Real hardwood is a timelessly beautiful flooring material that can increase the value of your home. But, there are drawbacks to this flooring choice as well. It is fairly easy to scratch and scuff hardwood floors—especially if the hardwood is located in an area of your home with a lot of foot traffic. Many people think the entire floor needs to be replaced when scratches and scuff marks start to appear, but fortunately, that’s not the case. Refinishing hardwood can remove signs of wear and tear and make your floors look brand new again.
Here’s how to restore the beauty of your hardwood floors:
Prep the Room
Start by completely clearing the room of furniture and other belongings. Then, vacuum the floors and window treatments to remove as much dust as possible from the room.
Apply Etching Solution
Pour a liquid etcher solution designed for refinishing hardwood into a paint tray and use a sponge mop with an abrasive pad to apply the solution to the floors. Make sure you are applying pressure to the mop so it firmly scrubs the hardwood. Wipe up any excess solution after you are finished scrubbing the floors, then allow the remaining solution to dry for about 30 minutes.
Neutralize the Solution
Next, combine a gallon of warm water with approximately 2 tablespoons of dishwashing soap. Using a mop with a soft pad, apply this solution onto the hardwood flooring to neutralize the etcher. Be sure to wipe up any excess water so it does not damage your hardwood and then let the floor dry.
Cover the Scratches
The next step is tackling the scratches on your hardwood floors. Use a paintbrush to dab a small amount of hardwood stain on visible scratches, then let the stain completely dry. You can use a handheld hair dryer to speed up the drying process if you’re in a hurry.
Apply the Finish
You will need a clean paint tray, sponge mop, and paintbrush for this final step of the refinishing process. It’s also best to have a partner tackle this final step with you to ensure your floors look perfect.
- Fill the paint tray with a water-based urethane finish, and dip the sponge mop into the tray so it absorbs the finish.
- Apply the finish to the floors using as few strokes as possible.
- Then, have your partner smooth the finish with a paintbrush as quickly as possible. The finish needs to be smoothed out quickly or its texture will change and it will become difficult to manage.
- Continue this process of applying the finish to the floor and smoothing it out until you have covered the entire room. Leave the room and make sure no one walks on the refinished floors until they have completely dried. Wait at least 24 hours before moving furniture back into the room.
This method of refinishing is designed to remove scratches and other blemishes in the finish of your wood floors. If your hardwood has deep scratches that go beyond the layer of finish, you may need to use a sanding machine instead of a liquid etching solution. However, most imperfections on hardwood floors are shallow, meaning they only affect the top layer of finish.
This is not an easy DIY project, but if you have beautiful real hardwood floors in your home it’s worth it to put real love and care into maintaining and restoring them when necessary!