The decision whether to restore or replace wood flooring is a dilemma faced by many house owners and homebuyers. When you’re looking at a floor and you’re no longer happy with what you see, the initial temptation is to rip it up and start again. But is this always the best way forward?
If the existing floor is in good condition and of good quality, there is definitely an argument for restoring it. That said, a good end result requires patience, and time, or money. There are essentially four main steps to restoring a wooden floor: preparation, sanding, staining (optional) and finishing. Each of these steps takes time, can be intrusive if you’re living in the house and, if not done properly can result in a disappointing outcome. If you have the budget to hire a professional, then the results should be pretty much guaranteed and the disruption minimised, but it’s well worth factoring these things into your decision-making process nonetheless.
All of that said, there is no getting away from the fact that if your existing floor is made up of, for example, narrow boards and you want wide, however good your restoration is, you’re not going to be happy with the result. If you want to fundamentally change the style of your flooring, there is little doubt that replacing your wood flooring is the way to go. With increased competition in the wooden floor market, you’re likely to be somewhat surprised at the prices on offer for new flooring. Add to this, the fact that new flooring comes with a guarantee and you can choose exactly what you want, and this option becomes particularly appealing.
First, you should start by pricing up the cost of restoration and the cost of replacement. Whether you budget for your dream floor when you look at the replacement cost or your calculate the price of a floor you’d be proud to own is up to you, but keep it realistic, otherwise the exercise is futile.
Don’t forget to include the cost of fitting; even if you’re planning a DIY installation, there will be costs involved.
When you calculate the cost of renovation, remember again, even if you plan to do it on a DIY basis you’ll need to buy or hire equipment, buy materials and there’s the time element to take into account. Don’t trick yourself into thinking that a DIY floor renovation comes free!
Once you’ve established the true (and realistic) price of each option, you need to sit back and critically look at the floor you have, and imagine the new floor. These true price differentials will help you decide which way to go.
Also, don’t forget, that if you decide to go the new flooring route, it may well be that you can sell your old floor. Reclaimed wood flooring is very popular and, just because you don’t like it, it doesn’t mean that someone else won’t snap it up!