An old hardwood floor is an attractive element in a room. Unfortunately over the years the floor may show signs of wear such as fading, stains or scratches, but there is no need to replace it. Restoring an old hardwood floor is a lot less expensive than making a new one. Restoring it allows to preserve the original materials, which is best for centenarian houses!
CAN YOUR HARDWOOD FLOOR BE RESTORED?
Before starting renovating, make sure your floor can be restored. Some floors are so deteriorated that they cannot be restored. Several signs will let you know if you must replace your floor. For example, if the planks move, they cannot be sanded adequately. If the wood is too thin, it cannot be worked.
THE 3 STEPS TO RESTORE A HARDWOOD FLOOR
By following these three steps, your floor will recover the shine of its by-gone days. Such restoring will considerably increase the value of your house.
1. THOROUGH CLEANING
The first step to restore a hardwood floor is to thoroughly clean the planks. Once the furniture removed from the room, vacuum the floor to remove the dust and dirt on the surface of the wood. If some greasy spots still remain, use a cleaning product to prepare the wood for the second step.
2. SANDING THE PLANKS
Once the wood is well cleaned, it is time to sand! You can use sandpaper or a polishing machine designed for this type of wood. Of course the machine will save time. Once this step has been completed, vacuum again to remove the dust left by the sanding operation. Sanding will cause oil to better penetrate wood.
3. PROTECTING THE HARDWOOD FLOOR
The final step consists in applying some protective coating on the floor. You may choose to use a universal hard oil, some water-based varnish or synthetic varnish. Oils protect wood better than other types of varnish, since they penetrate the wood fibers. Water-based and synthetic varnishes are not as recommended if the work is not done by a professional. These types of varnish are more difficult to apply.
If you choose oil, use a cotton mesh and/or a polishing pad.The interwoven cotton threads insure better absorption of the product, while a brush application will require a greater amount of oil on the same surface. Both oil and varnish will give back shine to the hardwood floor. For a glossy finish, apply a second coat about 5 hours later. The furniture can be put back in place after 24 hours. To prevent your floor from deteriorating again, use stain resistant oil. This oil will also protect the wood from scratches.
Once these three steps have been completed, your hardwood floor will appear new again. Protecting your floor with varnish or oil will allow it to stay intact for years! In order to know the products to be used on different types of wood surfaces, consult our comparative guide.
