Hardwood floors are any day beautiful flooring idea. It adds warmth and style to any room. It fits a traditional home or a modern house. Below are some tips for restoring the hardwood flooring:
When the wooden floor starts to look dull, it can be renewed by recoating. The process involves cleaning the existing floor finish and then light sanding. After that fresh new coats of wood floor finish can be applied to make it look new.
It is recommended to apply a new coat of finish to the wooden floor every three to five years. The maintenance schedule depends on wear and tear and the lifestyle. A complete sanding and refinishing are recommended when there are deep scratches, dents and other damages in the flooring. Sanding a hardwood floor is the perfect way to change the color of the floor.
Sanding
Sanding the floor starts with stripping away the previous finish and removing the surface level scuffs and scratches. But remember to use the right tool to sand the floor. When we use the power tool at home to sand the floor, we may end up sanding the wooden floor unevenly. It is best to use the drum sander to sand the wood. Under sanding may leave old spots of stains and finish. Over sanding may lead to divots and scratches that only a professional may be able to fix.
Edging
Drum sander cannot get close to the walls and baseboards to sand them. To reach the corners, edger should be used. Don’t rush while sanding the edges as it may result in noticeable color or texture differences around the edge of the room with a higher risk of degradation.
Lingering Wood Dust
The sanding and the edging process will end up with a lot of wood dust. Ensure to thoroughly clean the floor before applying stain or finish on the floor. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the dust off.
Better not use the wrong products and materials. It gives the floor an unappealing appearance and even causes accelerated wear and discoloration. Remember not to use steam mops and never use anything from the store that claims to restore luster or add shine. It is always the best to hire a professional to do renovate the wood flooring.
Maintaining Wood Floors
Wood is an organic material and will react to the environment. In a humid environment, the wood absorbs the moisture and will swell. And in a dry environment, wood loses moisture and will shrink. This will happen even on the wooden flooring.
Moisture can cause the floor to cup. This will result in raised edges and lower centers of the hardwood floor. On the other hand, when the floor loses the moisture it might leave a gap or split. It is not concerning if the gaps and splits occur and then go away between the seasonal changes. But when the gaps are larger and do not close during the winter season, we will need to hire a professional to repair it. Keeping the temperature between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and between 30% and 50% humidity year-round will minimize the issue.