Saving Money with Do-It-Yourself Hardwood Floor Restoration

The cost of refinishing hardwood floors should not keep homeowners from exposing hardwood floors buried beneath carpeting. However, many homeowner are afraid of hardwood floor restoration projects. Doing this project without the help of a professional will save a great deal of money and add value to the home. The process of restoring hardwood floors is as simple as removing the old finish, adding a basecoat of finish, adding a colored finish, if desired and adding a topcoat while allowing time for drying between each coat.

Homeowners who are not overwhelmed by this type of project will be able to enjoy the benefits this project provides. Simply taking the project step by step and consulting with professionals if necessary will enable the homeowner to complete the project on his own at a fraction of the cost he would pay a professional.

Saving Time and Energy on Hardwood Floor Sanding

Although undertaking a hardwood floor sanding project yourself may seem like the most cost effective thing to do, it is important to remember you will need to rent a sanding machine to complete this task. This is an important consideration because rental sanding machines often do not have the power of professional grade sanding equipment. As a result you are saving money renting the machine yourself as opposed to hiring a professional for the job, you may find yourself having to go over the floor again and again with the rental sander to achieve the desired result. This work is not only physically exhausting but also takes up a great deal of valuable time. Homeowners who do not have a great deal of time and energy to devote to the job may be better off hiring a professional to complete the hardwood floor restoration project.

Refinishing Hardwood Floor Cost: What to Expect

Hardwood floor restoration can significantly improve the look of a room in your home. However, there are costs which are associated with this type of project. Refinishing hardwood floor costs can vary significantly depending on whether a professional is hired to complete the task or the homeowner attempts to complete the project himself.

Average hardwood floor refinishing costs vary depending on factors such as the type of wood, location and even the layout of the room. Additional costs associated with this type of project may include the repair to damaged sections in the floor or the old floor covering, such as carpet and linoleum. Consulting multiple professionals for estimates will help to provide an approximate value for the cost of refinishing the hardwood floors.

Refinish Wood Floors to Increase Your Home Value

Putting a home on the market can be a daunting task. However, most homeowners understand an attractive home is easier to sell than one in need of repair. The cost of refinishing wood floors is an expenditure that may reap dividends when an offer is made on the house by a potential buyer. Before making the decision to refinish wood floors the homeowners should research the cost of this project as well as the amount of value the project will add to the home. This will help the homeowner to decide whether to undertake the project.

Refinishing Wood Floors: What To Do Before You Begin

Once a homeowners has made the decision to refinish wood flooring, there are steps he can take to prepare himself for the process and to help to ensure the project will be completed successfully. Learning as much as possible about the process is one of these very important steps. There are many books available on the subject of refinishing wood floors which can help to educate the homeowner. Online searches can also provide helpful information, but care should be taken to verify the validity of this information.

Whether the homeowner opts to employ a professional or take a do-it-yourself approach, the research will prepare him for the many choices he will have to make. Decisions such as using oil-based or water-based stain and what type of finish, or protective coating, to use are best made after the options have been researched carefully.

Wood Floor Refinishing: What Not To Do

Learning about the steps to take during a hardwood floor restoration project is easy. With a click of the mouse or a trip to the library, you can learn all you need to know. However, discovering what not to do is sometimes only learned once you have made the mistakes.

As you sand the floor, remember not to leave the sander equipment in one place for too long. This can create scratches or even holes in your floor. Also, wear a dust mask when sanding so you do not inhale too much dust. Close your doors and turn off any fans so you do not keep the dust circulating in the air.

When staining, make sure you have proper ventilation. The fumes can be dangerous. Finally, make sure the stain and/or finish is completely dry before walking on it. You do not want footprints on your newly refinished floor.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Older Homes

Remodeling older homes has become increasingly popular. There are even television shows dedicated to this practice as well as infomercials promoting methods to make a great deal of money from it. One important aspect of remodeling homes is discovering the hardwood floors beneath the worn carpet. Many older home have carpeting which is covering beautiful hardwood floors. These lucky homeowners can often increase the value of their home by simply removing the existing carpeting. However, in some cases the hardwood flooring will be badly damaged. In these cases, hardwood floor refinishing can be very beneficial for not only improving the appearance of the room, but also increasing the value of the home.

How to Refinish Hardwood

Homeowners who find damaged hardwood flooring under carpeting may be able to refinish the hardwood to create an attractive room. Refinishing hardwood floors requires a great deal of work, but it is not a particularly complicated process. The process involves:

• Filling in any cracks or gaps evident in the old flooring.
  
• Renting a sander or hiring a professional to sand the floor to smooth the surface and prepare it for staining.
  
• Buffing the floor to further prepare the surface for the stain and finish.
  
• Choosing and applying the stain.
  
• Completing the project with a finishing coat. The finish may be an oil-based or a water-based polyurethane finish. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type so it is important to carefully research the options.