Wood floors is hardwearing, stunning, and sensible – a design trifecta meaning wooden flooring concepts (from herringbone and parquet to easily laid planks) are a method normal in all method of houses, whether or not that is an city loft or a rural farmhouse.
However what if the shine is coming off your floorboards, and the floor is starting to indicate some put on and tear? Sanding could appear the apparent answer once you’re trying to refinish hardwood flooring to maintain them in good situation. Sanding removes the highest floor of the wooden to disclose the contemporary timber beneath, however this can be a severe – and severely messy – job, that most definitely is not crucial. As an alternative, recoating the wooden may restore the end, magnificence, and longevity of your flooring, with a fraction of the trouble and disruption.
‘Recoating is an effective way to revive the look of your hardwood with out a full sand down. It’s the method of including a brand new topcoat of end to an current wooden ground end,’ explains Brett Miller, vp, Technical Requirements, Coaching, and Certification on the Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation (opens in new tab).
‘One of many advantages of actual wooden flooring is that the majority wooden flooring, whether or not pre-finished or web site completed, stable or engineered, will be recoated. The trick is making certain the brand new end will adhere to the present end. The sheen of the ground will be modified via a recoat, however the coloration will stay the identical.’
Methods to restore wooden flooring: the skilled view
(Picture credit score: Woodworks by Ted Todd)
Usually talking, wooden flooring will be restored with out sanding by recoating, utilizing both mechanical or chemical strategies. These can be utilized throughout wooden flooring concepts for a front room, wooden flooring for a bed room, kitchen flooring and splash-safe picket toilet flooring.
‘Mechanical adhesion is a recoat course of that includes bodily buffing, or frivolously abrading a wooden ground. That is additionally known as a “Display and Recoat”,’ explains Brett Miller, vp on the Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation. ‘This course of includes frivolously abrading the floor end, abandoning micro-scratches within the current end which permit the brand new coat of end to bond to the previous coat.
‘Chemical adhesion is a recoat course of that includes utilizing an adhesion promoter, or a bonding agent, that sticks to the present end and permits a brand new topcoat to stay to it – form of like utilizing double-sided tape.’
Brett Miller Social Hyperlinks Navigation Vice President, Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation Brett Miller is Vice President, Technical Requirements, Coaching, and Certification, at The Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation, a world not-for-profit commerce affiliation representing all segments of the hardwood flooring trade.
What to contemplate earlier than restoring a hardwood ground with out sanding
(Picture credit score: The Reclaimed Flooring Firm)
There are some things to contemplate when recoating any wooden ground, particularly if do not plan to sand again the boards to take away harm and stains.
‘If the ground has seen dents, put on patterns or everlasting cupping, recoating is probably not a viable answer, and a full sand down could also be your solely possibility to revive the end,’ explains flooring professional Brett Miller.
‘Dents, gouges, and scratches could also be recoated, however will nonetheless stay within the flooring floor and should turn into extra obvious after the brand new coating has been utilized.’
Methods to put together your ground to get the perfect end
(Picture credit score: Genevieve Lutkin)
With a view to restore a hardwood ground with out sanding, and obtain a professional-look end within the course of, the wooden should be completely clear and clean earlier than any new coating is utilized. Wax, grease, and residue from cleansing merchandise can all have an effect on how properly any contemporary polish or lacquer adheres to the floor of the wooden.
‘Flooring which have had the incorrect upkeep merchandise utilized to them is probably not candidates for a recoat,’ says Brett Miller. ‘On the Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation, we advise utilizing a wooden ground cleaner advisable by the ground producer. For instance, Bruce (opens in new tab) produces hardwood flooring and has a line of floorcare merchandise (opens in new tab) that may very well be useful on this search.
‘Cleansing merchandise which may be problematic typically embody descriptive phrases reminiscent of “refreshes, restores, rejuvenates, polishes, renews, renovates, shines…” These phrases are indicative of including one thing overseas to the floor of the ground, which implies these merchandise might intervene with a brand new topcoat adhering.’
(opens in new tab) MANGOTIME Microfiber Ground Spray Mop | $23.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
Clear and preserve a hardwood ground, or prep it for restoring with out sanding, with this mop. It may be used dry or moist, and comes with 2 refillable bottles and 4 washable and reusable mop pads.
Methods to restore a hardwood ground with out sanding: step-by-step
With a little bit preparation and know-how, it’s attainable to revive the hardwood flooring in your house with out sanding down the floor. We requested carpenter Matt Hagens, founding father of Obsessed Woodworking (opens in new tab) to share his expertise with step-by-step directions.
‘As a wooden professional, I’ve had the chance to work on many hardwood ground restoration tasks through the years,’ he says. ‘One venture that stands out in my thoughts is a house that had been sitting vacant for a number of years. The flooring have been boring and scratched, with stains and discoloration in varied areas. The householders have been involved that they would wish to sand the flooring, which might be pricey and time-consuming. Nonetheless, I used to be in a position to present them that there are a number of efficient methods to revive hardwood flooring with out sanding.’
Matt Hagens Social Hyperlinks Navigation Founder and CEO, Obsessed Woodworking Matt works on furnishings tasks, in addition to large-scale renovation tasks utilizing carpentry and woodworking.
1. Clear the floor of your hardwood flooring
One of many first steps in restoring hardwood flooring with out sanding is to totally clear the floor.
‘This may be executed through the use of a light detergent and water, or a specialised hardwood ground cleaner,’ suggests carpenter Matt Hagens.
‘It is very important take away any grime, mud, or grime which will have accrued on the floor. This may assist to brighten the colour of the wooden and make it simpler to see the present scratches and stains.’
2. Fill any scratches on the ground floor
Subsequent, it’s important to handle any scratches or stains on the floor.
‘For mild scratches, a easy coat of wax will be utilized to fill within the harm,’ says Matt Hagens. ‘For deeper scratches, a wooden filler can be utilized to fill within the space after which sanded down till it’s flush with the encompassing wooden.’
3. Polish and end the ground
As soon as the floor is cleaned and repaired, it’s time to polish and end the flooring.
‘This may be executed through the use of a hardwood ground polish or a specialised buffing machine,’ explains Matt. ‘The hot button is to make use of a lightweight contact and to work in small sections at a time. This may assist to distribute the polish evenly and stop any buildup of extra materials.
‘Restoring hardwood flooring with out sanding is an efficient and cost-efficient solution to deliver new life to your flooring. By following the right methods and suggestions, you possibly can obtain a fantastic, professional-looking end that may final for years to come back.’
What errors would possibly I make when restoring a hardwood ground with out sanding?
One frequent mistake that’s made when restoring hardwood flooring with out sanding is to make use of an excessive amount of polish or end.
‘This may end up in a cloudy or hazy look that’s tough to take away,’ explains carpenter Matt Hagens. ‘To keep away from this, it is very important use the advisable quantity of polish or end and to work in small sections.
One other mistake that’s typically made is to neglect the significance of vacuuming and sweeping the flooring earlier than restoring. This may end up in small particles of grime and mud being embedded within the end, which might result in discoloration and unevenness within the end.’
How can I clear and preserve a hardwood ground?
‘Routine upkeep ought to be all you want with wooden flooring – every day sweeping, vacuuming on the naked ground setting about as soon as per week and utilizing a humid mop with the proper cleansing product month-to-month,’ advises Brett Miller from the Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation.
However on the subject of learn how to clear hardwood flooring, the kind of end on the ground can dictate which kind of mop is acceptable to make use of.
‘The mop ought to be barely moistened and well-wrung out, making certain the quantity of moisture left on the ground floor is minimal,’ Brett says. ‘When utilizing spray mops, use solely high-quality spray mops that present larger management over the quantity of answer that’s utilized, and that comes with super-absorbent, disposable, or washable pads that take away the cleansing answer and soil from the ground’s floor.
‘By no means use a steam mop on a wooden ground. The steam can journey deeper and quicker between the cracks and into the cells of the wooden. Repeated use can completely harm the wooden and the ground’s end.’