Without help, hardwood floors won’t stay shiny and spotless forever. They need maintenance and care to maintain their condition. If regularly restored, hardwood floors’ beauty and durability can last for generations. So, keep a team of expert floor restoration specialists on call for the moments when servicing becomes necessary.
Virginia Top Floors is the best hardwood flooring service provider in Fairfax Station, Virginia. Our clients have lauded us for our top-quality workmanship in hardwood installation, refinishing, and quality screening and recoating services. We use the best stains and finishes as well as premium quality woods for our customers’ flooring. If you have problems with your hardwood’s appearance, or you want to add hardwood to your home’s design, contact Virginia Top Floors.
Below, we discuss the signs that your floor needs screening and recoating:
What is Screening & Recoating?
Also known as “buffing,” screening involves sanding hardwood floors. The process removes a thin layer of polyurethane, which covers the hardwood to protect it from stains and scratches.
After screening, floor restoration specialists then perform a recoating–essentially replacing the sanded polyurethane with a new coat. Doing so gives your floors a “newly-installed” appearance and renews the protective layer that prevents the actual floor from expensive damage.
While it has similarities and differences to sanding and refinishing, screening and recoating entail a lighter touch. It’s also a faster process, requiring only a day or two depending on the flooring’s total square footage and amount if coats desired.
Floor Requirements for Screening & Recoating
For screening and recoating to be successful, certain criteria has to be met in order for the new coat of finish to adhere properly:
- That the floors are solid wood (engineered floors may have Aluminum Oxide, which will prevent the new finish to stick)
- That they had been sanded at least once or finished in place
- That the floors have never been cleaned with an oil-based cleaner (like Murphy’s Oil, Orange Glo, etc.)
- That the floors have never been waxed
Signs That Your Hardwood Needs a Screening & Recoating
Minor Visible Scratches & Dents
Among the first signs that your hardwood floors need a screening and recoating service is the appearance of scuff marks and scratches across them. Your floor accrues marks and blemishes over time due to daily wear and tear. Dragging furniture, claw marks from pets, and heavy foot traffic create visible marks on your hardwood.
Fortunately, some scratches are only deep enough to affect the polyurethane coat, then all that needs to be done is hire a floor restoration professional to screen off the topmost layer and place a new coat on top.
Loss of Gloss
Another sign that your hardwood floors need a new layer of coating is when you notice it has lost the shine it once had when it was first installed. The lack of shine also indicates that the top layer of polyurethane coating has begun to wear out, which means it is less likely to provide proper protection from deeper scrapes and scuffs.
Thus, when you notice less of a visible sheen from your hardwood floors, remember to find and have a floor restoration service at hand to call so you can get a screening and recoating service sooner than later.
Virginia Top Floors: Revitalizing Floor Restoration in Fairfax Station, Virginia
Overall, the most important piece of advice is to be mindful and remember that your hardwood needs to be consistently taken care of. If you’re not sure what your hardwood needs, consider calling on a floor restoration expert from Virginia Top Floors. Our professionals will be able to inspect precisely what your floor needs, as well as take care of any changes you want to see in them, whether it is a fresh screening and recoating service or a new color of staining. Contact us at (703) 537-9699 to learn more about our services and get a free estimate today!
