If you have a hardwood floor that has seen better days, you may be weighing your options. On the one hand you could replace it, either with new hardwood or another flooring type. On the other hand you could try to salvage it. The question is, “Is that even possible?”
Ozburn-Hessey is happy to tell you “Yes”, your hardwood floor can almost certainly be salvaged. It may require a lot of work, including sanding, board replacing and other repairs, but it most likely can be done. It’s all a matter of client preferences. It’s unlikely that your 80 year old oak hardwood floor can be made to look like it’s brand new, but it can be repaired to the point where it is beautiful, strong and serviceable.
Perhaps it’s better to look at some specific examples to help you better understand what is involved in hardwood floor restoration. This may help you decide if this would be right for you and your house.
What Can’t Be Fixed?
Before we get your hopes up, Ozburn-Hessey wants to cover a couple of examples of floors that are beyond repair. Sometimes we’ll see very old floors that have a lot of movement side to side. This is a symptom of a floor that is too far gone and will not perform well after additional sanding. Another example of a floor that is beyond the pale is one exhibiting structural damage. In these cases, the main floor must usually be removed so the subfloor can be repaired. It is almost never worth it to reinstall an already worn out floor, so most clients opt for a new floor once the subfloor has been restored.
Floors that have already been sanded too many times are also too far gone. If you see nails popping up after being exposed during a previous sanding, you can bet these would be everywhere if we decided to sand again.
What Can Be Fixed?
Ozburn-Hessey can repair and rehabilitate almost any other kind of floor. Whether you have termite damage, pet stains, water damage, squeaky boards, or delaminated strips – it can all be repaired or replaced.
In many cases, sections of flooring can be replaced with new or similarly aged pieces of wood. In other cases, sanding and staining with a darker stain can hide differences in floor color/texture, as well as damage from stains such as pet urine.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you whether or not you want to restore your hardwood floor. Unless it is in truly deplorable condition, it can be brought back to life. You may want something more from your floor, though. New flooring options give you a lot more possibilities, and may be more affordable than you realize. You could even have Ozburn-Hessey install a hardwood floor that looks old and characterful. There are many ways to achieve any effect you desire. It’s up to you. Repairing an old floor can save money and achieve a charming result. Ozburn-Hessey wants to do what’s best for you, so talk to us about your next floor rehab or replacement.
