Wood floors have timeless style, and in general very durable. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they will last forever. If you’re questioning if it’s time to dive into a full replacement or not here are some of the reasons we tell homeowners to consider.
Water Damage
It’s tough for any wood floor to come back from significant water damage. What qualifies as significant has a lot to do with what type of wood floor you have. Engineered hardwood has a better chance of recovering from water than solid hardwoods. However, in either case if your floorboards are warped or twisted it’s time to replace. Maintaining humidity levels in your home is an important part of keeping your wood flooring healthy.
Deep Scratches or Gouges
Superficial scratches and dents is just part of life with wood flooring. You can read about some ways to prevent it here. However, when the damage is deep enough to go through the finish and expose the wood underneath it might be beyond repair – but to tell for sure it’s important to contact a local flooring expert to take a look. Deep scratches aren’t just cosmetic and make your floor more susceptible to further damage. If you are not ready to replace your flooring, it’s important to address this kind of damage as soon as possible.
Worn & Torn
There’s normal wear and tear, and then there’s the past tense version of it. That’s when it’s worn down so much that there’s no bringing it back. High traffic areas are the first to show signs that your floor has just reached the end of its lifespan. Nails sticking up are probably the worst example of this because they can be dangerous. Discoloration is another thing to keep an eye on. This can be a sign of water damage, or an indication your stain is starting to wear off. In either case you might still be able to repair this by refinishing your floor. However, once discoloration has penetrated through the wood it’s time to consider replacing it.
It’s Been Refinished… A Few Times
One of the best things about wood flooring is the ability to refinish it! You get the look of fresh, new flooring without having to fully replace anything. There’s a limit to the number of times this process will be effective though. If your floor has already been refinished several times, it may be time to replace it (again, talk to a local flooring expert first – there are always options but they’d need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis). Each refinish makes your floorboards slightly thinner. Not enough to be noticeable from one time to the next, but it does add up.
If one of these scenarios sounds familiar – or if you’re just ready for a change – it’s time to schedule a free estimate!
