Wooden floors might lose their color over time, often due to sunlight exposure. This fading is natural but can be slowed down or even reversed if you know how to restore color to hardwood floors. In this discussion, we’ll explore various methods to manage and reverse the fading of wooden floors, including the associated costs involved in these restoration processes.
When Your Hardwood Loses Its Shine
A key benefit of hardwood floors is their longevity, making them a valuable home investment. Properly maintained, it can enhance your property’s value for many years. If you installed hardwood years ago, you may notice it’s not as radiant as before. Or, if you’ve bought an older property with such flooring, despite its current shine, it might show signs of wear.
Spotting Faded Spots:
Fading usually happens in places where the sun shines a lot. To see how much your hardwood has faded, compare spots covered by rugs or furniture with exposed areas. This helps you understand how much the floor has faded and plan what to do next.
Controlling Sunlight:
To keep your floors from fading more, control how much sun they get. Using shades or curtains when the sun is strongest can help. Also, putting special films on your windows that block UV rays is a good idea. These window treatments and films can cost anywhere from $20 to over $250, based on size and quality.
A New Coat for Slight Fading:
If the fading isn’t too bad, putting on a new top coat can work well. This makes your floors look brighter and more colorful again. Make sure the hardwood is clean and dry before you start. These top coat products are usually priced between $25 and $85, depending on what brand and how much you buy.
Hardwood floors can be restored to as good as new again and again with the right treatment. The first step to returning color and shine to your surface is determining the finish on the hardwood.
Determining the Finish
If you installed your wooden flooring, you’re probably familiar with its finish. Otherwise, find out by consulting a specialist or asking the installer. Regular checks on areas prone to color fading are important. To prevent this, rearrange furniture and adjust window coverings to minimize sun exposure, reducing the need for extensive repairs later. Understanding the finish type is crucial for proper maintenance. Here’s a guide to assist:
Inspecting the Hardwood:
- If the surface is shiny, it might be coated with polyurethane.
- A hardwood that looks more natural and less shiny could have an oil finish.
Water Test:
- Drop a little water on the hardwood.
- If the water beads up quickly, it’s likely a polyurethane finish.
- If the water soaks in or stains, the floor may have an oil finish or no finish.
Scratch Test:
- Gently scratch the surface with your nail.
- If it resists scratching, it probably has a polyurethane finish.
- If it scratches easily, it might be an oil finish.
Extensive fading may necessitate a full refinishing, involving sanding the wood to its bare state, stripping the old finish, and repairing surface damage. Post-sanding, you can choose to restore the original hue or opt for a new one, changing the room’s vibe. A protective coat post-staining ensures the wood’s resilience and aesthetic appeal.
Professional refinishing costs start from approximately $600 to $800 for an average room. The actual expense varies depending on the flooring’s size and condition, and the specifics of the refinishing job. Hiring experts guarantees quality work, ensuring a lasting and attractive finish.
Caring for Your Hardwood Floors
Identify the finish to determine the best care method:
Polyurethane Floors:
- Scratch Repair: Use a wood marker or filler matching the floor’s color, typically $7-$20.
- Stain Removal: Clean with a mild cleaner, usually $10-$25 per bottle.
- Shine Restoration: Apply a polish/restorer for wooden floors, about $12-$35 per bottle.
Oil-Finished Floors:
- Scratch Repair: Lightly sand and apply an oil-based stain, costing around $10-$25.
- Stain Removal: Use a cleaner for oil-finished hardwood, around $15-$30 per bottle.
- Re-oiling: Refresh with the appropriate oil, costing about $25-$50 per litre.
Prices vary based on brand, quality, and location. Consult a local hardware store or flooring expert for tailored advice and local prices. If regularly recoating, seek professional advice to ensure compatibility.
Refinish the Floor
For certain restoration tasks, hardwood floor refinishing is necessary. This involves sanding down each piece of solid hardwood to the raw wood underneath. After sanding, the wood is restrained and refinished, making it appear new. However, this process wears away the wood’s top layer. Although minimal wood is used per refinishing, it accumulates, limiting most floors to 10-12 refinishes in their lifespan.
However, there are several reasons that you might want to refinish:
Deep scratches or gouges:
It’s the job of the finish to protect your surface. Light scratches and scrapes will not penetrate the finish, and instead only leave a groove in the varnish or wax that can be temporarily filled by a revitalizing treatment or recoated later. Heavy scratches, however, can penetrate through the finish of the wood. These can fill with dust and dirt and become obvious blemishes. To fix these unattractive marks, you’ll need to sand the wood down deeper than the level of the scratch.
Moisture damage:
Despite your best efforts to protect your hardwood, moisture damage can still happen, whether it’s a surprise leak or a spill that wasn’t dried in time. Moisture damage will cause stains in your wood that are very unattractive. To remedy this, you’ll need to sand the wood down to a level below where the moisture penetrated. In the case of mild moisture damage, this usually is not very deep on a finished floor, allowing the stain to be completely removed.
Change the stain color:
To restore color to hardwood floors, you might consider refinishing them. Over time, you may want to alter the color of the wood stain initially applied, or if you’ve inherited a wood floor, you may desire to personalise it with a new stain. Refinishing involves removing the previously stained layer of wood and applying a fresh stain of your choice. This process allows you to revitalise the appearance of your hardwood floors, tailoring them to your current aesthetic preferences.
Care and Maintenance of Refinished Surfaces
Keep the hardwood clean with regular sweeping, dry mopping, and the right wood floor cleaners. Don’t use strong chemicals or too much water. Doing this to your hardwood can improve how it looks. The total cost might change, but for a medium-sized room, it usually costs about $110-220 for materials, not counting renting or buying tools. This effort and money can make your hardwood look better and last longer.
Regular Sweeping and Vacuuming
- How Often: It’s best to do this every day, or at least a few times a week.
- Why: This keeps dirt and small bits that can scratch the wood away.
- What to Use: A soft broom or a vacuum cleaner that’s good for hardwood floors is best to avoid scratches.
Mopping
- How Often: Once a week, or whenever there are spills.
- How: Use a mop that’s slightly wet, not too wet, because too much water isn’t good for the wood.
- Cleaning Liquid: Choose a gentle cleaner made for hardwood. Avoid strong cleaners that could damage the wood’s look.
- Cost: You’ll probably spend about $12 to $24 for a good cleaner.
Furniture Pads and Rugs
- Furniture Pads: Put these under furniture legs to stop scratches and marks on your hardwood. They’re cheap, usually between $6 and $24.
- Rugs: Rugs in busy areas can help reduce wear. They can be different prices, but they’re a good investment for keeping your surface safe.
Be Careful With Water and Sunlight
- Spills: Clean up spills quickly to avoid water damage.
- Sunlight: Too much sun can make the wood color fade. Use curtains or blinds to protect your hardwood from strong sunlight.
Regular Checks and Upkeep
- Check-Ups: Keep an eye on your floors for any signs of damage.
- Top Coat or Polish: To keep the shine and protect the surface, put on a new top coat or polish every 6 to 12 months. These products usually cost between $18 and $60, depending on what kind you get.
Summary
Don’t be alarmed if your hardwood floor starts to lose its lustre – this is a natural consequence of ageing. To restore colour to hardwood floors and make them look shiny and new again, just follow the tips we discussed. Regular cleaning, addressing scratches and colour loss, and potentially applying a new finish will ensure your hardwood floors remain beautiful for many years.
