With proper maintenance, your hardwood floors can go for decades before they really need refinishing. With a combination of proper care and refinishing, they can last for over a century. But not everyone gives their hardwood the care it needs. You might be wondering whether your hardwood just needs refinishing, or if you need a new installation. Here are some signs that your hardwood floors are beyond repair.
Could refinishing revive your hardwood floors, or are they beyond repair? Here’s how you can tell.
Warping
Knowing what you do about refinishing, you might have guessed that it doesn’t fix severely warped or buckled boards. You’d be correct. Refinishing can fix everyday cosmetic issues in your hardwood, but they cannot return the structure of the panels themselves to how they once looked.
Warped hardwood floors are generally beyond repair. This typically results from shoddy installation in the first place, so your best bet is a professional replacement.
Severe Cracks and Splits
Refinishing does a great job at eliminating all but the most severe of scratches and gouges. But there is a fine line between a cosmetic scratch and cracking or splitting of the boards. You’ll be relieved to know that professionals can often repair a board that has cracked, but it depends on the severity. If multiple boards need to be replaced, you may as well go with a new installation.
Infestations
Some pests will go away with some DIY methods and a quick visit from an exterminator. Others do not. Some homeowners wage wars with pests that take up residence in their hardwood floors. The most familiar of these are termites, which can cause permanent damage to the boards until replacement (in conjunction with a successful extermination) is the only solution.
Bed bugs are another pest that has been known to infest hardwood floors. While there are techniques to kill them and they don’t damage the wood, some people feel most comfortable after a new installation.
Rot
Every homeowner should be well-acquainted with the importance of waterproofing. In addition to the threat of mold, excess moisture can easily damage hardwood floors if not quickly addressed. Once rot has set into the boards, they are beyond repair. First, contact a waterproofing professional to eliminate the source of the problem. With that done, you can count on us for a brand new hardwood floor installation.
Hardwood Flooring from Jason Brown Wood Floors
At Jason Brown Wood Floors, our commitment to quality installation is clear in all that we do, which is why our customers consistently rate us as one of the top contractors in the region. We have been awarded Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore Award 4 times and have been proudly serving the Baltimore Area for over 16 years. If you’re ready to speak with someone about your hardwood flooring project, we want to hear from you! Contact us at 410-668-9131 or send us a message here.
Jason Brown Wood Floors is also your convenient dealer of high-quality, professional grade power tools. We offer brands that tradespeople trust most for the job. Come check out our Bel Air showroom to browse the in-stock selection of products and tools by Festool, Freud, Diablo, Shaper, and Mirka.