Refinish or Replace Hardwood Floors? A Franklin Homeowner Checklist

Many worn hardwood floors in older Franklin, Brentwood, and Green Hills homes can be brought back with a sand and refinish instead of a full tear-out. Here is how to tell which way to go.

Usually a refinish candidate

• Surface scratches, dull finish, and traffic paths that have worn through the finish.
• Color you no longer like (stain can be changed after sanding).
• Small gaps that open in winter and close in summer.

A screen and recoat may be enough

If the finish is dull but the wood itself is not scratched to bare wood or stained, a lighter buff and new topcoat can cost far less than a full sanding.

Usually points toward replacement

• Boards that are soft, spongy, cupped badly, or rotted from long-term moisture.
• Tongue showing at the board edges because the wood was sanded too many times.
• Engineered floors with the wear layer already worn through.
• Deep pet urine stains that have blackened the wood (sometimes only the affected boards need replacing).

Partial repairs

A good contractor can often weave in new boards where damage is local, then refinish the whole room so it blends. Ask whether that option is possible before agreeing to replace everything.