What’s not to love about stunning timber flooring? Easily one of the most classic and timeless looks for a home, both heritage and modern aesthetic. But let’s be honest: no matter how well you look after your timber floors, they will eventually show signs of deterioration and will need restoration at some point or another to keep them looking fantastic. From foot traffic, pets, bikes, furniture, and more, your floorboards bear the brunt of daily wear and tear in the form of scratches, dents, and loss of luster, to name a few. This article will look at your options as far as restoring your timber floors back to their former glory.
Whether your floorboards are in serious need of a full rejuvenation or just light sand, a professional Gold Coast floor sanding company can help you, whatever your floorboards are like. Full sand back and polish or light sand and refinish, the option that is best suited to your situation is dependent on the condition of your floor, your budget, and ultimately, what the end goal is.
Option 1: Light sanding and refinishing
Light sanding of your wooden floors will remove light scratches, dings, and stains. With a touch of polyurethane coating, this might be the solution for getting rid of those annoying little marks on your floor without requiring a whole extensive restoration. However, it is important to remember that it will not remove deep damage on the timber, a light resand will remove superficial damage but not much more than that. For other imperfections such as fading or discolouration, this might be a warning sign that water and/or moisture are seeping in on your floors, and the varnish coating is not working for you anymore. This means that you need to remove the existing coating that isn’t protecting the timber anymore and replace it with a new one.
In general, refinishing will involve applying a new coat of varnish or stain to your floor. This process is a great way to give a new look to your floor. If you have a solid hardwood floor, you can usually refinish it several times before it needs to be replaced. However, if your floors are made of engineered wood, they can be difficult to refinish. Many homeowners find themselves in the situation where they have purchased a property and underneath old carpets or lino lies stunning hardwood flooring, which only needs a light sand and polish to look good as new.
When is light sand not enough?
Since light resanding is a solution for superficial wear and tear, it can’t solve issues such as deep discolouration from water and moisture penetration or uneven surfaces. In these cases, your professional contractor might offer another solution which is to sand back your floor to its original timber to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing result as well as make it even and ensure your floorboards will be protected from moisture for that much longer. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions or consult for professional suggestions that could work better for your flooring.
Why light sand and recoat?
One word: efficiency. If a superficial restoration is all your floorboards need, then book yourself in for light sand and polish. Requiring less labour, equipment, and cleaning, this option is friendlier on the wallet and will not strip your timber back unnecessarily as the timber can only be sanded back a certain amount of times before compromising on its structural integrity and strength.
Option 2: Sand back to timber and polish
Are your floorboards in bad shape? Perhaps you’ve bought a property and uncovered hardwood flooring that has been covered by a sticky adhesive, or it has been water damaged, your solution to have the outcome of the beautiful timber flooring is to invest in full sand back to timber and polish. A light re-sand will not be sufficient in this instance.
The advantage of polishing back to timber
Hardwood flooring is a classic Australian look, for both modern homes and heritage classic homes, nothing quite says elegance like polished timber flooring. When your floors are sanded back to timber, you remove scratches, deeper dents, discolouration, and unevenness. You extend its lifespan and beauty. You maintain the integrity of the floor by getting rid of the uneven surfaces that ruin your floor’s performance. You give your floorboards a new lease on life, which means you don’t have to use them as a subfloor anymore, they can be a feature of your home.
The reality of polishing back to timber
Sand back to timber requires a lot more labour, time, and resources than light sand, which will therefore involve a higher price tag. Depending on the size of the square meters to be sanded back, a typical home could take anywhere between 2-5 days. The mess that this will make if you try to do it yourself is far beyond the effort of the sanding itself. Remember that when you hire a professional floor sanding company, they will take care of the dust too because they have much better equipment than the sanders you hire at your local bunnings. Timber floors could be resanded at least 5 to 10 times more before the floorboards become too thin. Timber floors are a wise investment for your home, a timeless classic that everyone loves and will continue to love for generations to come.
Let the professionals do what they do best for the best results
For the best results on your timber floors, it’s best to entrust the project to professional flooring experts. They have the equipment and expertise to ensure the transformation you envision will come to life.
