Natural Wood Refining: Cleaning & Refinishing Hardwood Floors
Natural wood flooring can take a real beating over time. From high foot traffic to pets to moving furniture, you will need to perform the proper cleaning & refinishing hardwood floors deserve. However, natural wood refining is not as simple as it might seem at first.
Of course, it will depend on what the flooring needs to be restored to a like-new condition. While the common answer is to sand, add new stain, and then reseal the wood, it is not always necessary. In fact, if the wear on the flooring is fairly even, you can do the job in a single day without sanding to restore your flooring.
Restoring Without Sanding
To better understand the condition of your flooring, take the following steps to ensure that it does not need any extensive work.
Cleaning: Start by sweeping away any loose debris with a broom. Once the debris is gone, use a specialized hardwood floor cleaner or a mild detergent and water to clean away the ground-in dirt and stains. You can use a mop to scrub without damaging the flooring itself.
Once clean, you can better assess what is needed to restore the flooring. If sanding is not necessary, then you can take the next step.
Address Scratches: For scratches that are light or barely penetrate the surface, a simple coat of wax will normally take care of the situation. If the scratches, dents, or indentations are deeper, use a wood filler with a color that matches the floor and sand down until it is flush with the surface.
Polish & Finish: Once all the scratches and stains are addressed, you can polish the floor. Use a specialized hardwood floor polish or you can rent a buffing machine designed for hardwood floors. Start on a small area of the floor first and judge the results. Keep a light touch as the goal is to evenly distribute the polish across the flooring.
A light touch is important as you do not want to use too much polish or finish. A thin coating will work best as the thicker the polish or finish, the hazier and less clear it will be.
Hardwood Floors Maintenance
The approach to maintain the natural wood refining you have performed will depend on the type of polish or finish you have used. In most cases, the instructions for maintenance will be included. In most cases you can use a mop that is properly wrung out so that the minimal amount of moisture is present.
If you are using spray mops, use only the best kind that offers the most control over the solution that you are applying. The pads should be absorbent enough to soak up any excess moisture. And as a final word, do not employ steam mops as they can cause damage to the wood itself.
Proper natural wood refining to restore the appearance of your flooring may not require extensive work such as sanding. The cleaning & refinishing hardwood floors need may only require a relatively small amount of effort to achieve the results you desire.
Email or call Tilo Martin Painting for more information 310-230-0202.
