they look brand new, even if you're staining the boards (unless they're going to be black or painted).

How long does it take to refinish hardwood floors?

Depending on the product used, and the current weather conditions, each coat could take either hours or days. Figure at least two days for the “sand and poly” job or three to seven days for a full refinishing project, plus at least one day if you're adding color.

How do I make my hardwood floors look new without refinishing?

To make hardwood floors look like new without refinishing:Try buffing and polishing with a commercial-grade buffer.Use a hardwood floor polishing sealant.Clean markers with toothpaste and a clean cloth.Apply a wood floor cleaner or oil soap for a high-gloss clean.

What color hardwood floor is best for resale?

Dark hardwood flooringDark hardwood flooring is in style. It makes your home easier to sell and also boosts your home's resale value. Shows off the furniture in the room. Dark hardwood floors have a way of contrasting with lighter colored furnishings.

Do you need to remove baseboards to refinish hardwood floors?

Let's get started.As a general rule, we recommend leaving your base and shoe on when having your floors refinished, especially if it is painted. Depending on how the painters prepped your base, you can actually cause more damage to the base and walls by removing it.

Do refinished floors add value?

5. Flooring – Replacing outdated carpet or flooring, or simply refinishing wood floors that have seen better days, will definitely increase the value of your home, with a 102% return on investment.

When can hardwood not be refinished?

When over 30% of your hardwood floor has received damage, it is more cost-effective to replace the flooring rather than trying to refinish the hardwood. Common severe floor damage comes in the form of warping, chipping, stains, or termite infestation.

Do wood floors shrink in the winter?

During the winter, when homes are heated and the air is dry, wood flooring loses some of its moisture and contracts or shrinks as a result. It is normal that when relative humidity is lower than recommended, wood plank shrinks, therefore thin gaps can appear between wood planks.

How long do refinished hardwood floors need to dry?

For water-based finishes, the recommended wait time is 4-8 hours. For hard wax oils, this increases to 4-24 hours. Finally, for oil-modified Polyurethane, the surface will take between 12 & 24 hours to dry.

Is cold weather bad for hardwood floors?

The frigid temperatures can have the same effect on your hardwood floors. The lack of humidity in the air can cause the wood to dry out and contract. If this happens, gaps can appear between planks, changes in the finish may become noticeable and other problems may become present as well.

How long does it take for wood floors to dry?

Usually, you do 3 cuts (each one with finer sanding grains) so the floors are smooth. Then, you apply stain (or leave natural) and let it dry 24 hours.

Is it cheaper to refinish hardwood floors?

Refinishing your hardwood floors is one of the least expensive ways to improve and change the look of your home. It is especially impactful if you have hardwood underneath your carpet and/or if you change the stain color.

Reasons it's best to refinish you floors BEFORE you move into your new home

First, because you can't walk on the floors while the work is being done (as well as 24 hours afterwards.

What is the best time of year to sand and refinish? Are there bad times to refinish?

Sanding and refinishing can be done throughout the year, as long as the indoor air temperature is kept between 65 and 75 degrees during the process and 30 days afterwards.

What are the biggest mistakes customers make as it relates to timing for their floors?

Most don't realize how long it takes to refinish hardwood floors. Many don't realize that it often takes 3 to 5 days to refinish hardwood floors + an additional 4 days before the furniture (or drop cloths) can be put on the floors. This translates to 7 to 9 days in total....

When Should You Refinish Hardwood Floors?

A solid hardwood plank at least 3/4 inches thick will likely need to be refinished four to six times during its total lifespan. It’s commonly accepted that you refinish every seven to ten years.

How long does hardwood flooring last?

Hardwood flooring is a major investment that should last for many years. Discoloration, scratches, and even signs of water damage can be reversed if refinishing hardwood floors properly. However, there are a few signs (some more obvious than others) to look for that indicate a need for a full flooring replacement, such as:

What happens if you water damage hardwood floors?

If a protective hardwood finish wears off, your floors can become susceptible to water damage. If water soaks into the wood immediately rather than resting on top, it’s likely time for a refinish. Another sign? Water damaged hardwood often turns a shade of gray. The darker the boards become, the more damage is occurring. Once black, your floors probably need to be replaced altogether.

How thick is hardwood flooring?

Important note: some hardwood is only 1/4 inches thick. In this case, a refinish could strip away all traces of the floor. Unsure about how thick your hardwood is? Consider measuring board thickness by removing an air vent in the floor to expose a “side view” of the board.

Is refinishing hardwood floors expensive?

Refinishing hardwood floors can be time-consuming, costly, and frustrating. Worst of all, you risk damaging your investment and making the condition of the floor worse. We’re not here to scare you, but it’s important to have realistic expectations before a DIY project. Here’s what refinishing hardwood involves:

Can you refinish engineered hardwood?

Since solid hardwood is one piece of uniform wood, it can be refinished more often. Refinishing engineered hardwood should happen less frequently due to its layered construction.

Can you refinish hardwood floors without replacing them?

But heavy traffic and improper care can lead to long-term headaches. Refinishing hardwood floors is a great way to make them look brand new without a complete replacement. Here’s what you should know before getting started.

What are the biggest mistakes customers make as it relates to timing for their floors?

Most don’t realize how long it takes to refinish hardwood floors . Many don’t realize that it often takes 3 to 5 days to refin ish hardwood floors + an additional 4 days before the furniture ( or drop cloths) can be put on the floors. This translates to 7 to 9 days in total….

Why do you need to refinish your floors before moving?

Reasons it’s best to refinish you floors BEFORE you move into your new home: First, because you can’t walk on the floors while the work is being done (as well as 24 hours afterwards. Second, you need to move all of the furniture out the area. Why do 3 moves, rather than 1? Third, it smells…so it’s best not to be in the house while it’s done.

When should I refinish hardwood floors?

But, really, sanding and refinishing hardwood can take place any time of year.

What to do when moving into a new home?

If you are moving into a new home, plan to do the floors first and plan to have a place to stay. That could mean extending the time you stay in your current home (e.g. extend your lease, sell your house later, rent back your house, etc), or see if you can stay with friends or family or potentially stay in hotel.

When is the most humid time of year?

Generally mid-Aug to Mid-September is the most humid (at least here in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states). I suppose here in the winter, especially in Jan/Feb when it snows often, things can also get a bit delayed if there is a blizzard and the roads are icy.

Can you move in before doing the floors?

If you have no choice and you need to move in before doing the floors, that is fine (and sometimes it is unavoidable, especially if your closing gets delayed). Just recognize that it will most likely cost you more, be more inconvenient and take longer to do the floors if you do them later (e.g. as you will need to move the furniture and you may need to do in 2 or more phases.

Does Westchester County offer color consultations?

If you live in Westchester County NY , I offer color consultations to advise customers on paint colors and stain choices. My designer discount at the paint stores usually more than offsets the cost for the hour consultation. Read more here . I’ve just started to do some phone consultations, too.