As a hardwood flooring company in Colorado Springs, G3 Hardwood Flooring has guided homeowners during the refinishing process to bring new life to their floors. Whether you’ve purchased unfinished wood or want to transform your space, your flooring is one of the grandest statements you can make. However, staining hardwood floors is a complicated process, so you should prepare yourself. Keep on reading to find out the top things to consider when debating whether to stain your floors or not.
What Type Of Hardwood Floors Can Be Refinished?
If you want to change the existing color of your wood floors, you will need to have them refinished. The good news is that you’ll be able to achieve a brand new look without tearing out your existing flooring. The bad news is that not all floors can be refinished.
The refinishing process includes sanding your hardwood floors to remove the existing stain. Your floors need to be at least 2mm thick to sand correctly. Engineered hardwood floors have a 4mm to 6mm wear layer, so you can usually refinish them three to five times. Over its lifetime, a plank of hardwood should be able to be refinished anywhere from 6 to 10 times, depending on the floor’s wear and tear.
If you have an older home built during or before the 1920s, you’ll probably only be able to refinish the floors two to three times because they’ll be much thinner due to the different milling standards. Ensure a flooring expert thoroughly inspects your floors to see if they’re a good candidate for refinishing. If you’ve refinished your floors before and notice that they have deep scratches that need buffing, keep in mind that they may be too thin to refinish again.
What Color Should I Stain My Hardwood Floors?
Choosing a stain for your wood flooring is a big decision. To ensure you select a color that will complement your space, you need to consider the room’s overall theme. For example, if you want your living room to have a more dramatic feel, you should choose a darker stain. However, if you want a room to feel more open, you should consider staining it with a lighter color. In general, stained wood makes a room feel warmer. It’s also good to get inspiration from home magazines and local flooring showrooms.
What Is The Process Of Staining Hardwood Floors?
To achieve the perfect finish, a flooring specialist will complete the following steps when staining your hardwood floors.
- Clean The Floors
- An essential first step to staining wood flooring is to make sure your base is free of debris, and there’s nothing present that would become permanently stuck in the stain.
- Sand The Floors
- If for any reason, your flooring has an uneven spot or there’s a scratch in a plank, your flooring technicians will professionally sand the wood to achieve a flat foundation.
- Spot Test
- In a small area, your hardwood flooring expert will apply the stain you’ve chosen to make sure you like how it looks in your space. If you want to select a different color, your floor expert will remove the stain, and the area will be sanded to remove any color left behind.
- Apply The Stain
- Once your floors are prepped and you’re happy with your stain color selection, the floor expert will apply the stain with a foam applicator.
- Apply The Finish
- Once enough time has passed for the stain to fully dry, it’s time for your flooring expert to apply the finish. Depending on which type of floor finish you want, your flooring technician will apply either an oil-based or water-based finish with a lambswool applicator. Many finishes take up to 24 hours to dry, and multiple coats are needed, so usually, this process takes around 72 hours to complete.
- Enjoy Your Floors
- Once your floors have dried completely, you’re ready to move in your furniture and enjoy your flooring!
G3 Hardwood Flooring Will Expertly Stain Your Wood Floors
Whether your hardwood floors are currently bare wood or you’re completing a home improvement project and want to refinish your flooring, the floor experts at G3 Hardwood Flooring have the tools and knowledge to provide you with the best staining services possible. We invest in high-quality equipment and our employees’ education to make sure you’re happy with your results. To learn more about how we can help you achieve the hardwood floors of your dreams, call our team today!
