How to Make Your Wood Floors Look Brand New Again

Hardwood flooring is a big plus to any home, as wood is durable and, in a perfect world, lasts for generations. Thanks to all the wear and tear we put them through, however, there are many ways for hardwood flooring to dull, scratch, scuff, and otherwise become damaged over time. Here are seven ways to make hardwood floors look new again.

1. Keep It Clean

Keeping your hardwood floor clean—like, really clean—helps bring back some of that original shine and sparkle. To get started, here are some tips for how to care for hardwood floors.

• Sweep regularly: Ideally, you would do this with any flooring. This step is especially important with hardwood, as specks of debris eventually scratch or scuff the wood. 

• Mop with care: Do not use a regular mop and water. Protect your hardwood flooring by using a microfiber mop or, even better, a steam mop specifically designed for wood. Avoid spilling large amounts of water on the wood, opting for dampness instead.  

• Avoid harsh products: Strong detergents, vinegar-based cleaning solutions, and other abrasive products should be avoided. Clean hardwood flooring with steam, a small amount of water, or a cleaning agent purpose-made for hardwood. Mild, pH-neutral soaps also work. Be gentle.

• Remove gunk: Scrape off hardened mounds of dirt with warm water and a putty knife.

2. Avoid Accidental Damage 

The best offense is occasional defense. Avoiding accidental damage is a sure-fire way to keep wood floors looking new. Here are some ways to do that. 

• Pay attention to pets: Copious amounts of pet hair and, of course, sharp claws cause damage to your valuable hardwood. Regularly vacuum up dander and fur and clip your furry friends’ nails regularly. 

• Use protective rugs and mats: Place these in various places around the hardwood, particularly underneath heavy furniture items. This precaution helps prevent scuffs and scratches. 

• Use felt pads: Place these under heavy furniture items and beneath trays holding potted plants. When moving furniture on the hardwood, always use a dedicated furniture slider. 

• Take off your shoes: Make visitors leave their shoes at the door. Nothing damages hardwood like the tip of a high heel. 

• Remember, you cannot predict everything: Accidents will happen—and that is where the rest of these tips come in handy.

3. Polish and Buff the Wood

Like a good manicure, regular buffing and polishing will keep your hardwood floor shiny and healthy. It is a great way to restore hardwood floors.

• For polishing: Start in the corner of the room and pour an S-shaped amount of floor polish right onto the wood floor. Use a flat-surface mop and go back and forth along the wood grain. Work on small patches at a time until finished. 

• For buffing: Start by hand and only consider an electric buffing machine for large and significantly worn pieces of wood. Start by rubbing brass wool over any damaged areas until the scratches or dings level out. Next, polish the area using the above method. Finish with a buffing pad to make the floor nice and shiny. 

4. Remove Dried Paint 

A fresh coat of lilac paint may help pull together a room, but this process is risky for hardwood, thanks to the myriad of paint dots making their way down to the floor. Remove this dried paint by following this simple procedure. 

• Gather these supplies: a vacuum with a detail brush, a sturdy scraper, and a scratch cover solution.

• Start by vacuuming up any dirt and dust from the affected area. 

• Use the scraper and apply moderate pressure to the floor as you approach the walls. Go slowly and gently to scrape away paint flecks. 

• Use the vacuum’s detail brush to apply gentle pressure to remove any loosened flecks. 

• Repeat these steps and go around the entire wall to remove all of the dried paint. 

• Once finished, apply the scratch cover formula to any worn areas on the bottom of the wall near the edge of the hardwood planks. 

5. Use a Rejuvenating Product

Try a simple hardwood rejuvenator before opting for a full hardwood refinishing. These mixtures are sometimes called revitalizers or wood restorers and are available at hardware stores. 

• These products react favorably to hardwood sealed with polyurethane. This is the case with most, but test the solution in an out-of-the-way corner just in case. 

• Move furniture and anything else of the way before starting the application process.

• Use a mop to spread the revitalizer on the hardwood floor. Do not use too much and, when in doubt, consult the instructions. 

• Wait an hour for the solution to dry before moving furniture back into place.

6. Refinish the Floor

Refinishing your hardwood floor may be necessary to restore hardwood floors. It is a multi-pronged process involving sanding, staining, and applying multiple coats of sealant (typically polyurethane.) This is an extremely time-intensive project for amateurs, so consider consulting with a local hardwood refinishing company to discuss your individual needs and to learn the cost to refinish hardwood floors. Not all hardwood refinishing projects demand sanding, for instance, as wood boards only survive six to eight sandings in a lifetime, depending on thickness. 

Professional hardwood flooring installation cost ranges from $1,000 to $2,500, and this investment can help keep it looking great for years to come. 

Avoid refinishing during the colder months, as wood contracts during the winter and expands during spring and summer. Also, take your time choosing a stain and finish. Dark stains, for instance, make it harder to hide dirt.

7. Repair Chips, Dents, and Deep Scratches 

Not even refinishing magically removes chips and deeper-than-average scratches. For these issues, you will need to use some more intensive procedures to make wood floors look new again.

• Wood filler and wood putty are great products for filling in deep scratches and obvious chips. Purchase a product that matches your wood color and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

• For dents, use a simple clothing iron. Place a drop or two of water on the dent, heat the iron to a moderate setting, and press gently on the water, allowing the steam to swell the wood and flatten the dent. 

Do You Need to Replace Your Hardwood Floors? 

In rare cases, damaged hardwood is not salvageable. In those instances, hire a local flooring pro and have them install brand new hardwood wherever necessary. You may need a complete overhaul throughout your home or just a plank or two. A pro will assess the damage and let you know the proper course of action.

New hardwood flooring costs $6 to $12 per square foot, on average, though this price fluctuates according to wood type, design options, size, material availability, and more.

It is important to know what to look for to determine if hardwood floors should be repaired or replaced. Typically, if you have repaired or refinished wood floors a handful of times, it has likely reached its limit. Other signs that you should replace vs. repair wood floor include:

• Water damage

• Rotted floorboards

• Older than its useful life, according to the manufacturer

• Damaged subfloor

• Sizeable gaps or movement in the floor

• More than 30% of the floor has damage

• Exposed nails or planks

DIY Hardwood Floor Repair vs. Hiring a Pro 

Whether you should hire a pro for hardwood floor repair or DIY the project depends on the extent of the damage. If you are replacing just a few planks or filling a scratch or two, it makes sense to tackle the project yourself. With some basic materials and a couple of hours, you can have your floor looking brand new again.

If, however, the damage is extensive or you decide it is time to replace your floors rather than repair them, that job may be best left to the pros. This is especially true if you want to refinish the floor. Professionals can offer dustless refinishing, which you will appreciate when the rest of your house does not fill up with dust, and they know how to sand properly to extend the life of your floor.