Refinish or Replace? – A Complete Guide to Refreshing Old Wood Floors

When floors are worn, dated, or no longer suit your taste, should you tear them out or refinish them? It's a key question.

• Option A: Sanding & Refinishing (Solid Wood ONLY!)

  • Requirements: Solid wood with sufficient thickness remaining (typically 1-2mm can be sanded off). Not feasible if sanded too many times before (nearly down to the tongue).

  • Process: Pros use large sanders to remove old finish and a thin wood layer, then apply new stain/sealer (lacquer or oil).

  • Pros: Costs significantly less than replacement; Can dramatically change color; Extends floor life; Eco-friendly.

  • Cons: Extremely dusty process, requires complete room clearing/containment; Cannot change the original layout (e.g., narrow strips can't become wide planks).

  • Ideal When: The wood itself is good, just the surface is worn or the color outdated.

• Option B: Floating a New Floor Over the Old

  • Requirements: Existing floor is relatively level, not severely warped. Door clearances are sufficient.

  • Process: Install a floating floor (like SPC or click-lock laminate/engineered) directly over the old floor (wood, tile, etc.).

  • Pros: Fastest, easiest option, avoids the huge mess/cost of demo.

  • Cons: Reduces ceiling height (~1-1.5cm); Doors likely need trimming.

  • Ideal When: Prioritizing speed and convenience, and ceiling height allows.

• Option C: Spot Repair/Replacement

  • Requirements: Only a small area is damaged (e.g., water spot, deep dent).

  • Process: Carefully remove damaged boards. Replace with spare boards saved from installation or boards taken from hidden areas (under furniture). Color matching is challenging due to aging/UV exposure.

  • Ideal When: Small, isolated damage and spare boards are available.

• Option D: Complete Removal & Replacement

  • Requirements: Floor is severely damaged (e.g., widespread water warping); It's poor quality/unstable; You want a completely different material/pattern.

  • Process: Demo old floor → Prep subfloor → Possibly re-level → Install new floor.

  • Pros: Most permanent solution. Complete freedom of choice.

  • Cons: Most expensive option, most disruptive, most time-consuming.

  • Ideal When: Budget allows, you want the best possible result, or other options are unsuitable.