How to refinish hardwood floors that are currently covered in carpet?

Jessica McKee
by Jessica McKee

I have done many refinishing project however I have never done a floor before. I'm a little nervous about ripping out all of my carpet and then finding out that the floor underneath is not worth redoing. The rest of my house has beautiful hardwood floors, so I am hoping that the floor underneath the carpet is similar to the rest of my home.

  6 answers
  • D scheidecker D scheidecker on Nov 29, 2018

    Pull a corner of carpet up to check quality of wood. How many nail holes from carpet laying. May have to rent a sander to remove old varnish. Then go to reputable store to get floor finish. I stained first but most people don’t. Did this 40 years ago couldn’t do myself now so ‘ hired a professional. Get referrals before you hire. I had mine put stain in the second coat, then

    he did clear on top. Good luck

    • Jessica McKee Jessica McKee on Dec 18, 2018

      Thank you,, I am going to try and do it myself. Does anyone have a suggestion on type of floor finish3?

  • Dee Dee on Nov 29, 2018

    I totally agree with D

  • William William on Nov 29, 2018

    I agree. I pulled a corner of my carpet to see what was underneath. Found maple floors that just needed some minor refinishing.

  • Alice Alice on Nov 29, 2018

    I found a YouTube video I think might help you...


    https://youtu.be/xhaDV31Ig0A

  • Dwp7470b Dwp7470b on Nov 29, 2018

    Me too. Check for Tack Boards at the edges. You get these with Wall to Wall Carpets.

    Also keep in mind the following Real Estate Fact:

    Real Estate Agents rarely hide a beautiful floor.


    If you bought the house with Carpet, you can safely bet your husband a $1 sum that it is with a defect somewhere that cannot hide by furniture rearrangement alone.

    • See 1 previous
    • Dwp7470b Dwp7470b on Dec 01, 2018

      Couldn't agree more about carpet warmth.

      Insulated walls, Rafters and Attics however are preferred over Carpets by any Homeowner.

      However, again I stress: No Real Estate Agent hides a Beautiful floor with Wall to Wall.

      This is regardless of facts: Elderly like Carpets.

      Elderly also ain't got much potential to pay a Bank $1600 a month for 45 years, to pay the contractor what he deserves, so basically the contractor Point of View on carpets is: Shove the carpet up your elderly aaaa**, we will take insulation and an efficient furnace.

      Real estate in Kentucky or Pennsylvania Dives and Slums may differ where they want to unload a shack to Trailer Trash before the roof caves in on a person who probably doesn't wear shoes or socks.

      However there is a huuuge difference between a Shack, a Trailer, a House and a Home.

      Persons with a Home, usually have a Regular Income and a Budget is that difference.

      In that budget is usually insulated ceiling in a Basement and that eliminates any Need for Wall 2 Wall on the 1st floor.

      Thus, they who have a home budget get decor rugs for a beautiful floor in a place they can afford because they have enough warmth from Actual Insulation Solutions.

      Wall2Wall from a Realtor is a Bad Sign that the People who owned it didn't maintain the floor, insulation, furnace, and electrical.

      Toss that in with a 60g or less dingy pricetag, odds are quite good it is a Money Pit they want to unload on a very Big Sucker.

      'Let them maintain it themself for being dumb enough to Neglect it' should be the opinion of the homebuyer. But facts are: people are so mistaught by U.S. Miseducation Farce they all think a Carpet is a suitable Insulation.

      Trust me it ain't. Carpet is a suitable Nazism. Just like Nazi Propaganda You can wipe your behind with a carpet. Fiberglas you cannot wipe with as it will cut you to bits.

      Understand what I am saying: In any well maintained home, a Carpet is a Decor not a necessity.

      In a poorly maintained home, you can find 60 carpets and carpets atop carpets all ofwhich are multipurpose: Insulation and Ugly Floor Blemish hiders.

      With what I have seen, It wouldn't suprise me atall if the pulling up of the carpet reveals that someone got tired of painting the floor with their socks after an attempt to paint a wall went bad when they kicked over the bucket that shoulda been on a ladder instead.

      Thus you gotta ask: Why is the carpet there?

      Usually that response is: Cracked Linoleum from the 1940s hurt some hick's bare toes in the 1990s. Do Real Estate Agent's admit this? Noooooooo. They couldn't sell it if they said: Babies Eat 1940s Linoleum with Asbestos...so, 'There are Probably Hardwood Floors under that thar Carpet but we don't know' is what they tell you.

  • Janet Siano Janet Siano on Nov 29, 2018

    Yes, I agree. You need to pull up the carpet, get all the nails out, sand the floor getting rid of the old finish and apply stain if you want. You then have to finish with a clear coat finish like polyurethane. It’s a lot of work to do yourself and it’s best to let a professional do it the right way. Best of luck to you!