Hardwood Refinishing: The Essentials

Nothing transforms a room like hardwood. With it’s rich wood finish and beautiful textures, hardwood brings a touch of class and style that makes it stand out from other types of flooring. If you are a homeowner and are looking to revitalize your hardwood floor it’s important to know the basics. While a great refinishing job can bring new life to any room, the wrong job can end in disaster and damage your wood. So learning some fundamental concepts before you proceed is vital to a successful hardwood refinishing job in Staten Island.

Types of Wood Flooring

At the heart of any beautiful hardwood flooring is the wood itself. The species of wood that is in your home drastically changes the look and feel of your entire room. Although oak and maple are among the most common species wood flooring, you may also have pine, cherry or even a hard bamboo wood type. With so many wood types available it’s important to learn, identify, and evaluate your hardwood flooring and recognize the characteristics. This will give you a better idea of how to proceed with hiring a company to refinish your floors.

Choosing The Right Stain

There are a few key factors that determine how your Staten Island hardwood refinishing project will turn out. First, and foremost, is the color the stain selected. Remember, that you are combining two different tones: the natural color of the wood with the color of the stain. Another element to consider is the species of the wood and how porous it is. Dense wood may not soak in the stain as well, while sparse wood may soak it in too much and more coats are needed. A great technique to use is to test your preferred stain on a tiny section of your flooring in order to get an idea of how it will look.

Refinishing vs. Replacing Your Hardwood

Every homeowner looking to refinish their wood floors arrives at the inevitable crossroad: to refinish or to replace. There are many things to consider: The biggest issue is always cost. Hardwood refinishing is much easier and much less expensive than replacing it. But that doesn’t mean you’ll get the results you’re looking for. Everything ultimately depends on the age and condition of the wood and how many times it’s been refinished. For instance, if the wood floor has been refinished 3 times in the past, and yet its till bears numerous cracks, chipping, warping, and you experience a lot of floor noise, then replacing may be a better long term solution.

Choosing The Right Company

Refinishing wood floor is a major investment with long term results. Whether the results are favorable or not will ultimately determine on the flooring company you hire to do the refinishing. Using some common sense and a little patience will help you determine if the refinishing contractor is right for you. Make sure you hire a refinishing company that is New York certified and licensed specifically in residential wood floor refinishing. Ask for credible references and follow up with phone calls. Also ask for photo or video samples of their previous work. The right company will be experienced, knowledgeable, and act professional on all levels. When you a hire a true professional, you’ll get the results you’re looking for and your Staten Island hardwood refinishing project will be a memorable and positive experience.