New Hardwood or Hardwood Floor Refinishing – Charlotte NC

Some homeowners have decided to try their hand at DIY hardwood floor refinishing, only to find that it is actually a momentous task. If custom finishes or stains are required, it can be a long project. This is especially true if humid weather causes delays when it interferes with drying times.

A professional Charlotte hardwood flooring company may do this project in two ways. The first is by rebuffing your wood finish. Wood floors, when laid, are covered with a protective coating. This topcoat becomes scuffed and scratched over time, even though the wood floor beneath it may not be damaged.

If the wood is not damaged, your Charlotte hardwood floor refinishing specialist will use a buffing tool with varying grits to restore the topcoat luster. This process is known as screening. The job is completed with a new clear coat finish.

Screening can be more complicated if the floor has had oil soap or wax used on it. If this is the case, your contractor will need to remove all the residue before buffing. Otherwise, the new top coat may not dry correctly.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Charlotte NC – Sanding

The other way to refinish your hardwood floor is by sanding and finishing. The floors will be sanded all the way to bare wood. A stain will be applied, and then two or three coats of finish will be added.

Before any work is done on your floor, an estimator will inspect the floor and take measurements. The thickness is checked, to ensure that there is enough wood for sanding. Then your Charlotte hardwood floor refinishing technician sands the floors down to bare wood. Using a grit that is progressively finer, a smooth surface is produced.

Filler may be applied to holes and cracks when the floor is being refinished. After sanding, the floor may be left a natural color, or stained. Staining will generally require several coats, with a sanding step between each coat.

After the sanding is done, two or three coats will be applied, allowing for the floor to dry between each coat. A water-based finish is eco-friendly, with low odors. Polyurethane finishes are the most commonly used. They are recommended especially for kitchens and high traffic areas.