When buying or selling a home, people always focus on big, splashy things: a deluxe kitchen, a bathroom upgrade. But you can add value (and beauty) to your house for a fraction of the cost of a major renovation by taking a look at what’s under your feet.
“Hardwood floors are among the most attractive flooring options for almost any part of a Canadian home, and they boost the value big time,” says Sean Provencher, a sales representative with RE/MAX Hallmark Realty in Toronto. “They look great and everyone loves them.”
If you have hardwood floors that have seen better days, the easiest way to boost their beauty (and the value of your home) is to refinish them. In order to make the decision whether to refinish or replace, you need to check how thick the existing floor is. You can do this by pulling up a heating grate or temporarily removing a threshold; if the wood is solid (as with strip flooring) or there’s more than 1/8” of wood above the tongue-and-groove, you’re in business. If not, you either have to accept your dinged floors or replace them, as there’s not enough wood left to safely refinish.
Should you refinish your hardwood floors?
Refinishing your floors can be a big undertaking. The process begins with sanding the floors to remove the old finish and prepare the surface for a new finish. You can then choose to stain the floor or leave it natural; this is followed by buffing and sealing the floor with either an oil- or water-based polyurethane. While refinishing can be done as a DIY project, it involves renting specialized equipment, a good bit of muscle and can get pretty messy (it’s recommended you seal off the room with plastic sheeting before you begin the sanding process). If you’re not comfortable with using big machines or don’t have the time to do the job right, call in a pro.
Explore the new hardwood flooring
If you have to replace your existing floor, advancements in hardwood flooring make it more attractive than ever. While many people associate hardwood floors with squeaking and slivers, the new generation of hardwood floors is more durable than ever. Tongue-and-groove flooring (also referred to as no-nail flooring) literally snaps together, while hardwood is now manufactured approximately ¼ inch thicker than older hardwood flooring, so it squeaks less and can be refinished more times over its lifetime. And with new types of hardwood, such as bamboo, appearing on the flooring market, it’s also possible to go green with your flooring, since bamboo is a renewable resource.
Hardwood is one of the most durable flooring materials you can choose for a home. With proper care and maintenance it can last a lifetime, well worth the initial investment. Provencher says part of what makes hardwood floors so attractive is the fact you can refinish a hardwood floor, or even stain it a different colour. “Your investment renews itself at a fraction of the cost and can look brand new several times throughout its life,” he says.
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