Floor refinishing

Olga Hixson
by Olga Hixson
Hi everyone, i would like your opinion on installing hardwoods throughout. I would like to keep the existing floors and add to it to replace the carpet and just sand them down and stain all new and old floors one color. My husband asked an installer and he said that it will never work and that there will be a visible difference. This original flooring is glued down so removing it is not going to be easy...
  11 answers
  • The installer is correct. To a certain point. Here is the million dollar question, will a slight variance in color really matter? Think about it. Once you put down a few pretty rugs, move all your furniture back in, add lighting and decorate, will it be noticeable? I have done this and out of all the people that came through our house at the time, only one person noticed. We even sold it that way - no big deal. It just depends on how "perfect" you want things to be. If you want perfect, rip up the old stuff and install new. Does that help any?

    • You are absolutely correct! But she said the existing hardwood floors were glued down. Not an easy removal, probably not much to salvage and donate. I had glued down hardwood in part of my house when I bought it. It was in really rough shape and no way to fix or live with it, so I tore it out, took the guys 2 solid days just to get out. I am on a slab and it was a mess. Then we had to repair and level the slab and let that dry before installing the new floor. There was virtually nothing left to salvage.

  • Karen Tokarse Karen Tokarse on Sep 19, 2017

    Hogwash on what that installer said. This floor looks like standard Bruce oak flooring. After the carpet is removed, underlayment can be laid until the new floor is the same height as the existing. Take a measurement of one "plank" and take to a flooring store. Also take these pictures. They will be able to match the flooring and probably install, strip and re-stain.

    • Olga Hixson Olga Hixson on Sep 19, 2017

      This is what i thought too ...that is somewhat typical for ppl to keep their hardwoods and just add to it.. thank you for your response

  • Mar30065902 Mar30065902 on Sep 19, 2017

    PULLING UP THE CARPET AND REFINISHING IS THE CHEAPEST METHOD. IF IT IS A LARGE ROOM, CONSIDER HIRING A PROFESSIONAL.

  • Karen Krysowaty Karen Krysowaty on Sep 19, 2017

    You Will need patience but yes it definitely can be done. Take your pictures to a local stain store and they can match it.

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  • 2dogal 2dogal on Sep 19, 2017

    If you can't match the wood, an alternative would be to tile where the carpet was. Or you can play on the existing color by getting a close match and using that as an interior border (maybe about a foot in) in the new much different color wood.

  • LorriLJ LorriLJ on Sep 20, 2017

    1. Or edge and add the new floor as an inlay.


    2. There are stains available now that give a more opaque finish. That will give excellent results on creating the same finish throughout.

  • SandyG SandyG on Sep 20, 2017

    Your flooring now appears differently colored, depending on sunlight, furniture shadows, etc. and wood grain texture. I would go for it. A good refinisher that know what they are doing should be able to get it very close. Just require a final say-so agreement on a color finish. A professional will be able to submit colors/finishes that they have mixed for you to choose from.

  • Gabrielle Falk Gabrielle Falk on Sep 21, 2017

    Would you be able to install flooring (a floating floor) over the existing areas, thus getting the continuity you want. Many floor boards these days are manufactured in a tongue and groove style, and they just click into each other. So easy. But you have to make sure that the extra height with the overlaid floor doesn't interfere with any doors or equipment - eg if you are also doing the kitchen floor, make sure that eg the dishwasher can be pulled out easily if it needs attention. Usually there is an inch or so above the dish. washer, with the bench tops going over the top.

  • Marjie Mack O'Connor Marjie Mack O'Connor on Sep 22, 2017

    Talk to a couple of other installers. I had a problem with bad stains we found on our hardwood when we ripped up the old carpet to expose the original flooring in our postwar house. I talked to two different guys who said the old-growth oak couldn't be saved and we'd have to replace it ... and pay a lot of money to do so.


    So I asked my stepson, an electrician, if he knew any good flooring guys from any of the houses he'd worked on. He did, and his guy quoted us 1/2 of the first quote and 1/3 of the second.


    We gave them a shot, and they did a great job. I could still see where the worst stain had been, but I had to really look. No one else ever spotted it even if I challenged them to find it.


    Anyway, the point is that different tradesmen have different skill levels. Talk to some more pros for their recommendations. You may find someone who can minimize the slight difference in color to the point that it's negligible.

  • I agree to keep the floor and restrain. I did that in my last house and the realtor said oh you installed new floor. If you go to a paint store with a close up of the floor they should be able to get you the right stain.


  • Jodi Hill Jodi Hill on Sep 22, 2017

    Hardwood floors are hard do what makes you happy.