How often should hardwood floors be refinished, and does the season matter?
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
How often should a wood floor be refinished?
There is no fixed schedule, and no government body publishes one. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), the hardwood trade's association, says maintenance schedules vary with use, wear and tear, and lifestyle. What it does give is a sequence: recoat when the floor starts to look dull, and sand and refinish fully only when the floor is damaged or the finish has worn through. So the honest answer is that the floor sets the timing, not the calendar.
What is the difference between recoating and refinishing?
They are different jobs with different triggers.
- Recoat, or maintenance coat. The NWFA describes this as cleaning the existing finish, lightly sanding it and applying a fresh coat. It is the step for a floor that has lost its sheen but has no damage, and it does not change the color.
- Full sand and refinish. The NWFA recommends this when there are deep scratches, dents or other damage, or the finish has worn away and bare wood shows. Sanding back to raw wood is also the point at which the color can be changed.
Because every full sanding takes wood off the surface, the number of times it can be done is limited. The NWFA says that number depends on the thickness of the wear layer, the flatness and condition of the floor, the equipment and the contractor's skill. That is a reason to ask, before any full sanding, how much wear layer is left.
How often should carpet, vinyl or tile be replaced?
No authority read for this guide sets an interval for any of them. Replacement follows from condition: carpet that has buckled or worn through, tile that is cracking or hollow, or any floor that has been soaked and not dried in time. Those signs are described in signs your floors need work.
Does the season matter for wood floors in Pennsylvania?
Yes, because wood moves with the moisture in the air. Penn State Extension explains that wood gains or loses moisture until it reaches equilibrium with the surrounding air. Its figures show the size of the swing:
| Conditions | Equilibrium moisture content of wood |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania outdoors, or an unheated shed | about 11 to 14 percent |
| 70 degrees and 77 percent relative humidity | 14.9 percent |
| 70 degrees and 40 percent relative humidity | 7.7 percent |
| A house with forced-air gas heat in winter, in the extension's example | around 4 percent |
The extension adds that most hardwood lumber is dried to around 7 to 8 percent. Wood brought into much drier conditions shrinks; wood in damper conditions swells.
Two practical points follow. Flooring stored in an unheated garage or porch can take on moisture before it goes down. And a floor laid while the house is damp can shrink once the heat comes on. The NWFA says seasonal gaps are normal and suggests keeping a home between 30 and 50 percent humidity and 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, which is also the range the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls ideal for limiting mold, with a ceiling of 60 percent. A contractor should be able to tell you how the flooring will be stored and conditioned before installation.
Is summer or winter better for refinishing?
Each has a drawback, and ventilation is the deciding factor.
- Finishes need fresh air. The EPA says varnishes and waxes contain organic solvents and that elevated levels can persist long after the work is done. Its advice is to increase ventilation and, where a label calls for a well-ventilated area, open windows or use exhaust fans. In mild weather that is easier to do for days at a time.
- Heat and humidity speed up emissions from composite wood. The EPA says formaldehyde is released faster in heat and may also depend on humidity, and that air conditioning and dehumidifiers that keep the temperature moderate and the air dry can reduce emissions. For laminate or engineered wood installed in high summer, plan to run them and to ventilate.
- Tile has its own conditions. The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), a tile industry education body, says many tile products must be kept within a set temperature and humidity range and need to cure for the time the manufacturer specifies before traffic or moisture.
No source names a best month. The contractor's answer for your floor and products, and the label on the finish, should decide it.
When in a remodel should the floor go in?
Near the end. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), the carpet industry's association, says to finish other projects in the room, such as painting or wallpapering, before new carpet is installed. Ask the same question of any flooring contractor working alongside painters or other trades, and schedule a wood refinish when the house can be cleared and aired. The prices that go with each option are in the cost guide, and businesses are listed on the flooring contractors directory page.
Sources
- Maintenance, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)
- Refinishing Your Floors, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)
- Problem Prevention, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)
- Understanding Equilibrium Moisture Content, Penn State Extension
- Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Protect Against Exposures to Formaldehyde, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Installation Tips, The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
- The Homeowner's Guide to Hiring a Qualified Tile Installer, Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF)