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Over time, hardwood floors can start to look dull. You might find that they have superficial imperfections from years of wear and tear. However, you don’t have to go to great lengths to make your floor look new again. One of the many benefits of hardwood floors is their ability to be refinished!
In some cases, you might not even need to do a complete hardwood floor refinishing. Those of you living in our very own Nashville could opt for a screen and recoat. Never heard of it? Don’t worry! You’re not the only one. Many homeowners don’t know the benefits of a screen and recoat or how the process differs from wood refinishing. In this guide, you’ll learn more about a screen and recoat so that you can determine whether it’s the right solution for your flooring.
What is a Screen and Recoat?
A screen and recoat is the process of refreshing your hardwood flooring. Nashville homes often see their floors start to dull, especially in high traffic areas, but a screen and recoat can help revive them without replacing them.
In order to screen and recoat, you must abrade the top layer of polyurethane from your hardwood floor. From there, a new top coat is applied. Some wood floors may require two coats. Once it is finished, you’ll be left with a fresh hardwood floor and no superficial imperfections.
How to Screen and Recoat Hardwood Flooring
While some may do it differently, our process of screening and recoating is very simple. We use our buffer tool to abrade the floor gently. It is crucial that we do this step carefully so that we don’t take off all of the layers of finishing. Instead, the buffer creates small abrasions in the remaining layers so that a new coat of polyurethane can adhere to them.
For the next step, we work with our clients to choose a new polyurethane. We then take the product and apply it to the hardwood until you are left with a beautiful, looks-like-new floor. Best of all, we use durable products to give your flooring even more protection from future scratches.
How Does it Differ from Hardwood Refinishing?
You might be wondering how this process differs from floor refinishing. Nashville customers come to us all of the time looking for refinishing services, but a screen and recoat will get the job done in most cases. The problem is that many homeowners don’t know the difference between refinishing hardwood and a screen and recoat.
When you refinish a floor, you must sand and all layers of finish until you get down to the raw wood. If the hardwood has deep gouges in it, you may have to sand even further down to smooth them out before refinishing. Once you have the wood prepped and ready, you can choose both the color and finish of the floors.
How Often Should You Screen and Recoat?
Though we take pride in the quality of our work, a screen and recoat won’t last forever. For best results, we recommend that our clients complete the process once every three years. This amount of time should be enough to maintain your finish and keep your floors looking beautiful. If your flooring experiences higher than normal traffic, you may need to increase the frequency.
Advantages of a Screen and Recoat Over Refinishing
A screen and recoat often has many advantages over its more in-depth counterpart. When you hire a professional to get the job done right, you can extend the life of your floors. With each hardwood refinishing, Nashville homeowners take away a layer of wood. If you frequently refinish, you’ll soon end up needing to replace the floors because there will be nothing left to sand. Since a screen and recoat only removes the finish (no wood), you can do it as many times as needed without diminishing the lifespan of your flooring.
That’s not all!
A screen and recoat is faster than sanding and refinishing. Our professionals can get the job done in as little as one day, so there is far less disruption to your daily routine. Not to mention, our efficiency allows us to keep the price much lower. Therefore, it tends to be an affordable option for most people.
Disadvantages to Consider
As with any project, there are disadvantages of choosing a screen and recoat over a wood refinishing. Since the buffer only removes the top layer of finish, you can’t remove any of those deep gouges from pet claws, heavy drops, and other damage. If your floor has a lot of damage beyond the finish, you’ll need to sand them down to the raw wood.
In addition, a screen and recoat doesn’t give you the opportunity to change the color of your flooring. If for some reason, the color of your floor no longer suits your taste, you’ll need to remove all the layers of finish before applying a new color. A screen and recoat only allows you to change the sheen of your floors.
It’s also important to note that a screen and recoat cannot be done on any floors finished with a hard-wax oil, like Rubio Monocoat. A screen and recoat can only be performed on floors finished with polyurethane.
Find out More About How to Screen and Recoat Your Hardwood Flooring (if you're lucky enough to live in Nashville)
Still not sure whether a sand and recoat is the best option for your hardwood floors? No problem! At Southern Oaks Flooring, we are more than happy to assess your floors and help you make the decision. We offer several different finishing options for Nashville customers, so reach out to us today.
You can reach us by calling 615-416-9039 to speak with our NWFA Certified Pros. We also have an online form that you can submit to schedule a consultation in your home.