People ask me all the time: "How do I know when my floors need refinishing?"
The honest answer? Most floors don't need it as often as you'd think. I've seen homeowners ready to refinish floors that just needed a good cleaning, and I've seen others walking on floors that should've been done years ago.
Here's how to tell the difference.
1. The Water Test
This one's simple. Splash a small amount of water on your floor in a high-traffic area. If it beads up and sits on top, your finish is fine. If it soaks in within a few minutes and darkens the wood, your finish is worn through.
What it means: When the finish is gone, the bare wood is exposed to moisture, foot traffic, and everyday wear. That's when real damage starts happening.
2. Visible Scratches Through the Finish
There's a difference between surface scratches (which are in the finish) and deep scratches (which go into the wood itself).
- Surface scratches look like fine lines that catch the light. These are cosmetic and don't require refinishing - though they might make you want to.
- Deep scratches are grooves you can feel with your fingernail. These need attention because they expose bare wood.
A few deep scratches here and there? We can spot-repair those. Deep scratches throughout the floor? Time to refinish.
3. Gray or Black Staining
If your floors have gone gray or have dark spots, that's not dirt - that's the wood itself changing color from moisture exposure or pet stains.
Gray floors usually mean prolonged moisture exposure. We see this a lot near entryways in Charlotte, especially after humid summers.
Black stains are often from pet accidents that weren't cleaned up quickly enough, or from water damage. These can sometimes be sanded out, but deeper stains may need board replacement.
4. Wear Patterns in High-Traffic Areas
Take a look at the main walkways through your house - the path from kitchen to living room, the area in front of the sink, hallways. Do these areas look noticeably different from the rest of the floor?
When the finish wears away in traffic lanes, you'll see:
- Dull, matte spots where the rest of the floor is still shiny
- Color differences (the worn areas often look lighter or more gray)
- A visible "path" through the room
This is normal wear - it just means the finish has done its job for years and now it's time to refresh it.
5. Boards Are Splintering or Flaking
If the wood itself is coming apart - small splinters catching your socks, flakes of wood lifting at the edges of boards - you've gone past needing refinishing. The floor is now being damaged.
This happens when floors are left unfinished for too long, or when previous refinishing jobs were done poorly (sanded too aggressively, wrong finish for the wood type, etc.).
The good news: even floors in this condition can usually be saved. It just takes more work.
When You Can Wait
Not everything needs immediate attention. You can probably hold off on refinishing if:
- Your floors just look a little dull but pass the water test
- You have minor surface scratches that don't catch your fingernail
- The "wear" you're seeing is actually just dirt buildup (try a proper cleaning first)
Sometimes all you need is a professional cleaning and maybe a recoat - which is cheaper and faster than a full refinish.
When to Call Someone
- Water is soaking into the wood
- You have visible wear patterns in traffic areas
- There's gray or black staining
- Boards are splintering or the finish is peeling
- You're planning to sell your home (fresh floors make a difference)
What Refinishing Actually Involves
If you do need refinishing, here's the quick version of what happens:
- We sand down through the old finish and any staining
- We address any repairs needed (board replacement, filling gaps)
- We apply new stain if you want a different color
- We apply 2-3 coats of finish (typically water-based polyurethane for durability)
The whole process takes 3-5 days for most Charlotte homes, and you'll need to stay off the floors for at least 24 hours after the final coat.
Have Questions?
Not sure which category your floors fall into? Send us a picture or schedule a free estimate. We'll tell you honestly whether you need refinishing now, can wait a year, or just need a good cleaning.
No pressure, no sales pitch - just straight answers about your floors.