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Re-Finish or Re-Seal Hardwood Floors ?

In the 50's and 60's, Hardwood flooring was the standard 
flooring option. Since that time, many wood floors have 
been covered with carpet. Now, many homeowners wish to pull 
their carpet up and re-expose their beautiful Hardwood 
floors. While homeowners frequently find their Hardwood 
floors to be in great shape, they are often dull.  
To refresh Hardwood floors, you can either Re-Seal or 
Re-Finish them. Most homeowners are relieved to hear they 
need only Re-Seal their floors. Re-Sealing Harwood floors 
is 1/3rd of the cost, and 1/3rd of the mess, less than 
Re-Finishing Harwood floors.  
To Re-Finish Hardwood flooring, a "drum sander" is used 
to sand the wood down as necessary in order to remove all 
scratches and imperfections from the wood.  
When Re-Sealing Hardwood flooring, CFR will use a 
buffing machine and screen to roughen the surface of the 
floor. This is necessary to remove topical issues such as 
dried paint or minor scratching in the existing finish. 
The easiest way to determine which method is best for 
your floors is straightfoward. If the floors have deep 
scratches and gouges, or you wish to change the stain 
color, you will need to Re-finish the flooring. If the 
floors, however, are simply dull and have typical wear, you 
will have the option to Re-Seal the flooring. With either 
process, you can choose the sheen finish.  
While CFR does not offer Re-Finish work, there are many 
Hardwood floor companies that are qualified for Re-Finish 
work.  
CFR does offer Re-Seal work. A Re-Seal makes old floors 
look great again and is an investment, especially if the  
house is on the market. Floors typically need Re-Sealing 
every 5-7 years depending on traffic. If the floors are 
starting to "gray", they are at a dangerous place. Graying 
is the first sign that moisture is getting into the wood. 
In this case, I strongly recommend having the floors 
Re-Sealed.  
I hope this information is helpful. As always, send an 
email, or call, with any questions you may have. I am happy 
to help you decide which process is best for your specific 
flooring situation. 
 
Lenny/