You might be wondering why you should invest in refinishing your wood flooring. There are so many advantages to refinishing a wooden floor. Not only will it improve its appearance, but it will also keep it looking great for longer. In areas of homes and commercial buildings where the floor is used regularly, it doesn’t take long for your floor to accumulate dirt and dust. And over time this contributes to a dull, lifeless looking floor. Scratches and other types of damage also add to the poor looking quality of a floor. Wood floor refinishing Manchester can help to bring your floor back to life. Here’s what you should know before you decide whether it’s for you.

Before you choose wood floor refinishing

It’s always worth trying out a few different options before you invest in wood floor refinishing. Thorough cleaning processes can sometimes restore the quality of your wood flooring. It’s recommended you use a specialist hardwood floor cleaning product.

This will help to lift any dirt or grime left on the surface of your floor. It is important not to use steam cleaners or other forms of cleaning devices which use excessive amounts of water. These could do more damage to your floor than good. You may require a professional clean of your floor. This is always a good idea to help keep it in good condition for longer.

Depending on the type of finish you have on your floor, you may be able to top it up using quality products. Wood oil maintenance products are a great way to keep your floor looking fresh, and maintain the finish. This can only be used on floors which have previously been treated with an oil varnish.

Read more: Why invest in commercial wood floor refinishing?

When to choose wood floor refinishing

Unfortunately, some floors are beyond cleaning and maintenance to help bring them back to top quality. This is when refinishing will be required. You should choose this option if you’re still unhappy with the quality of your floor after a heavy clean, and are starting to see an increase in marks, scratches, or scuffs on the floor. This is usually a good indication that the finish on the floor isn’t doing the job it is supposed to be doing.

The refinishing process explained

The process a contractor will take to refinish your floor will be different depending on the type of finish it has had in the past. Polyurethane sealants are one of the most popular types of finish as they offer a great protection for your floor, and give it the shiny, glossy look that helps it look clean for longer. However, this type of finish will need to be removed before more can be added. Although your floors may not be looking in as good quality, the finish will still be present on the surface and adding more will create an uneven texture as it won’t have worn equally across the floor.

An expert will begin by sanding the floor to remove the finish. The added benefit to this is that if your floor has sustained any damage, like scratches or scuffs, these will be removed during the sanding process. Once the floor has been sanded equally all over, the contractor will then start to refinish the floor. Make sure to speak to them about the style you are looking for. Finishes come in different forms and can offer matt or gloss affects.

If your floor was finished with oil previously, the good news is it won’t need sanding to remove the finish before you apply a new one. This is a much simpler approach and just requires adding a new layer of oil finish. It can work out slightly more expensive to finish your floor with this type of product, but in the long term it will save you from having to keep removing and re-applying other types of finish. Many people also choose oil finishes because they leave the floor looking natural and it enhances the grains of wood.

Although sanding isn’t required, it may be recommended by a professional depending on the quality of your floor. If there are lots of scratches or marks on your floor, sanding will remove these before you apply the oil finish, and the overall quality of your floor will be greatly improved.

How much does refinishing cost?

The overall cost of refinishing depends on a number of factors. Of course, the area of floor which needs working on will determine a lot of the cost. Smaller floors take less time and use less product and so will be cheaper than larger areas. Also, if your floor requires sanding before refinishing, this will add to the cost of the project as this will take more time for a contractor to complete.

Natural Wood floor refinishing Manchester

If you’ve decided that refinishing your floor is the best option, speak to one of our team to see how we can help. Call us on 0161 945 8475 or email info@naturalflooringsolutions.co.uk