It’s Cheaper to Sand and Refinish Hardwood Floors in Englewood, NJ Than Replace or Install New Ones
If your Englewood, New Jersey home has hardwood floors that are starting to show some wear and tear, you may be wondering if it’s best to refinish them or replace them entirely. When considering your options, it’s important to understand the cost differences between refinishing existing hardwoods floors versus ripping them out and installing brand new hardwoods. Here’s a detailed comparison of the costs, processes and benefits of refinishing versus replacing hardwood floors in Englewood and surrounding Bergen County cities like Teaneck, Hackensack, Bogota, Little Ferry, Leonia, Fort Lee, Tenafly, Dumont, Cresskill, Bergenfield, Edgewater, Guttenberg Palisades Park, Cliffside Park, Paramus, Fair Lawn, Lodi, Garfield, Closter, Hasbrouck Heights, New Milford, Maywood and Englewood Cliffs.
The Cost Factor – Why Refinishing is Much Cheaper When evaluating hardwood flooring refinishing versus replacement in terms of cost, refinishing existing floorboards clearly comes out significantly cheaper in most cases. Here’s a breakdown of typical costs in the Englewood area:
Sanding and Refinishing Existing Hardwoods:
- Only the top layers of the wood need to be sanded down to reveal fresh wood underneath. Stain, sealants and protective coats of polyurethane can then be added on top.
- Costs range from approximately $3 to $5 per square foot depending on the exact size of the space receiving treatment.
Full Replacement of Hardwood Floors:
- Existing hardwood floorboards must be removed and disposed of properly. This tends to be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.
- New hardwood planks have to be purchased and then installed. A basic solid oak option costs $6 to $12 per square foot including professional installation.
Brand New Hardwood Floor Installation:
- An installer has to put in new hardwood flooring over your subfloor from scratch.
- On top of the wood itself, expect to pay around $4 to $7 per square foot for installation labor.
As you can see, refinishing avoids the significantly higher material and construction costs associated with full hardwood floor replacement or brand new installations. The cost savings typically amount to approximately 30% to 50% over ripping out old flooring and putting in new wood.
When to Refinish Versus Replace Your Englewood Hardwood Floors
Generally speaking, refinishing hardwood floors is the cheaper route in Englewood as long as enough wood remains to sand down and treat. If your existing floorboards have previously been refinished multiple times and are extremely thin, replacement may be the only option. Here are some good guidelines for when to refinish versus replace hardwood flooring in your Bergen County home:
Good Candidates for Refinishing:
- Hardwood has only been refinished once or twice before
- You have 3/4 inch thick solid hardwood floorboards
- Floors are in good structural condition without cupping or warping
- Surface flaws like pet stains or scratches exist but boards are salvageable
Better to Replace Your Flooring:
- Existing boards are less than 1/2 thick from past aggressive sanding
- Floors squeak excessively or have other structural issues
- Significant surface damage making most boards unsalvageable
- You want to change wood type (oak to maple) or width (3 inch to 5 inch)
The Refinishing Process Step-By-Step
If refinishing your existing Englewood hardwood floors makes sense, here is an overview of the process:
- Preparation Work: The floor refinishing crew will detach and remove any floor trim, appliances, electronics or furniture from the workspace. Baseboards will be protected with tape and drop cloths laid down.
- Deep Cleaning: Your floorboards will get degreased using dilution machines that force water & cleaning agents into the grain. This lifts up grime and prepares the surface.
- Sand Away Top Layers: Specialized sanding equipment with coarse to fine paper gradually abrades away top layers with scuffs, stains and sealants. This continues until fresh, flaw-free wood is hit.
- Damage Repair: Localized boards with deeper flaws, pet stains or nicks may get manually patched and evened out through additional sanding. Knots and holes get filled.
- Staining: If desired, water-based stains add color tinting to complement your décor. Floors then dry completely.
- Seal & Protect: After staining, 2-3 coats of high grip polyurethane sealant get rolled on to protect the wood grain. This adds sheen while enabling easy cleaning.
Why Refinishing is Greener and More Sustainable From an environmental standpoint, reusing your existing hardwood materials is much more sustainable than ripping them out and manufacturing brand new floorboards. Refinishing preserves quality wood that has many years of life left with proper care and maintenance. The process also creates very little demolition waste for landfills compared to full replacements. If you care about running your Englewood home in an eco-friendly manner, refinishing your floors is the greener choice.
Protect Your Investment with Regular Hardwood Floor Care
Whether you refinish your existing floors or opt for brand new hardwoods, be sure to care for them properly to get the longest lifespan possible out of quality wood flooring. Simple habits like sweeping regularly, adding protective rugs in high traffic areas, wiping up spills quickly, keeping humidity controlled and avoiding abrasive cleaners can pay off tremendously by keeping refinished or new floors looking beautiful for years to come. Consider adding quarterly or biannual protective treatments to boost shine and durability as needed.
Refinish, Replace or Install? Consult Bergen County’s Top Hardwood Flooring Pros!
If deciding between refinishing versus replacing the hardwood floors in your Englewood, NJ home seems complicated, the flooring specialists at Bergen County Floor Refinishing have the expertise to walk you through the best option. Give their team a call at (551) 866-7503 for a free quote on restoring your existing floorboards or installing brand new hardwoods entirely. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail have kept customers across towns like Teaneck, Hackensack, Bogota, Little Ferry and more very happy. Get in touch today! www.a1refinishfloorspaintings.com
