When the floor has served its time, it costs much less to restore it than to install a new parquet. But before starting sanding and varnishing, how can you be sure that it’s time to renovate your hardwood floor? Here are 5 unmistakable signs.
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1) The floor is worn
When the parquet is very worn and shows significant signs of wear, polishing or waxing it makes no difference and it’s no longer possible to restore it to a better appearance. It’s then necessary to consider deep maintenance with floor sanding that will give a second youth to the hardwood parquet. Even for experienced DIYers, it’s strongly recommended to call a professional to perform this very technical operation which consists of stripping the wood bare and polishing it so that it can then be varnished.
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2) The parquet shows scratches and dents
If the hardwood floor has fine scratches left by furniture dragged on the ground or superficial nicks, it’s possible to conceal them using a special product. For deeper marks, there are wax touch-up sticks that allow you to mask the nick by filling it with wax of the same shade as the wood. Regarding the deep traces left by falling objects, the treatment is quite different: place a cloth over the dent then apply a hot iron without steam, so that the heat expands the pores of the wood. However, the more numerous and deep the scratches and nicks are, the more it indicates that you need to consider fully restoring your floor.
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3) The floor loses its shine
Repeated foot traffic on the hardwood floor dulls it and stains appear as time passes. And if waxing or polishing can’t restore its shine, it means that the floor is too tired and it’s high time to proceed with stripping the layers of varnish or wax. Then, applying a new varnish will restore the floor’s shine and extend its lifespan.
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4) The parquet has undergone significant discoloration
When the floor shows significant discoloration, the possible treatment depends on the nature of the wood. Oil staining allows you to restore the color of the discolored area provided that the parquet is not made of softwood like pine or larch. Otherwise, there are only two alternative solutions: wait for the sun to naturally brown the area over time or have your floor sanded to regain a uniform shade across the entire room.
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5) The floor has broken boards or deformations
While the solution for broken boards is to replace them, deformations can be treated in two ways depending on their severity: either they are local and it’s enough to change a few boards to solve the problem, or the deformations are spread over a larger area, creating structural problems and causing nails to protrude. In this case, there is no other choice but to completely replace the parquet.
Despite regular maintenance and care given to the hardwood floor, it inevitably wears out over time, and there comes a moment when you have no choice but to carry out a thorough restoration of your parquet. It is therefore necessary to detect the signs that indicate when it’s time to renovate your floor, because waiting too long can make renovation impossible and lead to the obligation of completely replacing the floor.
