Restoring your Hardwood Floors
by Joey Pebble

Description: Old, tired hardwood floors can have a whole new look if you take the time to refinish them. Here's how!
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Hardwood floors can make almost any living space look classic and elegant. Decorate them with a throw rug or area rug, and you can manage this timeless look without freezing your feet in the winter. But what do you do when your floors are scratched and scuffed? Before you decide to carpet them over, take a few minutes to read about restoring your faded flooring - without paying a professional big bucks to do so.

Before you can refinish a floor, it will have to be thoroughly re-sanded to remove old finish, scratch marks, and scars in the wood. Commercial sanders can be rented from many hardware and home improvement stores. Although the process is still labor-intensive, modern sanders are much easier to use and manage.

After you've sanded the floor thoroughly, wipe it with a damp cloth to remove any sawdust and allow the floor to dry thoroughly. Then, choose the finish that works best for your color and design scheme.

Sometimes, finding the right finish can be somewhat challenging. The best water-based flooring finishes aren't usually available to consumers. Manufacturers cite the hazards involved in using these chemical products, as well as the difficulty of mixing the finish properly, in their refusal to sell to anyone except flooring specialists.

Other finishes that contain a combination of water and polyurethane are much more easily available. Look for one that advertises a low odor. In addition, select a finish that can be recoated as soon as it dries; if you can apply a second coat of finish within 24 hours of the first coat, you won't have to sand between coats.

Once you've refinished the floor, you will want to work to keep it in good condition. Sweeping the floor regularly will help to maintain the life of the finish. Dirt and other particles can abrade the finish over time if not regularly removed.

When cleaning the floor, gently mop it with a damp rag. Using cleaning chemicals will cause the finish to break down faster. After cleaning the floor, apply a light coat of lemon oil or other type of wood wax with a damp cloth. If you have pets or small children, keep them in mind when choosing a non-toxic oil for application.

Do this by applying the oil to the cloth, and rub the cloth gently across the wood surface.

After you have applied the oil to the surface, wait two hours, and then, using a clean dry cloth, remove any excess oil. Be sure to change cloths frequently, to avoid building up a residue of excess oil on the cloth.

After you have finished applying the oil and removing it, wipe it once more with a damp cloth and allow it to dry thoroughly. Remember, too, that while waxing a floor can yield a very highly polished look, the surface can become very slippery and dangerous for walking. Settle instead for that soft glow of a properly oiled wood floor, and maintain that balance between appearance and safety.

This article was provided on behalf of PebbleZ - The Rustic Stone Home Décor Store, and was written by artist, designer, and style philosopher Joey Pebble.

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