How do I know when its time to refinish my solid or pre-finished wood flooring?
The first thing to do is to determine whether the finish is worn off or just dirty. Go to a high-traffic area, where the finish will be most worn, and pour a tablespoon or two of water onto the floor. If the water forms beads, congratulations! Your floor is properly sealed. Perhaps it needs only some cleaning and stain removal. If the water takes a few minutes to soak in, only darkening the floor slightly, the finish is partially worn. Proceed with caution. If the water soaks right in, leaving a dark spot, the finish is seriously worn and it’s probably time to refinish the floors. Note: Pre-finished wood floors can only be re-sanded once or twice. It would be less expensive to re-coat every few years before they need re-sanding.
