Hardwood flooring is a beautiful option but it is prone to a lot of abuse and over time will start to show signs of the constant use. The floor may get dented, scratched, have stains, chip or even warp. If your flooring is looking lackluster and missing the shine it once had you may be wondering if its time to replace it or if you can refinish it.

What Kind of Floor Do You Have?

First, it is important to ensure your floor is something that can be refinished. On-site wood flooring and prefinished wood flooring can be refinished. Laminate and engineered wood flooring products likely cannot be refinished.

Keep Budget in Mind

Next you will want to consider the cost. The price of refinishing versus replacing hardwood flooring is a big deciding factor for many people. When you replace your existing floor there are a few costs to consider; the removal of the existing flooring, the disposal of the existing flooring, the installation of the new flooring and if it is a site finished product, the finishing of the new flooring. Not to mention buying new wood flooring material to start with. When flooring is replaced you may also need baseboard work and some paint touch up to finish the look. Some homeowners consider taking on a wood flooring installation project, but it requires a lot of precision, specialty tools and knowledge to complete a flooring installation properly.  Refinishing a wood floor on your own takes even more knowhow and involves lots of dust and toxic chemicals.

What is Your Final Goal?

Then you will want to consider the goal of your project. If you love your existing hardwood flooring and just want to bring them back to their original condition a refinish is the ideal solution. Refinishing hardwood can brighten them and bring them back to their glory days. Scratches, dents and scuffs are all removed, and a new coat of finish is added to add the sparkle back to your flooring. If you do not like the flooring you have because of the grain patterns, knots, wood species, width and sometimes the color (not all hardwood can be stained to change the color effectively) a refinish will not solve these issues. We encourage homeowners to refinish hardwood over replacing when they are already happy with their flooring but want it to have an even sheen and all the surface imperfections removed.

Is it Worth It?

Consider the condition of your floors. If your hardwoods are in bad shape and have pet stains, broken boards or a lot of warping they may need to be replaced. We can replace just sections of site finished products and give the entire floor a refinish to solve condition issues without a full new install. Additionally, if your flooring is old and has been refinished multiple times you may also need to replace it. Wood flooring cannot be refinished endless times and eventually you will wear through the wood.

The time it takes to refinish or install new flooring can also be a deciding factor. If you are living in your home during the flooring transformation it can be challenging to meet your family’s needs while still getting your flooring done. An install and refinish both require that all the furniture in your home be removed prior to the work being done. This means you will need to find additional space to store your furniture which can render your home pretty much uninhabitable.

Refinishing your flooring only takes a few days for most professional crews and you can be back to a functional household within just 3-4 days at the most. Installation generally takes more time especially when you factor in removal of existing flooring, any sub floor prep and then the installation and finishing time. Choosing a refinish or replacement of your hardwood floor depends on many factors. Is your home remodeling project in your forever home or a home you plan to leave soon? Lots of questions to be answered!

Hire a Local Denver Hardwood Flooring Contractor

The best way to know if your floor needs to be replaced or if it can be refinished is to meet with our team from Colorado Hardwood Floors. Our professionals have done countless hardwood refinishing and installation jobs in and around the Denver area. We can assess the condition of your flooring, the type of wood you currently have and lay out the different options for you.