How Can I Restore My Hardwood Floors Cheaply?

It is not wise to replace your hardwood floors upon the slightest damage received by them.

Hardwood floors have to withstand a lot of wear and tear, but with proper care, they can be maintained and restored if necessary, so you won’t have to spend much money replacing them.

The cheapest way to restore your hardwood floors is to refinish them. Refinishing can clean the floor thoroughly and remove the roughed-up layer from the top hence, revealing a newer and fresher look underneath. This is a very affordable method which you can perform without getting professional services or spending too much time or effort.

If you are thinking why you should restore hardwood floors, you can check out this article about the potential risks and damages bouncy floors can cause that will help you make a wise decision.

How To Restore Hardwood Floors Cheaply?

The best way to restore hardwood floors is to either sand them down or use an abrasion kit, next you need to clean the floors and seal them, so their luster is protected from any unwanted interferences.

If you are confused about whether you should go for hardwood floor restoration or not, this article on is it worth to restore hardwood floors will surely help you to make a wise decision.

Below is a step-by-step method on how to restore hardwood floors cheaply:

Sanding Or Abrasion

If you don’t want to sand your hardwood floors, there is another. You can get a chemical abrasion kit from the market which will perform the same task as sanding, but you won’t have to make as much effort.

The kit includes everything required to clean your hardwood floors and remove all the buildup from the past years so they can be restored to their original shine.

Make sure you have someone along with you to lend a hand, as this is a two-person job. Below is the proper procedure for how you’re supposed to clean your floors with the abrasion kit:

• Remove Any furniture or items from the floor and ensure no traffic is expected on the floors for the rest of the day.
• Pour the liquid abrasive on the surface and scrub it with a scrubbing brush. You can also use a towel for this purpose, but it will require additional effort.
• Attach the abrasive pad to the handle of your mop/broom if you are using one. However, wearing gloves and a full-sleeve shirt is compulsory to limit skin exposure to the chemicals.
• Once you are done scrubbing, you must rinse the floor thoroughly with a solution of water and two tbsp dishwashing liquid to remove all the dirt and grime that has been scrubbed off the surface. Use a towel or mop if necessary, but ensure there are as few remnants behind as possible.
• It is a must to wring out the cloth/towel/mop you are using for the rinsing purpose, as too much exposure to water or moisture can dampen your hardwood floors and damage them.
• If there are deep scratches on your hardwood boards, make sure to apply more stain on them and blot it with a rag to allow the color to blend properly. In addition, once the stain has dried, it is now time to coat the surface with a finish which is most probably included in your kit.
• Now that you are done cleaning the floor, use the finish provided in the kit to coat the hardwood floors to protect them from future dangers and rough treatment. However, you must be quick while performing this step as the finish is a fast-drying solution, so you must work along the floor quickly. If you remain slow, you might be able to smoothen out the finish, which might result.
• It would be best to wait before the finish dries as it requires at least 24 hours. Before this time has passed, no object should be placed on the surface, and walking on the floor is strictly prohibited.

While using an abrasion kit is the easiest way, the other method that goes along with sanding is also relatively easy.

The surface of your hardwood floors may have been clogged, and the dirt and grime have crusted on top of it, which you must sand down.

Most of the time, there is a buildup on top of hardwood floors over time which can hide the wood’s grain or meddle with the texture.

However, sanding the surface with a recommended gritter or sandpaper can allow you to bring back the original texture of the wood.

Slow and soft sanding with a gritter or sandpaper that is not too harsh for the surface will be good enough. It is best to start from the farthest end of the room and move your way toward the door.

Moreover, it is also recommended to work your way along the wood grain for the best results and a better appearance.

In addition, once you’ve sanded down your old hardwood floors, dry mop them once to get rid of all the wood shavings and sawdust before you can proceed to the next step.

Also Read: Why Does My Hardwood Floor Shake When I Walk? (Solved)

Cleaning & Drying

Cleaning the hardwood floors after they have been sanded down is extremely important.

While you might have performed a general cleaning routine immediately after the sanding session to remove the sawdust and shavings, it is crucial to deep clean the floors too.

This can prevent further clogging on the pores of your hardwood floors and ensure that no dirt or sawdust is present on the surface, which might prove to be troublesome later on.

You can use various cleaners according to your wood type and grain but also keep in mind if your wood is porous or non-porous.

Some suitable options are Bona, Lysol, and Pine-Sol cleaners which can easily restore the original look of your hardwood floors.

Once you are done with the cleaning phase, it is time to dry the surface, as you don’t want any moisture to be locked in under your sealant.

Besides, excessive moisture can seep in, damage your hardwood boards, and destroy your subflooring structure.

Refinish

Now that we’re done with all the preliminary steps, it is time to perform the final step for restoring your hardwood floors. Select a sealant or a stain for your wood and apply it evenly on the surface.

You can use additional stains on areas with scratches and scuff marks.

Make sure to smoothen out the layer and apply it according to the recommended usage. Once you are done with that, wait for the finish to dry.

The time required to dry depends on the product but usually ranges from 6 to 24 hours. Make sure there is no traffic or movement on the floors during this time.

In addition, if the usage instructions have listed buffing as a necessary procedure, make sure to buff the surface using a buff pad or an electric buffer.

You May Also Like: How Do You Perk Up Old Hardwood Floors: Definitive Guide

How To Restore Hardwood Floors Through Reinstallation?

There are many cases in which the hardwood floors have received damage resulting in lifting, crowning, or other such outcomes.

Disturbances in the subfloor can also cause the hardwood boards to lose grip and become squeaky.

Rather than spending thousands of dollars, you can cheaply restore your hardwood floors by removing the damaged hardwood boards and replacing them with a few new ones.

Moreover, if the boards have just lifted and are not as damaged, you can reinstall the same boards and refinish them for further restoration.

Identify And Mark The Area

Firstly, you need to identify the area which has been damaged on your hardwood floors and look for the boards which show signs of crowning, lifting, buckling, etc.

Don’t miss this guide on will buckled hardwood floors go back to normal.

Once you have identified the area, use chalk or a grease pencil to mark it out. Using a ruler to draw straight lines around the edges is best for better accuracy.

Cut Through The Marked Area

Next, take a circular saw and cut the area you marked. It is preferred to cut along the edges to save yourself a lot of mess and hassle. Below is a suitable method to do so:

• Cut the damaged board along the edges using your marking lines as guidance, and make sure you develop a distance of half an inch from the longboard edges.
• Secondly, you need to cross-cut the center of the area at an angle.
• Repeat the same method for all the boards you need to replace.

Remove The Damaged Boards

After that, you can use a pry bar or a chisel and hammer to remove the damaged board from your flooring panel. A suitable way is to place the chisel at a 45-degree angle against the boards.

Then you can put slight pressure on the hammer until the board emerges. Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure or strike it, as it can also damage the neighboring boards.

Another way to remove the boards is to break the cutting kerfs at the ends. This will allow the chisel to cross-cut directly through the center.

Dry The Subfloor

Now that the subflooring is exposed, you must take care of the extra moisture (if any) and try to soak it up using towels, kitchen rolls, etc.

As mentioned before, you must disinfect, vacuum, and dry the area for the best results. Wait for the surface to dry completely before proceeding to the next step, or the humidity problem will not disappear.

Reinstall The Planks

Firstly you must identify if the removed planks were damaged or not. If they were slightly damaged, you could reuse and refinish them to restore them to their original form.

However, replacing them with new ones is best if they are severely damaged, or they will affect the other boards too.

Replacing the old hardwood planks with the new ones can be tricky as you first need to identify if they were glued, nailed, or screwed.

This is because you must use the same method in most cases for replacement purposes.

If the planks were glued previously, you must scrape the surface to remove remnants of the previous adhesive to apply a new one.

Try to do it by hand and scrape it at an angle to complete the task within time. Besides, it is better to use an up-down motion for the best results.

To place the board into the space you’ve just cleared, you must first cut it to the right dimensions for it to fit.

You can either measure the space where you will place the board or measure the previous board (that you removed) beforehand to get the exact measurements.

Another way is to place it over the area it has to be fitted in and trim it until it fits.

However, this method is messy and inaccurate if you need to be more skilled. Now that the board is cut to the right dimensions, it is time to place it into its place and attach it.

If your hardwood plank was fitted with an adhesive solution, apply it evenly on the board’s surface and the subflooring.

However, if the replacement boards are too many or were fitted with nails primarily, you can use nails.

Place the boards into the right spot and use a farmer to drive the nails inside but make sure you don’t cause splinters in the wood.

It is best to select the right size of nails according to the size of the boards and then thickness. Besides, you can use nailing in combination with gluing for extensive support.

Related: How To Make Hardwood Floors Shine Like They Are Wet?

Keep Pressure On Glued Boards

If you used glue to fix the hardwood plank in place at any point, it is recommended to put some heavy weight on the boards to keep it pressed down.

This will allow the adhesive to work more efficiently and will prevent any air gaps between the subfloor and the hardwood board.

The recommended time is around 45 minutes for the weight to be placed on top as it helps the board to stick evenly from all places.

How To Make Old Hardwood Floors Look Better Without Refinishing?

If you don’t want to refinish your hardwood floors but still want to restore them, try buffing the surface a few times, as it might clear out any trapped moisture and bring back the shiny appearance again.

However, there are a few other ways to counter this problem too:

• Polishing and buffing the floors using a commercial-grade buffer is a reasonable option if your sealant (polyurethane or wax) has been applied for some time and receives constant heavy traffic.
• If your hardwood floors are not sealed, try using a polishing sealant which will not only add a protective coat but also give a shine to the boards, making them appear more attractive and enriching their luster.
• If you have stains or marks on the hardwood floors, try spot-cleaning them with either toothpaste and cloth or a homemade cleaning solution.
• If you want a glossy finish to your hardwood floors, you can use an oil soap to give you the exact finish you want. Murphy’s Oil Soap is a suitable option for this purpose.

How Do I Bring My Old Hardwood Floors Back To Life?

Refinishing old hardwood floors is the most suitable way to bring them back to life.

Refinishing involves cleaning and sanding, which can restore the original luster and remove all the unwanted substances from the surface of your hardwood floors.

How Do You Revive A Wood Floor Without Refinishing It?

Using an abrasion kit is your way-to-go option if you don’t want to get into the hassle of refinishing the floors.

The abrasion kit has all the necessary chemicals to remove the unwanted buildups, clean the surface, polish it, and finish at the end to seal the deal.

You don’t have to go into unwanted steps full of hassle and requiring too much effort. Get an abrasion kit from the market, and you can DIY the restoration project of your hardwood floors.

Final Thoughts

Restoring hardwood floors does not require too much effort or funds. Where your flooring replacement can cost as much as $30k, restoring will only cost you around $2-3k depending on the size of your project.

Affordable restoration is the best way to treat your damaged floors and refinishing or using an abrasion kit are the most suitable options you have to pull off this job.

If you also have ruined hardwood floors, follow the instructions mentioned above and work on their restoration immediately.