Skip to content
Have your hardwood floors seen better days? Scratches from the dog, scuff marks from furniture moving and a couple mystery dents aren’t uncommon. That likely leaves you in the living room asking yourself a question: do I replace my hardwood floors or just refinish them?
The Hamernick’s team has heard about this debate for years. Can we settle it? The simple answer is it depends on your lifestyle, your home, what you’re trying to achieve and most importantly, what you’re willing to live with.
Let’s discuss things a little more.
Setting Realistic Expectations About Hardwood Floors
Let’s start with a simple, but undeniable fact. Hardwood flooring is never going to look perfect. That’s why so many people love it.
For example, when there are hardwood floors in the dining room or kitchen, there are bound to be a few scratches. That’s what living with wood floors is like. Even with their flaws, they will still look amazing. Small imperfections don’t mean you have to replace your floors because these “battle scars” are part of using your home and living your life.
It’s important to shift your mindset. If you think you’ll have pristine, showroom-perfect floors when you have kids and pets, you’re setting yourself up for frustration. Real wood floors in real homes are bound to experience wear and tear. It’s part of their character.
When Refinishing Makes Sense
Refinishing your existing hardwood floors is a great way to breathe new life into what you already have. The process involves sanding down the top layer to remove scratches, stains and wear, then applying new stain and finish coats. This makes your floors look brand new again.
Refinishing is best for floors that are structurally sound, but cosmetically tired. The best time to give your floors a refresh when you have kids and pets is once they’ve grown or moved out of the house. You should also consider it if you’re getting to sell your home or if you want a fresh, renewed look without the expense and disruption of full replacement.
One of the highlights of hardwood flooring is being able to refinish it multiple times over its lifespan. The scratches and nicks don’t have to be permanent. When the timing is right, refinish your floors to bring them back to life.
How do you know if you should refinish your hardwood? Schedule a free assessment with our team and we’ll evaluate your floors and walk you through your options.
When Replacement Makes More Sense
Refinishing isn’t the best choice for everyone. If your floors have extensive damage, structural issues, water damage that warped boards or have been refinished so many times there isn’t enough wood left to sand down again, consider replacement.
When replacing your hardwood flooring, you have to think about whether you’re ready for a complete change. Consider a different wood species, plank width or switching to another flooring material like luxury vinyl plank (LVP) that resembles wood, but is fairly low maintenance.
At Hamernick’s, we don’t pressure you into buying the most expensive option. Instead, we honestly assess your floors to choose what’s realistic for your situation and your budget.
The Hamernick’s Approach: Site-Finish Floors and Expert Installation
Ready to refinish or replace your hardwood flooring? Hamernick’s offers site-finish floors where our team comes out to visit your job site in person. We discuss all your options whether you’re after floors, stairwells or complete room transformations.
We work with a team of trusted subcontractors for specialty installations, but we also have a skilled team of in-house installers who’ve been working with us for years. Either way, you benefit from working with experienced professionals who understand how to install hardwood right.
It All Comes Down to Your Life Right Now
Should you replace or refinish your hardwood flooring? Think about where you are in life. If you have young kids running about or a dog that uses the kitchen as a racetrack, wait a little before refinishing. Your floors will still look fine for a while and you can always refinish them later.
Ready for a fresh start? Turn to Hamernick’s. Are you empty nesters, getting ready to sell or simply want to fall in love with your floors again? Consider refinishing or replacing your wood floors.
Still thinking about what’s best? Visit one of our showrooms in the following locations to check out our premium flooring collection:
or contact us today to learn more!
