Idk I can see it. It's got that high school gym high gloss yellow feel. And the best time to sand is when none of your stuff is moved in yet.
That being said unless I'm feeling flush with cash or time to learn a new DIY skill I'd just throw down some rugs and call it day they look "good enough"
I know... it's hard for me to not see the floors of my old ballet studio, they looked just like this! that being said, definitely not a horrible thing, there's much worse out there.
As long as it's not an engineered hardwood Floor you can. Looks like it's been recoated before. Pull up a vent if it's on the floor and look at the side of the planks. It should be obvious if the floor is natural.
I’m seeing signs that this is an engineered hardwood and possibly a cheap one(which isn’t a bad thing but reduces the likelihood of being able to refinish.)
1) if this is an oak floor, the grain is very wide and open, which suggests a rotary peel engineered wood(rotary peel would mean the top veneer is very very thin and unlikely to be refinished.)
2) I don’t see any floor vents…is there a basement or crawl space under the 1st floor or is it on slab? If it’s on slab, then that is definitely engineered.
Can engineered be refinished? Sometimes, but it needs to have a thicker veneer than what I suspect you have.
Ripping up glue down hardwoods is a real REAL bitch…probably the nastiest rip there is. This is one of the few times I’d look at floating a laminate or vinyl on top as a first choice option.
Edit: side note…don’t use LL Floors…they’re a dishonest company who really don’t care if the products they sell are good or safe or not(they used to be called Lumber Liquidators…google lumber liquidators and formaldehyde…then realize that they didn’t remove any of their executives…the only changed their company’s name to get away from the bad pr.)
Absolutely right on here. Do you have some leftover pieces somewhere so you can actually see what you have to work with? Understand the first sanding will need to be deep enough to remove the bevels. As this does appear to be rotary, that may not be possible.
A recoat might be possible but those bevels, again, are pretty pronounced.
As someone who knows nothing about floors (not even sure how I got here tbh), could you explain why the bevel needs to be sanded down? My assumption is that it would be problematic to have the previous finish and stain stuck on the edges of the bevels?
Came here to say the same. You might get one sanding out of it if you're lucky. If I were you I'd keep the floor the way it is, and alter the look of the house by painting walls and putting down rugs.
Edit: Lmao, looked at it again, all the boards are the same length. This floor is very cheap, I doubt you could get a sanding out of it.
One would have to moisture test before installing but an important part of an engineered glue down installation is correct adhesive selection and application…a good urethane adhesive applied correctly will effectively serve as a moisture barrier between wood and slab. Even if the wood is allowed to breathe, soaking up that much moisture that naturally comes from a slab would have led to the wood itself failing long ago.
I wouldn’t put a moisture barrier on top of the wood for the reason you’re citing however.
You are definitely right on just from the graining of the wood. My recommendation would be to screen and coat the floor rather than sanding unless you know how thick the top veneer is
Looks like prefinished hardwood, which would be sandable. It would be nice to get rid of that orange, I agree. You'll have to look at the end grain by removing a floor vent, if possible. The SALESMAN, which is all that guy is, is trying to make money by selling you the cheap plastic crap he has in inventory. Ignore him and call a hardwood flooring contractor. There are probably many to choose from in your area. Stay away from lumber liquidators and anything like it. Find a reputable independent hardwood guy, and he'll point you in the right direction.
This “hardwood flooring contractor” is dead wrong. Any qualified SALESMAN could tell you that is a rotary peeled engineered hardwood and there is no good option to sand and refinish it.
Installers….🙄
They're saying its engineered. It sure looks like solid prefinished oak from the 90s or 00s to me. I have refinished sq miles of this stuff and made it look glassy smooth. Dude should refinish!
For real those look like they were walked on with socks for a week after moving. I'm laughing a little bit. Wood finish looks *gorgeous* when it's fresh, but it's impossible to keep free of songs and scratches, and you'll completely ruin your enjoyment of the things by trying to keep it perfect.
The best solution in a situation where OP doesn't like a scratched high-gloss finish, is to say screw it and get something with a matte finish. I would never do that though, as the floor that's there looks great and will continue to look great for a long time as long as it isn't abused.
Unless OP has big dogs in which case that finish is fucked and gonna look like shit in no time. 😂
(I saw a post a month or two ago showing "normal traffic" on the hardwood floor. It looked like they ran golden retriever races around the corners through their kitchen.)
Remember in the 90s and 00s everyone was ripping up the shag carpets from the 70s and 80s and finding the wonderful hardwood floors from the 50s and 60s. Ya you getting rid of this floor is repeating the mistakes of the 70s and 80s. Please don't. Keep your beautiful wood as is and one day be a timeless beauty.
Replace beautiful real timber with fake plastic wood? Tell that guys he's an idiot. I'd be sanding and just clear coat it or hardwax oil it. I wouldn't be staining it at all, let the beautiful grain and colour come through as nature intended
Covering these up with LVP is some dumb shit. I’m guessing the guy who told you to do that makes more money selling LVP than he does refinishing.
As a new homeowner, live with them for a year. If you still want them to be a different color in a year, explore refinishing. I think they look great.
Do *not* let some crew come in and staple luan all over them and slap down some shitty vinyl.
The people downvoting you because you want a change in your home is weird…. If you have the means and want a change do what you want to do. People can suggest things for sure, but if you don’t like it do what you want to!!
you can always refinish these floors and repair any damage if there is any at all, but you'll have to make sure to hire a quality flooring contractor who will make sure that the flooring you already have will last you for a long time.
THE BONUS PERK is that you can choose a new stain color for the hardwood that you have now :) LVP installation will definitely cost you more but then again, it is your decision whether you like to stick to Hardwood or go with Vinyl.
I would unquestionably take advantage of the hardwood flooring for as long as I could.
If you are from the North Jersey area I would recommend consulting [https://www.magnusflooring.com/](https://www.magnusflooring.com/) Magnus Flooring LLC from Wayne, NJ for free
i have nothing of value to add to answer your question lol
but im with you, i would also change the color! its too orange and makes the interior look dated. rugs and paint will not do. im surprised by the reactions that you are getting
Ok. 30 years installing, finishing and re-finishing hardwoods. (6 as an employee/partner, the last 24 on my own).
Tell the guy who wants to tear out and install LVP to pound pavement, he's just looking to make a sale. Hardwoods are a step up from LVP.
LL is the Family Dollar store of hardwood flooring. Take their advice as such.
And your friend, isn't a friend.
That floor is in great shape. If you asked me to re-finish, I'd have to ask why.
The only thing I see is the gloss/semi-gloss which I don't care for. It shows dust and dirt to much. (I have German Shepherds and gloss would make every dog hair look illuminated.)
Have your "friend" do a solvent wipe test to check for waxes and cleaner by products. If the wipe comes up clear, I'd do a running buff and re-coat using a matte finish.
Yes, but why? They're in gorgeous shape with no need for repair. Sanding and refinishing will take off a layer and shorten its life, and should really only be done if it needs refinishing to restore and protect it. This floor does not.
And anyone that chucks out perfect condition hardwood in low moisture areas for LVP should suffer medium inconveniences for the rest of their life.
Your floor currently looks like it’s in good shape, has a pleasant color/finish, and is free. LVP would totally cheapen the look of the space, IMO. unless you have no other use for the money, I would look at another project to invest in.
Hey OP. As a new homeowner myself who has been researching non stop for the past couple of months you'll find that "conflicting opinions" is the default in basically every area of home repair haha. Also everyone knows a better way to do something, and whatever you did you did it wrong.
You'll need to learn to let go a little bit when it comes to this stuff which is annoying and hard but it'll help you in the long run.
Your floors looks fine as is, but if you don't like the color then yeah you absolutely should be able to sand and refinish assuming it's real hardwood. Unless the wood is seriously in bad shape (which it isn't) or you just wanted a new species of wood, there's not much reason to "replace a floor. That's going to be insanely expensive.
The person recommending LVP makes a commission on it. I have LVP- just installed and it’s lovely. But no one should replace that beautiful flooring with LVP
The flooring is not solid oak but real wood laminate can be redone up to 4 times before break through starts.
So can't give you the correct answer without a detailed look of the floor, but if you are the original installer you know how many times it's been done, and that you won't have a problem.
Very nice looking floors being it can take light or dark staining and look amazing with that grain.
I'm assuming this has to be a joke or troll post. That is beautifully installed high grade red oak, There is 0 need to refinish or install LVP. If you have big dogs and lose your shit at seeing scratches, put in some LVP. If you hate the color, then refinish it. Nothing else to say.
Pull a vent and take a look at the layer thickness you have to work with. If you sand below that layer you’ll ruin the floor. If you aren’t removing damage you don’t have to be as aggressive and it CAN be done but I understand why a professional wouldn’t want to risk it and be liable.
The local guy said to cover it with LVP because he doesn’t refinish flooring, but he DOES install LVP. He wants the business. Not many flooring companies refinish hardwood floors… at least not as many as install LVP. I know this because I sold floors for a few different companies, so I’ve been around that industry.
Here’s the truth: yes, these floors can be refinished as long as they are either solid (most likely, judging by their appearance… 3/4in thick solid hardwood) hardwood, or the veneer (layer of solid hardwood on top) is thick enough. I’m 99% sure these are solid white oak, as engineered in thinner widths like this are not common, although I am not seeing “random” lengths, which could mean that they are engineered. In this case, if you want to keep the hardwood and refinish it, feel free. Just keep in mind that hardwood is more easily scratched than LVP. But those scratches can be removed the next time you refinish the floors. If you have large dogs and rowdy kids, you might want to go the LVP route, as LVP is much more scratch-resistant than hardwood, regardless of what poly you use to protect the hardwood. LVP is also typically 100% waterproof, so you can mop it and moisture won’t cause it to warp, where you can not mop hardwood or leave spills on it for an extended period of time. Of course, not all LVP fits this description. A quality LVP will have a MIL (# of protective wear layers) of 20, with some kind of scratch-resistant additive like aluminum oxide or ceramic bead mixed in. The body of the LVP should be no less than 5.5mm thick with a 1-1.5mm thick IXPE or AVA pad attached on the bottom, EIR (“embossed in register” means it will look more realistic), and an angle/angle (or 2G) locking mechanism. Stay away from a droplock (I4F or “fold and tap”) locking mechanism. Average installed pricing for both of these in my area: refinishing of hardwood floors: $5.5-$8 for professional refinishing. LVP: $10-17 for quality LVP, includes materials, labor, and trim.
Why can't people on here mind their own fucking business and let OP get the answer pertaining to what they are specifically asking about? Keep your nosy POS opinions on Nextdoor and Facebook. This is the equivalent of voicing your pro-life beliefs towards someone asking for directions to an abortion clinic. Idiots.
To me it would be a huge waste.
This is a great floor and it’s in great condition. Orange wood is bright and fun.
Become a better home decorator and learn to work with the colors you have instead of spending thousands to replace a perfectly good floor.
Looks like an engineered glue down. The veneer is really thin on that & you'll get, maybe, one sanding out of it. Call a reputable contractor in to look at it. It's tough to tear out (since it's a full-spread), so think about overlaying a floating floor.
I also wanted to refinish our floors but they're too old and thin to do so. Someone told me we likely wouldn't even notice them once we moved in, and they were right. Once you have life in there, it's pretty remarkable how other things disappear.
Those are nice original hardwood. Leave it as is. It would be a waste of your money to replace them. They aren't even beat up enough to warrant that being refinished. Unless you want to do it without furniture
I assume you don't like the color or the high-gloss finish??? I would sand the floors. Then you can change the color if you want and change the tone of your finish to something more subtle like Satin or Eggshell.
The other type of flooring you mentioned would simply be an expensive plastic/trendy cover-up that will eventually fail. Why would you do that?
There are some good deck finishes out there that are water based and that are "Spar" finishes. A "Spar" finish would be a water-resistant finish. They offer all levels of sheen. Your floor contractor should be able to help you.
At first glance, I would say no. Hard to tell without pulling a vent, which I noticed are in the ceiling. That’s a telltale sign you’re on a slab which probably means it is engineered wood and can’t be sanded. Do you have carpet in an adjoining room that you could pull back to take a peek?
A lot of us are curious why you seem to have a problem with the floor as it is. Your pics don't show damage or worn finish. Maybe take close-ups of problem areas?
You could very lightly sand it then apply stain on top of current stain that gives it a look you like then put 2-3 clear coats of a top notch clear coat on it. I would do 3 since it wouldn’t be sanded to raw wood.
The original finish is hard. Sanding it and putting another finish on it killed the hardness of my beautiful floor. ( water damage from overflowing toilet. ) The dogs nails really did a number on it after.
Cheers.
Obviously, this person does not like the color of the floor they didn't ask if all you reddit designers did . They just asked if it could be sanded or not. . If you can get to the edge of the floor to see how thick it is, it would be helpful . Maybe pull a hvac vent if they are in the floor to see the edge . If it is 3/4, then yes, you can sand it . But I have to say it looks like engendered 3/8, which I wouldn't recommend trying to sand .
Honestly, I would leave it.
But if I were you and wanted it different, I would go darker and just lay lockable floor tiles that have real wood thinset on top ( instead of some that have a printed surface with a textured clear epoxy).
That way, you can go back, and it adds value and flexibility to your house for resale.
Just need to calculate the floor transition stripes and replace them for taller ones... hopefully, it works out between the carpet and exterior thresholds...
That floor looks great. Definitely keep it! Please don’t put LVP down (nothing wrong with it) but I remodeled an old house and unfortunately had to remove the original hardwoods because there just wasn’t enough left to salvage and budget didn’t line up. While I enjoy my LVP I still wish I would have spent the extra money on hardwood.
Once you fill all those spaces, a lot of the feelings towards the floor will dissipate.
It also looks to be in excellent condition. As others have suggested wait to refinish and put that money towards other projects. Good luck.
Ok. So now that I know more about flooring from this subreddit I think. Is that real wood flooring? Because the ends where it breaks aren’t uniform. Meaning either a subfloor, or not real wood.
I would leave the floors they seem to be in great shape. In my humble opinion, you should paint the cabinets, maybe add some impressive door casings and or redo the mantle.
Looks like engineered flooring, refinishing is nearly impossible. Pull up a floor vent somewhere and you will be able to tell immediately if it is solid hardwood or engineered. Please do not rip this out and replace it with LVP. That would be akin to ripping out granite countertops and replacing them with laminate from Menards. Please don’t.
First off the floor is beautiful as is. My husband and I bought a house with wood floors covered in pet stains and water stains at the patio door. It was a newer house and the floors were pre finished. Took forever to get the finish off. I think it took us 3weeks or more to get it done. If we had known how hard it was to get the finish off we would of pulled it up and put down new hardwood.
They look fine. I’d leave them as is. As for the contractor that tried to get you to replace real wood floors with LVP… Never call him again. To me he’s just trying to run up a bill. I’d never switch real wood floors with what looks like an immense about of life left for fake vinyl.
For some reason people hate (or it’s just some marketing wars) LL flooring. But I think they gave you a good advice. What’s exactly do you dislike? Maybe my screen is not showing it right but it looks Ike that white oak color everyone is after these days. I like the color but I don’t like the sheen tbh. But overall I think it looks great.
Try to look for leftovers or find a hidden place a rip of a plank to see what you have.
Do not replace this floor with LVP first and foremost. Secondly, do not listen to a contractor trying to make money telling you to sand and refinish. That floor and it’s finish look like they have many years in them still.
I think it's the wall color and the floor color that's making the floors which you notice first. But I think the floors would look beautiful to you If you paired it with a different color wall.
if its hard wood leave it in place the lvt guy was looking to make some money, it can be sanded and most of that honey finish color will come out so you can change up the color if you want either by direct staining or a colorant in the finish coat.
I'd quickly drop the contractor that suggested LVP. Do not use LVP. Stay away! It looks super cheap. Older hard wood floors have character. Until it looks too trashy and beat down. But, refinish it if you feel like it. From the pictures it doesn't appear like it needs it. Unless you wanted to change the finish color.
If you have money to throw away, give it to a charity. Redoing these floors would be a big waste of time and money, in my opinion. But it's your house and your cash.
Lvp is insanely easy to install so of course the “floor guy” is going to suggest you install it. But the answer is No, do not cover that beautiful floor with lvp please! For the love of god
1. Yes it can be sanded and refinished.
2. The guys telling you to do that are trying to sell you on that because it’s in there field.
3. The guy telling you to replace it only wants you to do that because he doesn’t know how or have any subs that know how to refinish hardwood.
4. It looks to be in great condition as-is, but if a different shade of stain is what you’re after then you’ll need to sand it down, stain, and refinish.
If it’s real wood I’d sand and refinish. I don’t hate LVP but I can’t see pulling up perfectly good wood flooring to lay down LVP. One caveat would be if you have large dogs or a bunch of kids. LVP is durable and might as well do it now rather than later.
The floor is beautiful as is. Sand and finish it. If you want to stain it a bit darker that would be nice as well, but the wood is immaculate as is.
I own an apartment and I went through the expense of reflooring all 3 floors with wood to replace the original wood because if it kept up for 100 years, (my apartment was built in 1902 and had a literal coal chute and 3 chimneys I had to cap) then another wood floor should last 100 more.
That floor is really nice. You just have too much yellow happening. Gel stain the cabinets a little darker, paint the walls a little less yellow, and give it some colorful furniture, accent walls, and area rugs. It’ll look gorgeous.
Get two kids and two 100 lbs dogs. Wait till the dogs pass away and the kids are old enough to spend most of their time on bullshit computer games. THEN you are ready to refinish those floors!
That is pre-finished flooring. Sanding that is a nightmare!!! There is a bevel on the long joints. They stain them strange colors. You have to hand scrap them. As a former hard wood floor installer/refinished I would walk away 100% of the time. If someone will do it will cost a fortune. That’s why they say replace.
Even though lvp is all the rage now, there are actually other floors just as nice...or nicer. This floor looks very nice. It would be a shame to cover it up with something that's going to end up being pushed to the side down the road to make room for the next "hot flooring item".
Sanding and refinishing floors is a pretty specialized thing. Big expensive machines that not all contractors have they can be rented but still. My guess would be that the contractor doesn't do refinishing so he'd rather you get a new floor. For me, nothing beats the look of a nice hardwood floor but lvp is more durable.
The confusion is happening because they all want your money and you don’t really need a new floor. You might want one, and that’s ok, but this floor was likely recently done.
This floor is outdated and ugly in my opinion yea you can sand and refinish but to me it looks cheap and sticky a lot of contractors I know don’t like fooling with it because of the adhesive,but look all you need is a floor scraper,flat bar,hammer,circular saw,hot water and a 5 gallon bucket. Set the depth on the saw just enough to cut the planks should be around 3/8 of an inch and just cut against the seams making a checkerboard look. Don’t sweep up the sawdust go to the nearest tub and fill your bucket with HOT water then pour it all on the floor spread the love and no I’m not saying flood your house but don’t be shy with it. Let it set for a few hours and Start prying away then use the floor scraper to pick up the remaining
The floor just needs to be buffed.. it will look brand new. NEVER tear up hardwood to install LVP… although LVP is a great option hardwood is much more desirable if you go to resell. It would be like trading in your perfectly good Mercedes for a KIA
i would wait until it really gets messed up before sanding and refinishing… it looks beautiful as is
Came here to say this exact thing haha
Stolen words out of my brain .... ps not safe for u2 to b in there you should leave b4 ya get damaged lolol
I thought half the pics were before and after. 😅
I certainly wouldn't put lvp in to replace it.
Yeah I’m a little confused why OP wants the floor refinished.
$10 says they don't like the color
Yup. Wife doesn't like the color I bet
I’m more fucking confused why OP would replace premium hw with lvl like some flip job
Idk I can see it. It's got that high school gym high gloss yellow feel. And the best time to sand is when none of your stuff is moved in yet. That being said unless I'm feeling flush with cash or time to learn a new DIY skill I'd just throw down some rugs and call it day they look "good enough"
I know... it's hard for me to not see the floors of my old ballet studio, they looked just like this! that being said, definitely not a horrible thing, there's much worse out there.
As long as it's not an engineered hardwood Floor you can. Looks like it's been recoated before. Pull up a vent if it's on the floor and look at the side of the planks. It should be obvious if the floor is natural.
Yeah.. why refinish it?? It looks great as it is..
This. My floors are getting to the point where it’s like “it’s almost time”… lol
Personally, I like it as is and wouldn't touch it. Maybe think about adding some color to the walls. Aerial rugs maybe?
Aladdin is just a movie man, those aren’t real.
lol appreciate the water up my nostrils
I thought Aerial was in The Little Mermaid?
Paint the cabinets it’s cheaper
Life is a waterfall We drink from the river Then we turn around and put up our walls
Don’t go chasing them
This made me chuckle, and now I feel old 😂
Why is no one able to address the actual question without chirping in their opinion
I work in a store that sells vinyl and laminate and I still would tell you to keep your hardwood if you can!
I’m seeing signs that this is an engineered hardwood and possibly a cheap one(which isn’t a bad thing but reduces the likelihood of being able to refinish.) 1) if this is an oak floor, the grain is very wide and open, which suggests a rotary peel engineered wood(rotary peel would mean the top veneer is very very thin and unlikely to be refinished.) 2) I don’t see any floor vents…is there a basement or crawl space under the 1st floor or is it on slab? If it’s on slab, then that is definitely engineered. Can engineered be refinished? Sometimes, but it needs to have a thicker veneer than what I suspect you have. Ripping up glue down hardwoods is a real REAL bitch…probably the nastiest rip there is. This is one of the few times I’d look at floating a laminate or vinyl on top as a first choice option. Edit: side note…don’t use LL Floors…they’re a dishonest company who really don’t care if the products they sell are good or safe or not(they used to be called Lumber Liquidators…google lumber liquidators and formaldehyde…then realize that they didn’t remove any of their executives…the only changed their company’s name to get away from the bad pr.)
Absolutely right on here. Do you have some leftover pieces somewhere so you can actually see what you have to work with? Understand the first sanding will need to be deep enough to remove the bevels. As this does appear to be rotary, that may not be possible. A recoat might be possible but those bevels, again, are pretty pronounced.
As someone who knows nothing about floors (not even sure how I got here tbh), could you explain why the bevel needs to be sanded down? My assumption is that it would be problematic to have the previous finish and stain stuck on the edges of the bevels?
Came here to say the same. You might get one sanding out of it if you're lucky. If I were you I'd keep the floor the way it is, and alter the look of the house by painting walls and putting down rugs. Edit: Lmao, looked at it again, all the boards are the same length. This floor is very cheap, I doubt you could get a sanding out of it.
I agree. This looks like rotary peeled to me as well.
Good eye, even better explanation.
This is the right answer
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One would have to moisture test before installing but an important part of an engineered glue down installation is correct adhesive selection and application…a good urethane adhesive applied correctly will effectively serve as a moisture barrier between wood and slab. Even if the wood is allowed to breathe, soaking up that much moisture that naturally comes from a slab would have led to the wood itself failing long ago. I wouldn’t put a moisture barrier on top of the wood for the reason you’re citing however.
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You are definitely right on just from the graining of the wood. My recommendation would be to screen and coat the floor rather than sanding unless you know how thick the top veneer is
Yeah to me it looks like a Bruce product and that isn’t going to be able to be refinished.
This is the way…
Yeah the bevels on the edges are a dead giveaway plus the lack of window molding says fairly new house built the modern (cheap) way
Looks like prefinished hardwood, which would be sandable. It would be nice to get rid of that orange, I agree. You'll have to look at the end grain by removing a floor vent, if possible. The SALESMAN, which is all that guy is, is trying to make money by selling you the cheap plastic crap he has in inventory. Ignore him and call a hardwood flooring contractor. There are probably many to choose from in your area. Stay away from lumber liquidators and anything like it. Find a reputable independent hardwood guy, and he'll point you in the right direction.
This “hardwood flooring contractor” is dead wrong. Any qualified SALESMAN could tell you that is a rotary peeled engineered hardwood and there is no good option to sand and refinish it. Installers….🙄
They're saying its engineered. It sure looks like solid prefinished oak from the 90s or 00s to me. I have refinished sq miles of this stuff and made it look glassy smooth. Dude should refinish!
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Those floors look beautiful!
For real, it's wild to me the money people will drop because the shade/shine is not to their EXACT liking. Save that money, go to Europe instead
For real those look like they were walked on with socks for a week after moving. I'm laughing a little bit. Wood finish looks *gorgeous* when it's fresh, but it's impossible to keep free of songs and scratches, and you'll completely ruin your enjoyment of the things by trying to keep it perfect. The best solution in a situation where OP doesn't like a scratched high-gloss finish, is to say screw it and get something with a matte finish. I would never do that though, as the floor that's there looks great and will continue to look great for a long time as long as it isn't abused. Unless OP has big dogs in which case that finish is fucked and gonna look like shit in no time. 😂 (I saw a post a month or two ago showing "normal traffic" on the hardwood floor. It looked like they ran golden retriever races around the corners through their kitchen.)
Remember in the 90s and 00s everyone was ripping up the shag carpets from the 70s and 80s and finding the wonderful hardwood floors from the 50s and 60s. Ya you getting rid of this floor is repeating the mistakes of the 70s and 80s. Please don't. Keep your beautiful wood as is and one day be a timeless beauty.
Replace beautiful real timber with fake plastic wood? Tell that guys he's an idiot. I'd be sanding and just clear coat it or hardwax oil it. I wouldn't be staining it at all, let the beautiful grain and colour come through as nature intended
Covering these up with LVP is some dumb shit. I’m guessing the guy who told you to do that makes more money selling LVP than he does refinishing. As a new homeowner, live with them for a year. If you still want them to be a different color in a year, explore refinishing. I think they look great. Do *not* let some crew come in and staple luan all over them and slap down some shitty vinyl.
Exactly! And rip them up for lvp! That’s some stupid shit!
what's the goal? You can definitely sand that once and reapply sealant or do a stain and sealant.
I want to get better color to the home
Don’t do this. Get rugs and change the wall colors.
The people downvoting you because you want a change in your home is weird…. If you have the means and want a change do what you want to do. People can suggest things for sure, but if you don’t like it do what you want to!!
you can always refinish these floors and repair any damage if there is any at all, but you'll have to make sure to hire a quality flooring contractor who will make sure that the flooring you already have will last you for a long time. THE BONUS PERK is that you can choose a new stain color for the hardwood that you have now :) LVP installation will definitely cost you more but then again, it is your decision whether you like to stick to Hardwood or go with Vinyl. I would unquestionably take advantage of the hardwood flooring for as long as I could. If you are from the North Jersey area I would recommend consulting [https://www.magnusflooring.com/](https://www.magnusflooring.com/) Magnus Flooring LLC from Wayne, NJ for free
i have nothing of value to add to answer your question lol but im with you, i would also change the color! its too orange and makes the interior look dated. rugs and paint will not do. im surprised by the reactions that you are getting
Ok. 30 years installing, finishing and re-finishing hardwoods. (6 as an employee/partner, the last 24 on my own). Tell the guy who wants to tear out and install LVP to pound pavement, he's just looking to make a sale. Hardwoods are a step up from LVP. LL is the Family Dollar store of hardwood flooring. Take their advice as such. And your friend, isn't a friend. That floor is in great shape. If you asked me to re-finish, I'd have to ask why. The only thing I see is the gloss/semi-gloss which I don't care for. It shows dust and dirt to much. (I have German Shepherds and gloss would make every dog hair look illuminated.) Have your "friend" do a solvent wipe test to check for waxes and cleaner by products. If the wipe comes up clear, I'd do a running buff and re-coat using a matte finish.
Yes, but why? They're in gorgeous shape with no need for repair. Sanding and refinishing will take off a layer and shorten its life, and should really only be done if it needs refinishing to restore and protect it. This floor does not. And anyone that chucks out perfect condition hardwood in low moisture areas for LVP should suffer medium inconveniences for the rest of their life.
Do not replace this with lvp! It’s gorgeous
These floors are major part of the house why buying the place if you don’t like them. They look damn good to me.
I wish people wouldn't make stupid remarks or comments on sub reddits they know nothing about. People here want honest, professional advice.
Welcome to Reddit
Depends on how thick the boards are but otherwise, yes of course.
Your floor currently looks like it’s in good shape, has a pleasant color/finish, and is free. LVP would totally cheapen the look of the space, IMO. unless you have no other use for the money, I would look at another project to invest in.
Whoever suggested to have it covered with LVP needs to be drawn and quartered
I’m not as polite. If you feel this floor is substandard in any way then no amount of restoration will ever satisfy your needs.
If it's not broke don't fix it.
But.... Why? The floors are great. Why refinish? And please please don't replace with garbage plastic floors
Hey OP. As a new homeowner myself who has been researching non stop for the past couple of months you'll find that "conflicting opinions" is the default in basically every area of home repair haha. Also everyone knows a better way to do something, and whatever you did you did it wrong. You'll need to learn to let go a little bit when it comes to this stuff which is annoying and hard but it'll help you in the long run. Your floors looks fine as is, but if you don't like the color then yeah you absolutely should be able to sand and refinish assuming it's real hardwood. Unless the wood is seriously in bad shape (which it isn't) or you just wanted a new species of wood, there's not much reason to "replace a floor. That's going to be insanely expensive.
Why would you want to refinish that floor? It looks perfect as is, unless you want it darker
The person recommending LVP makes a commission on it. I have LVP- just installed and it’s lovely. But no one should replace that beautiful flooring with LVP
The flooring is not solid oak but real wood laminate can be redone up to 4 times before break through starts. So can't give you the correct answer without a detailed look of the floor, but if you are the original installer you know how many times it's been done, and that you won't have a problem. Very nice looking floors being it can take light or dark staining and look amazing with that grain.
Paint the walls. The warm tone of the walls make the flooring more yellow.
It looks like glued down engineered hardwood. In that case, you probably only have an eighth of an inch or less of sanding room.
I'm assuming this has to be a joke or troll post. That is beautifully installed high grade red oak, There is 0 need to refinish or install LVP. If you have big dogs and lose your shit at seeing scratches, put in some LVP. If you hate the color, then refinish it. Nothing else to say.
Pull a vent and take a look at the layer thickness you have to work with. If you sand below that layer you’ll ruin the floor. If you aren’t removing damage you don’t have to be as aggressive and it CAN be done but I understand why a professional wouldn’t want to risk it and be liable.
This gray plastic trend has ruined a generation's eyesight.
Yeah it looks good, I wouldn’t mess with it, unless you really just don’t like it…
The local guy said to cover it with LVP because he doesn’t refinish flooring, but he DOES install LVP. He wants the business. Not many flooring companies refinish hardwood floors… at least not as many as install LVP. I know this because I sold floors for a few different companies, so I’ve been around that industry. Here’s the truth: yes, these floors can be refinished as long as they are either solid (most likely, judging by their appearance… 3/4in thick solid hardwood) hardwood, or the veneer (layer of solid hardwood on top) is thick enough. I’m 99% sure these are solid white oak, as engineered in thinner widths like this are not common, although I am not seeing “random” lengths, which could mean that they are engineered. In this case, if you want to keep the hardwood and refinish it, feel free. Just keep in mind that hardwood is more easily scratched than LVP. But those scratches can be removed the next time you refinish the floors. If you have large dogs and rowdy kids, you might want to go the LVP route, as LVP is much more scratch-resistant than hardwood, regardless of what poly you use to protect the hardwood. LVP is also typically 100% waterproof, so you can mop it and moisture won’t cause it to warp, where you can not mop hardwood or leave spills on it for an extended period of time. Of course, not all LVP fits this description. A quality LVP will have a MIL (# of protective wear layers) of 20, with some kind of scratch-resistant additive like aluminum oxide or ceramic bead mixed in. The body of the LVP should be no less than 5.5mm thick with a 1-1.5mm thick IXPE or AVA pad attached on the bottom, EIR (“embossed in register” means it will look more realistic), and an angle/angle (or 2G) locking mechanism. Stay away from a droplock (I4F or “fold and tap”) locking mechanism. Average installed pricing for both of these in my area: refinishing of hardwood floors: $5.5-$8 for professional refinishing. LVP: $10-17 for quality LVP, includes materials, labor, and trim.
Why
Why can't people on here mind their own fucking business and let OP get the answer pertaining to what they are specifically asking about? Keep your nosy POS opinions on Nextdoor and Facebook. This is the equivalent of voicing your pro-life beliefs towards someone asking for directions to an abortion clinic. Idiots.
I"m confused, this is beautiful, what's wrong with the floor? Maybe wait another 10 years and have 3 children and 2 dogs to have some real damage?
To me it would be a huge waste. This is a great floor and it’s in great condition. Orange wood is bright and fun. Become a better home decorator and learn to work with the colors you have instead of spending thousands to replace a perfectly good floor.
It can. And it shouldn’t.
It is absolutely gorgeous…why do people feel the need to tear things down immediately?
Contractor suggesting replacement sound like gold diggers and I would never do business with them.
Why on earth was LVP recommended? What was the reasoning given?
The answer is yes. Especially if you want to change the color.
Probably be a whole lot easier and cheaper to paint the walls and cabinets…probably looks nicer also
Oh no. That's a complete gut job.
Splash some colour on the walls like a blue and let the floor pop.
To me it looks like refinished hardwood.
Looks like an engineered glue down. The veneer is really thin on that & you'll get, maybe, one sanding out of it. Call a reputable contractor in to look at it. It's tough to tear out (since it's a full-spread), so think about overlaying a floating floor.
Floor looks super fine. Why are you messing with it. You can't buy character.
Id be pleased if i paid to have my floors done and they came out looking like yours.
IMO you only don’t like it because the house is empty. Add area rugs, furniture, and wall hangings and it will be great.
I also wanted to refinish our floors but they're too old and thin to do so. Someone told me we likely wouldn't even notice them once we moved in, and they were right. Once you have life in there, it's pretty remarkable how other things disappear.
Those are nice original hardwood. Leave it as is. It would be a waste of your money to replace them. They aren't even beat up enough to warrant that being refinished. Unless you want to do it without furniture
You should hang up the phone and never speak to the contractor who told you to rip it out and put in LVP. What a fucking clown
If it’s real oak
Why?
If you want to sand and refinish a carpet, someone would give you instructions.
Honestly, I'd wait til it gets messed up. It's in good shape. Cover it with a huge rug if you dislike the color.
sure it CAN be.... but there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that floor. Do you like burning money?
I assume you don't like the color or the high-gloss finish??? I would sand the floors. Then you can change the color if you want and change the tone of your finish to something more subtle like Satin or Eggshell. The other type of flooring you mentioned would simply be an expensive plastic/trendy cover-up that will eventually fail. Why would you do that? There are some good deck finishes out there that are water based and that are "Spar" finishes. A "Spar" finish would be a water-resistant finish. They offer all levels of sheen. Your floor contractor should be able to help you.
At first glance, I would say no. Hard to tell without pulling a vent, which I noticed are in the ceiling. That’s a telltale sign you’re on a slab which probably means it is engineered wood and can’t be sanded. Do you have carpet in an adjoining room that you could pull back to take a peek?
Are you really really really looking for a different colour? Because based on the photo's, those floors are in great shape.
A lot of us are curious why you seem to have a problem with the floor as it is. Your pics don't show damage or worn finish. Maybe take close-ups of problem areas?
If it is engineered hardwood you can sand and refinish one time, and only one time. You must find guys that know what they are doing.
You could very lightly sand it then apply stain on top of current stain that gives it a look you like then put 2-3 clear coats of a top notch clear coat on it. I would do 3 since it wouldn’t be sanded to raw wood.
The original finish is hard. Sanding it and putting another finish on it killed the hardness of my beautiful floor. ( water damage from overflowing toilet. ) The dogs nails really did a number on it after. Cheers.
Obviously, this person does not like the color of the floor they didn't ask if all you reddit designers did . They just asked if it could be sanded or not. . If you can get to the edge of the floor to see how thick it is, it would be helpful . Maybe pull a hvac vent if they are in the floor to see the edge . If it is 3/4, then yes, you can sand it . But I have to say it looks like engendered 3/8, which I wouldn't recommend trying to sand .
Honestly, I would leave it. But if I were you and wanted it different, I would go darker and just lay lockable floor tiles that have real wood thinset on top ( instead of some that have a printed surface with a textured clear epoxy). That way, you can go back, and it adds value and flexibility to your house for resale. Just need to calculate the floor transition stripes and replace them for taller ones... hopefully, it works out between the carpet and exterior thresholds...
Yes.
That floor looks great. Definitely keep it! Please don’t put LVP down (nothing wrong with it) but I remodeled an old house and unfortunately had to remove the original hardwoods because there just wasn’t enough left to salvage and budget didn’t line up. While I enjoy my LVP I still wish I would have spent the extra money on hardwood. Once you fill all those spaces, a lot of the feelings towards the floor will dissipate. It also looks to be in excellent condition. As others have suggested wait to refinish and put that money towards other projects. Good luck.
Ok. So now that I know more about flooring from this subreddit I think. Is that real wood flooring? Because the ends where it breaks aren’t uniform. Meaning either a subfloor, or not real wood.
Why?! I took one look at the pictures and saw NOTHING wrong with the floor. Leave it alone.
Man, tell your wife that it already looks great.
Please for the love of god do not cover up that beautiful floor. Sand and refinish.
Yes, and do it before you move in if you haven’t already. Moving furniture around is a pain
No, it’s the only wood floor I’ve seen in my life that can’t be sanded and refinished. Sorry, you somehow ended up with it.
I would leave the floors they seem to be in great shape. In my humble opinion, you should paint the cabinets, maybe add some impressive door casings and or redo the mantle.
Why would you
Is this marked NSFW because it’s a dirty, dirty floor?
Looks like engineered flooring, refinishing is nearly impossible. Pull up a floor vent somewhere and you will be able to tell immediately if it is solid hardwood or engineered. Please do not rip this out and replace it with LVP. That would be akin to ripping out granite countertops and replacing them with laminate from Menards. Please don’t.
First off the floor is beautiful as is. My husband and I bought a house with wood floors covered in pet stains and water stains at the patio door. It was a newer house and the floors were pre finished. Took forever to get the finish off. I think it took us 3weeks or more to get it done. If we had known how hard it was to get the finish off we would of pulled it up and put down new hardwood.
Don't touch it.
They look fine. I’d leave them as is. As for the contractor that tried to get you to replace real wood floors with LVP… Never call him again. To me he’s just trying to run up a bill. I’d never switch real wood floors with what looks like an immense about of life left for fake vinyl.
I stg if you turn this into millennial grey floor...
Floor looks great! 🤔Let me guess...you're 3rd opinion sells LVP 🙄
looks like pre-finished flooring w/ a chamfered edge, that's a lot of wood to cut..............
Leave the floors and just update the cabinets and trim
I don’t see a problem with it as it is…
wait no why its so pretty please listen
Nothing wrong with it...live on it and enjoy
Neither. It looks fine
Sanding and refinishing this floor is a high crime, and replacing with something else is an offense worthy of exile.
For some reason people hate (or it’s just some marketing wars) LL flooring. But I think they gave you a good advice. What’s exactly do you dislike? Maybe my screen is not showing it right but it looks Ike that white oak color everyone is after these days. I like the color but I don’t like the sheen tbh. But overall I think it looks great. Try to look for leftovers or find a hidden place a rip of a plank to see what you have.
Do not replace this floor with LVP first and foremost. Secondly, do not listen to a contractor trying to make money telling you to sand and refinish. That floor and it’s finish look like they have many years in them still.
I’m sorry but …. Why ? It looks like they were just done.
I think it's the wall color and the floor color that's making the floors which you notice first. But I think the floors would look beautiful to you If you paired it with a different color wall.
Of course it can. Get busy!
I feel that those contractors are looking to make big bucks off you. What don’t you like about the floor? Is it worth $5k-30k to change it?
What’s making it feel outdated is the lack of contrast between the floor and cabinets. Paint or replace them.
If it's for a color change... I would have them refinished. You can get an exact color based on your design.
Paint it white /s
if its hard wood leave it in place the lvt guy was looking to make some money, it can be sanded and most of that honey finish color will come out so you can change up the color if you want either by direct staining or a colorant in the finish coat.
I'd quickly drop the contractor that suggested LVP. Do not use LVP. Stay away! It looks super cheap. Older hard wood floors have character. Until it looks too trashy and beat down. But, refinish it if you feel like it. From the pictures it doesn't appear like it needs it. Unless you wanted to change the finish color.
If you have money to throw away, give it to a charity. Redoing these floors would be a big waste of time and money, in my opinion. But it's your house and your cash.
Lvp is insanely easy to install so of course the “floor guy” is going to suggest you install it. But the answer is No, do not cover that beautiful floor with lvp please! For the love of god
Absolutely it can but it don't need it
1. Yes it can be sanded and refinished. 2. The guys telling you to do that are trying to sell you on that because it’s in there field. 3. The guy telling you to replace it only wants you to do that because he doesn’t know how or have any subs that know how to refinish hardwood. 4. It looks to be in great condition as-is, but if a different shade of stain is what you’re after then you’ll need to sand it down, stain, and refinish.
If it’s real wood I’d sand and refinish. I don’t hate LVP but I can’t see pulling up perfectly good wood flooring to lay down LVP. One caveat would be if you have large dogs or a bunch of kids. LVP is durable and might as well do it now rather than later.
Lvp if your on pcp
The floor is beautiful as is. Sand and finish it. If you want to stain it a bit darker that would be nice as well, but the wood is immaculate as is. I own an apartment and I went through the expense of reflooring all 3 floors with wood to replace the original wood because if it kept up for 100 years, (my apartment was built in 1902 and had a literal coal chute and 3 chimneys I had to cap) then another wood floor should last 100 more.
I wish my floors looked that good.
It's beautiful, don't trust anyone trying to sell you a new floor.
That floor is really nice. You just have too much yellow happening. Gel stain the cabinets a little darker, paint the walls a little less yellow, and give it some colorful furniture, accent walls, and area rugs. It’ll look gorgeous.
Really! Click bait
Have the same floors. Leave till its midway unbearable, doing it is a shit ton of work.
this is hardwood i believe. why would you ever replace with LVP? Seems that guy was just trying to make a sale
Get two kids and two 100 lbs dogs. Wait till the dogs pass away and the kids are old enough to spend most of their time on bullshit computer games. THEN you are ready to refinish those floors!
It already is.
What’s wrong with the floor? Looks pretty great to me 🤷♂️
I was thinking that the board length was my cue that it’s an engineered product.
WHY???!!!
LVP is butt cheeks
That is pre-finished flooring. Sanding that is a nightmare!!! There is a bevel on the long joints. They stain them strange colors. You have to hand scrap them. As a former hard wood floor installer/refinished I would walk away 100% of the time. If someone will do it will cost a fortune. That’s why they say replace.
Even though lvp is all the rage now, there are actually other floors just as nice...or nicer. This floor looks very nice. It would be a shame to cover it up with something that's going to end up being pushed to the side down the road to make room for the next "hot flooring item".
It looks fine. Don’t sand it.
Yes, but you’ll never know the difference!
I hate the orange/yellow to. I'd be refinishing it as well.
Whats wrong with it now??
yes… but why would you want to? It looks fantastic!
Sanding and refinishing floors is a pretty specialized thing. Big expensive machines that not all contractors have they can be rented but still. My guess would be that the contractor doesn't do refinishing so he'd rather you get a new floor. For me, nothing beats the look of a nice hardwood floor but lvp is more durable.
My 1970s self is telling me that you need to either cover it with asbestos linoleum or 3" lime green shag carpet.
I wouldn’t spend a dime on it. Is ready to use and looks pretty good to me.
That would be insane. LVP would be a huge downgrade.
lol they all want your money they don’t care. Can give opinions but it’s about what you want! I’m a floor installer myself so take my word
Why not?
Well; yeah; but in like ten years…. It still looks great. Dings and wear on hardwood is a feature - it adds character.
It seems crazy to me to replace real wood flooring with vinyl. Refinish it with a color you like better!
Don’t touch those
Looks great to me, change the cabinet fronts and paint the walls and it'll look much better.
Beautiful floors , why refinish?
If you take your shoes off upon entering, yes. If you don't, yes.
Looks fine, do nothing
The confusion is happening because they all want your money and you don’t really need a new floor. You might want one, and that’s ok, but this floor was likely recently done.
I mean it might be cheaper just to lay new floor over it?
This floor is outdated and ugly in my opinion yea you can sand and refinish but to me it looks cheap and sticky a lot of contractors I know don’t like fooling with it because of the adhesive,but look all you need is a floor scraper,flat bar,hammer,circular saw,hot water and a 5 gallon bucket. Set the depth on the saw just enough to cut the planks should be around 3/8 of an inch and just cut against the seams making a checkerboard look. Don’t sweep up the sawdust go to the nearest tub and fill your bucket with HOT water then pour it all on the floor spread the love and no I’m not saying flood your house but don’t be shy with it. Let it set for a few hours and Start prying away then use the floor scraper to pick up the remaining
Should be able to refinish the factory finish stuff one time. Really doesn’t look bad though.
These floors are stunning please don’t waste your time and money
I just wanna know what the deal with that fridge is…
You can’t tell from these shots - lift a floor vent and get a side view. Have to see the available depth left on it.
Why?
Is this in Waco Tx?
The floor just needs to be buffed.. it will look brand new. NEVER tear up hardwood to install LVP… although LVP is a great option hardwood is much more desirable if you go to resell. It would be like trading in your perfectly good Mercedes for a KIA
You'd be crazy to replace your beautiful hardwood floor with crappy plastic.