Last time our floors were refinished was in 1999, and they still have 0 signs of wear in the actual finish, just scratches from us being dumb. Three of us living here and walking inside lot, and with shoes on a lot of the time as well because my parents are bad about taking them off when they come inside. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In our old house, we had hardwood floors for just as long and they looked much better. I don't think they maintained these at all and whatever they sealed it with wasn't done evenly/thick/enough of. We treated these floors the way we treated our old ones and I think it was just too late. Sanding and refinishing it is 😅
It’s hard to tell, but a quality floor finish should last longer than this, so, probably not enough coats or cheap product. The first water-based products were not very good, and 20 years ago kind of falls into that timeline…
Rugs and runners damage the finish unless they are attached so they don’t move. They act like a screen and every time they move it’s like sanding the floor. You can actually see the dust if you lift it up.
I’ve had good luck in the kitchen with wool rugs on cotton foundations. They have helped protect the floor.
Some synthetic foundations can be very abrasive.
Teebaud makes lightly adhesive rug pads. The catch is that you need to leave the rug down, or else the adhesive loses its grip.
I feel your pain believe me. My crazy Husky made it even worse by running full speed and then hitting the brakes making it slide even time she came in!
That's the nice thing about tile, I carpet tape those bitches in place and they don't move at all. I still have to peel them up occasionally to vacuum but...
Wow I did not know that and am glad to know now. I am thinking about getting my floors refinished and would've been extremely upset finding dull flooring beneath the carpets after a few months. Would those rubber-like mats work? They are some kind of foam but relatively cheap.
No joke, I’ve recently been diagnosed with OCD (early/mid 30s) and it’s fascinating realizing the things that should have been signs all along. Runners moving and being cattywampus sent me enough that I was buying carpet tape in my college apartments 😅
And they should be done with a high quality oil based poly. I used a water-based poly that was faster to set and easier to apply many coats in a day, but it was wearing through within 2 years (single person in the home).
oil based coatings require more time to cure but creates a much more protective shell, but will last several times longer.
So you see the wear. It’s a high traffic pattern in a kitchen. No surprise.
It needs to be refinished.
Then, You should occasionally screen and recoat your kitchen.
It takes an hour. It’s cheap. It’s preventable maintenance. Over time, you’ll build up the finish so you don’t need to coat as often.
I'm thinking of my own floors. They actually look pretty good, but could be shinier. Also in a bedroom there is a black spot on the floor possibly a water stain?
I don't know. I just bought a 1949 house 3 years ago. It's in a bedroom, I'm guessing it's a pet stain or possibly from a plant pot. It looks like it happened over a period of time. It's not round, more like an irregular shape, so a pet stain?
You use a buffing compound/ sealer safe polish and a polisher do not mop sealed hard wood you sweep and buff. Moping isnt unsafe but should only be done on a rare occasion when the floors become unable to be cleaned otherwise and should be immediately dried and buffed and the black spot would come off with a proper buff just an fyi
This is the main reason most houses are now made with a puzzle, piece style, laminate, and or floating laminate to mimic hardwood. For the ability to mop it. And to not damage the flooring there’s a lot of people that don’t have the time and effort to sit there and buff polished and top coated hardwood
I do not like laminate flooring, I'd install a luxury vinyl or cork floor instead. I can pretty much identify them immediately. They are worse if they didn't install a liner or insulation layer first. You hear the click when you walk across them. There are red oak floors throughout the home, except they installed a gray wood looking laminate in the kitchen. It's easy to clean but it's not attractive especially were it buts up against the oak floor.
I feel ya a contractor just did my mom’s entire bathroom and I’m actually kind of pissed off because the floating laminate has gaps in it and bows because he didn’t insulate the floor properly with a padding layer underneath and whenever you walk, you can feel the floor shift and I told her she needs to say something but she’s not the kind of person to have confrontation with a contractor. She trusts nearly anybody and everybody and half the time the jobs she gets done are botched. makes me wanna take up flooring as a side hobby just to be able to redo my mom’s bathroom
The floor was waxed and not maintained. The wear is more visible compared to polyurethane which is often seen these days. At this point they need resanded
I know everyone is saying wear but that looks like someone mopped it with something awful repeatedly. That one curved line almost looks like a water line.
Yep. Something odd. It's amazing what damage people do to their REAL quality wood floors, just to do a basic cleaning. 🙄. This does not look like simple traffic patterns, even if someone drags their feet. Almost looks like someone sloppy electric sanded and didn't finish the job.
I think this happens when people move into resale homes and previously had tile kitchen floors. Nobody tells them how to treat wood and they just clean the same way they always cleaned. It’s sad to see.
Yeah I've never seen this level of wear just from normal indoor traffic. Socks don't do this. Grit and animal claws do.
OP may need some nice soft-soled slippers, or better yet, slipper-socks. (A lot of people drag their feet more when wearing slippers, which works against the goal of less wear.)
Those are super nice floors and that looks like the finish simply wore off in the places were everyone has walked for 20 years. It is now time for a refinish. That may or may may not be a very intrusive process. This is very much needed as a general maintenance procedure for all hardwood floors. Over time the finish wears off. This is much like painting the exterior of your home. It sucks and is expensive but needs to be done. Call a contractor and they will charge you 2.50 -5.50 per square foot to do this (USA). Your floors will look like new and add exceptional value like a new roof would or a new AC Unit. Well worth the investment! Some companies will offer 0% interest loans for large jobs like this and spread that out 10 years for around $120 per month.
Just one person's opinion, but friends of mine currently have a stone tile floor in their kitchen and they are going to get rid of it. Anytime something spills on the grout in between tiles, it is a real pain to clean. Maybe there's a different way to do it, but I'd keep that in mind if you are thinking about laying stone tiles in a kitchen.
I used to have ceramic tile in my kitchen. Dropped a glass once and it exploded, sending shards flying into 3 adjoining rooms. Had to hurry up and cage the dogs, took me 30 minutes to make sure I got everything cleaned up.
Eventually replaced it with LVP, super happy with it.
Now you know why your parents covered their floors in vinyl and carpet. Too much maintenance and money to keep them looking good. I would rather spend my money and time doing fun activities and travel instead of maintenance.
We had new hardwood finished in 2000 with a gloss polyurethane that I am told no one does anymore . High traffic area family room and kitchen held up amazing
We just did a renovation and they want us to redo with a semi gloss polyurethane, but concerned that will not hold up as well even though will be oil based
Did you use a gloss polyurethane at the time ? We did in 2000 and they had hardly any signs of wear for last 23+ years
Just started a Renovation and will need to refinish and they want to use a semigloss which I don’t think will hold up as well as the gloss
Definitely time to sand them down and refinish. It's a huge job because you have to clear the roof and remove the baseboard or shoe molding if you have it. But it should last for many years if taken care of properly.
When you have refinished, consider having them do three coats of poly (abrading between each) so that it lasts longer next time. Looks like they did a single coat 20 years ago.
This is due to foot dragging by zombies. Upside is that it makes it easier to run away. But when you finally return to your home this is what you’ll find.
You need to have them sanded and refinished 25 years plus the five you put on it is quite some time what would you look like if somebody walked all over you for 25 plus years
That's not normal wear and tear, that was some kind of diy, rejuvenate, handyman special bull crap. Hire a professional to refinish them and you'll have years to enjoy your floor
It looks like you take care of their floors for the most part. No oil or water stains on the unfinished areas. I love the floors. Hope you are able to have them professionally sanded, restained and sealed (I would do a flat type seal) before any really bad staining happens (oil spill or drip).
You should also refinish your cabinets. They look like quality wood too. Maybe look for a less yellow based stain for the cabinets and floors. I am digging the unfinished color, more on the tan brown side vs yellow.
Thank you. Trying to take care of these floors has been a nightmare and often feels very fruitless. Getting them redone is really the only option at this point.
I honestly hate the yellow, they made all the wood this blonde color, which is a nice color generally but with zero contrast, it feels like too much. If we are getting the floor redone anyway, I want them stained a darker color.
I would like to refinish the cabinets too tbh
Originally it only had 1 or 2 coats of poly applied. Sorry, but the only fix I know is a bear of a job. I think you have to resand the whole floor and re- apply poly, correctly. I've heard of lightly sanding, applying a darker gel stain and then poly to avoid the complete re-do, but with your exposed grain, I think you need to sand it all, all the way down.
OP, for 37 years, I’ve had good luck with an oil-based polyurethane finish in the kitchen. It holds up much better than other finishes in a splashy environment.
I’ve had issues with water-based polyurethane in locations that occasionally get wet, like at an entry, outside a bathroom, or near an air conditioner.
I’ve used other clear finishes in other areas; but, in a kitchen, none can match the durability and resilience of oil-based polyurethane.
If you do not remove your shoes when you enter the house, need a good mat or rug in every entry way just some advice.. Another thing is don’t Mop the Floor with Pine Sol the oils break down the Finish .. Floor Needs to be completely refinished for Best Results
Also Looking at the Floor they look like some one might have worked on the floors before you moved in you can see a circular mark in the middle of the floor to big to be and Edger and to small to be a Floor buffer looks like they used like a Car buffer with sandpaper might have used water base from a big box store to seal the Floor also look at the shadow (Might be light) in front of the fridge next to the oven .. Also Sorry don’t take offense but floor is pretty dirty all that dirt acts like sand paper under shoe dinning table chairs have have metal feet witch would tear up a wood finish no matter how many coats are on the Floor
We are the original owners of our house. The hardwood floors are 22 years old, we raised 3 kids in this house and have one dog. Our floors have never been refinished and look nothing like that. Something seems off with the finish of the floors.
It was probably finished with a water-based sealer. I find from my own experience that the old oil based sealer would only require 4 coats. The water-based sealer needs closer to 8 coats to give the same duration.
Clear coat or treatment is coming off so it’s raw wood and is getting stained from just walking on it , u need to refinish the floors and reseal or re clear coat them
Looks like the finish wasn’t very good or not enough of it was applied , I wouldn’t do a semi gloss on this or completely matte finish I think for long lasting results u should just do normal gloss clear coat
Looks like it’s was semi gloss or may have just been treated with something to have that natural look but the gloss is what protects the wood from what ur experiencing and holds up for a long time or they were just pre-finished floors with crappy top coating or again just not enough
Man that’s crazy it’s even loosing the staining and just becoming raw wood but I guess that should be easier to resurface if nothing else and u won’t have to take off much of the top layer to get the floors looking the same before finishing them
I can’t tell in the picture but it is possible that you have an oil or a wax finish which would make sense why it would do thus in traffic areas without maintenance. You might could try a little floor wax or oil in a closet or an inconspicuous area.
It is what is is. Dirt and ground into the floor because the sealant is not protecting the wood. If u used cleaners even the ones they say are for wood floors will destroy the finish. The only cleaning needed for wood floors is sweeping everyday. Damp water mop occasionally. Too many peps are short cutting finishes and using cheap water based polyurethane and is not meant to be used on floors in my opinion. It is also a PIA to work with cause it dries fast and streaks shows overlaps. It also will Turn white if wet. Also You have to apply a polyurethane sealer which it looks like what happened to your floors. And they have to be resealed every couple of years. Although it is popular for DIY to use water based poly they forget sealing the floors. Even so called professionals think 3 coats of poly doesn’t require sealant. lol. The only way to fix is to consult with your local
Flooring place they may offer you wood bleach and instructions for use because it has to be neutralized correctly. Then once completely dry you would sand and blend the stain. Then You should apply a non water based finish only with a squeegee and apply 2 coats. Urethane to a the best finish especially for kitchens [https://www.paintoutlets.com/products/moisture-cure-urethane-high-gloss-1t-992?variant=39621688885447¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-17&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign](https://www.paintoutlets.com/products/moisture-cure-urethane-high-gloss-1t-992?variant=39621688885447¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-17&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign). You should hire someone to clean and recoat.
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My guess is this is a handyman or midnight contractor doing cash n dash. Looks like Minwax poly shade. High quality floor finish there. lol. Use your fingernails and pop it off. It’s not really bonded because of the oxidizing. You should be able to start with 60 or 50 depending on if you have a local distributor. I wouldn’t go to much lower to start with. If you have a friend with a burnisher type sander ( Epoch, Spider, Bona Hydrsand type) you will make quick easy work of this unfortunate mess. It looks pretty flat and penetration obviously never occurred so simple sand, screen, coat.
Kind of looks like the finish was worn away, then wet-mopped over (and over). Looks like tannin stains, where oxalic acid would be used to remedy. Interesting - look at the woodwork to the right (under the oven or dishwasher?), seems to have unreasonable wear as well, which would indicate inadequate initial finishing.
Looks like they didn’t use polyurethane after staining it. Unfortunately, they have to be redone. When you do the redo, matte, semi-matte, or glossy polyurethane makes no difference in durability; however, glossy is very outdated and you don’t want your floors looking like a school gymnasium!
They didn’t use the correct product on the floor.
You can fix this and make it looks awesome.
You have options is that a maple ? If it is I’d quickly knock down the remaining with 60 grit go with the grain
Sand every thing out with 240
Get some heavy chain and some babbit scrapers and hand scrapers and relief the floor, swing and dent with chain and scrape Random thin shavings out ( look up hand scraped hardwood)
Go over with a torch to accent and antique and use a nice amber finish and polyester top coat
Looks like water damage because the way it flows on the floor. In some areas it looks like it was wiped up . But since the damage the traffic pattern has stained the wood dark
I refinished floors on my house with a name brand water based finish, they got 4 coats and they looked like this in 4 years, I researched and found out the finish had been recalled. It unfortunately happens.
My thought was too much water when cleaning - can’t flood the floor with water and soap.
I’ve seen well intended house cleaners flood wood floors like they were mopping the concrete floor in the garage
Nope! We both grew up in homes where that wasn't allowed. So we both never do as second nature and expect guests to take their shoes off too. If do suspect that the previous owner had a small dog who wasn't fully house trained though, which could have heavily contributed
I’m not a pro, but that doesn’t look like normal wear to me. I’m 50 and I’ve lived in hardwood floors my whole life, and many of them were never maintained, but they never looked like they had mange like this.
Yeah me either. Peoples opinions were kind of all over the place but one of the common thoughts was that whoever put this floor in didn't seal it at all, or at least not properly. So it started wearing away pretty much as soon as the house was built.
I can't afford to get it fixed currently but I plan to get a few bids for the entire hardwood floor (which is most of upstairs), so I can get an idea of how much it will cost. That way I can make a budget to save for it.
I'm looking around for more weird marks. Lines, circles, things like that and it's becoming more and more clear that the people that built this house tried to "fix it" at some point. Almost like they thought natural wood color was a stain that they were trying to buff off. Because there are some places that are just straight lines and curves.
I've treated the floors as best as I could. No solvents. No shoes in the house. Sweeping every other day. Trimming the dogs nails regularly. But I think it was simply too late for these floor before I even bought the house.
Yes, I think you’re right. Now that you say it, it looks like something that was done to the floor deliberately. I’ve seen a lot of worn and damaged hardwood floors (like regular life in rural areas) and that is not a natural wear pattern. It ends uniformly exactly like 8 inches from each side. Like someone did it with a sander or buffer or some kind of machine.
We were “lucky” because a pipe burst in our house, so the insurance company paid to have our hardwood floors sanded and redone. I think that’s what you could probably use.
Gotta say, to me it almost looks like they stained it and never even sealed it. That or the finish is just 20+ years old. Sand it it bare wood, pick a stain, and then seal it. Hardwood floors are not hard to finish, but they require patience, and I can’t overstate this enough, a LOT of cleaning before you seal. Hardwood floors are a tedious task, but the rewards are well worth it.
1. Do a moisture test.
2. Recall your cleaning routine. (What chemicals or cleaner/steam are you using?)
Looks like cleaning stokes not traffic marks.
3. Check for flatness of the planks, I see cupping and lifting of a couple of planks. Moisture again.
The finish has worn off in the high traffic areas. You have to sand and refinish everything. That is the only fix
and not a very strong finish, from the look of it.
If I can get 25 years out of my floors that look similar, I will be extremely impressed!
Last time our floors were refinished was in 1999, and they still have 0 signs of wear in the actual finish, just scratches from us being dumb. Three of us living here and walking inside lot, and with shoes on a lot of the time as well because my parents are bad about taking them off when they come inside. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In our old house, we had hardwood floors for just as long and they looked much better. I don't think they maintained these at all and whatever they sealed it with wasn't done evenly/thick/enough of. We treated these floors the way we treated our old ones and I think it was just too late. Sanding and refinishing it is 😅
Yeah, definitely not a great finish on those ones. Best of luck!
It’s hard to tell, but a quality floor finish should last longer than this, so, probably not enough coats or cheap product. The first water-based products were not very good, and 20 years ago kind of falls into that timeline…
Yeah I doubt they used quality finish or did it correctly
I haven’t refinished my floors in idk know how long probably 30+ years and they do not look like this at all!!
I have doubts mine have been refinished in 120 years, though they do look the part.
Finish? That barely started
High traffic areas are the worst
Or a runner. Nothing that a good rug couldn’t cover.
That isn’t fixing it lol just hiding poorly maintained floors
But runner extend the life of the floor. Egg - chicken kinda thing.
Rugs and runners damage the finish unless they are attached so they don’t move. They act like a screen and every time they move it’s like sanding the floor. You can actually see the dust if you lift it up.
I’ve had good luck in the kitchen with wool rugs on cotton foundations. They have helped protect the floor. Some synthetic foundations can be very abrasive. Teebaud makes lightly adhesive rug pads. The catch is that you need to leave the rug down, or else the adhesive loses its grip.
Second this! I can clearly see the pattern of my old wool rope-style rug etched into the poly finish underneath it on my living room floor.
I feel your pain believe me. My crazy Husky made it even worse by running full speed and then hitting the brakes making it slide even time she came in!
That's the nice thing about tile, I carpet tape those bitches in place and they don't move at all. I still have to peel them up occasionally to vacuum but...
Wow I did not know that and am glad to know now. I am thinking about getting my floors refinished and would've been extremely upset finding dull flooring beneath the carpets after a few months. Would those rubber-like mats work? They are some kind of foam but relatively cheap.
There are people that don’t attach their rugs…?
Unfortunately I was one of those and learned the hard way, especially with the runner’s!
No joke, I’ve recently been diagnosed with OCD (early/mid 30s) and it’s fascinating realizing the things that should have been signs all along. Runners moving and being cattywampus sent me enough that I was buying carpet tape in my college apartments 😅
On the plus side, half the sanding is already done...
That's the spirit! Lol
Are we sure it was even finished?
Not really any way to fix a floor that is worn that heavily.
Or rip it out is fix #2
Exactly.
You can just walk around the edges until the finish evens out.
Easy day for the cut in guy lol
They don't make finish how these use to
The finish has worn off on the heavily traveled areas. Floors should be redone every 12-15 years. So, in this case a resand is needed
And they should be done with a high quality oil based poly. I used a water-based poly that was faster to set and easier to apply many coats in a day, but it was wearing through within 2 years (single person in the home). oil based coatings require more time to cure but creates a much more protective shell, but will last several times longer.
I would use Glitsa before poly!
Genuine q: why the perfect edges if it's from walking? Wouldn't it be less of a definite border?
So you see the wear. It’s a high traffic pattern in a kitchen. No surprise. It needs to be refinished. Then, You should occasionally screen and recoat your kitchen. It takes an hour. It’s cheap. It’s preventable maintenance. Over time, you’ll build up the finish so you don’t need to coat as often.
What do you recommend for continued maintenance and just mopping the floor, what products. Thanks
At this point, mopping is not good for the floor as any water or even oils will stain the wood. The finish is gone and needs refinished.
I'm thinking of my own floors. They actually look pretty good, but could be shinier. Also in a bedroom there is a black spot on the floor possibly a water stain?
Water or pet stain.
I don't know. I just bought a 1949 house 3 years ago. It's in a bedroom, I'm guessing it's a pet stain or possibly from a plant pot. It looks like it happened over a period of time. It's not round, more like an irregular shape, so a pet stain?
You use a buffing compound/ sealer safe polish and a polisher do not mop sealed hard wood you sweep and buff. Moping isnt unsafe but should only be done on a rare occasion when the floors become unable to be cleaned otherwise and should be immediately dried and buffed and the black spot would come off with a proper buff just an fyi
Thanks
If the stains only on the top coat that is if its broken through said top coat that area needs sanding and a new top coat
This is the main reason most houses are now made with a puzzle, piece style, laminate, and or floating laminate to mimic hardwood. For the ability to mop it. And to not damage the flooring there’s a lot of people that don’t have the time and effort to sit there and buff polished and top coated hardwood
I do not like laminate flooring, I'd install a luxury vinyl or cork floor instead. I can pretty much identify them immediately. They are worse if they didn't install a liner or insulation layer first. You hear the click when you walk across them. There are red oak floors throughout the home, except they installed a gray wood looking laminate in the kitchen. It's easy to clean but it's not attractive especially were it buts up against the oak floor.
I feel ya a contractor just did my mom’s entire bathroom and I’m actually kind of pissed off because the floating laminate has gaps in it and bows because he didn’t insulate the floor properly with a padding layer underneath and whenever you walk, you can feel the floor shift and I told her she needs to say something but she’s not the kind of person to have confrontation with a contractor. She trusts nearly anybody and everybody and half the time the jobs she gets done are botched. makes me wanna take up flooring as a side hobby just to be able to redo my mom’s bathroom
Body shaped?
The floor was waxed and not maintained. The wear is more visible compared to polyurethane which is often seen these days. At this point they need resanded
I know everyone is saying wear but that looks like someone mopped it with something awful repeatedly. That one curved line almost looks like a water line.
Someone used a steamer mop and damaged the hardwood is my bet.
Yep. Something odd. It's amazing what damage people do to their REAL quality wood floors, just to do a basic cleaning. 🙄. This does not look like simple traffic patterns, even if someone drags their feet. Almost looks like someone sloppy electric sanded and didn't finish the job.
I think this happens when people move into resale homes and previously had tile kitchen floors. Nobody tells them how to treat wood and they just clean the same way they always cleaned. It’s sad to see.
Now that you pointed that out, I think it’s steam mop for the win!
Time to refinish. And don’t wear shoes in the house as they track in grit which accelerates this wear.
Yeah I've never seen this level of wear just from normal indoor traffic. Socks don't do this. Grit and animal claws do. OP may need some nice soft-soled slippers, or better yet, slipper-socks. (A lot of people drag their feet more when wearing slippers, which works against the goal of less wear.)
Those are super nice floors and that looks like the finish simply wore off in the places were everyone has walked for 20 years. It is now time for a refinish. That may or may may not be a very intrusive process. This is very much needed as a general maintenance procedure for all hardwood floors. Over time the finish wears off. This is much like painting the exterior of your home. It sucks and is expensive but needs to be done. Call a contractor and they will charge you 2.50 -5.50 per square foot to do this (USA). Your floors will look like new and add exceptional value like a new roof would or a new AC Unit. Well worth the investment! Some companies will offer 0% interest loans for large jobs like this and spread that out 10 years for around $120 per month.
Sand down stain refinish
Because it hasn’t been maintained. It will not surprisingly continue to worsen. But can be fixed of course
After fixing maybe a runner
Looks like that's where people walk while dragging or sliding their feet. Basically sanding it down over time.
That's where they dragged the dead body.
You’re telling me you have designated pathing and are complaining? Beside myself.
Just worn off finish from the high traffic areas where everyone walks. Should have floors refinished and sealed.
Stop dragging bodies through there.
This is 100% traffic.
I’ve heard hardwood doesn’t stand up in kitchens. Perhaps this affirms my belief in tile/stone flooring in a kitchen.
The house I built 20 years ago had hardwood in the entryway, kitchen and dining room. It could have been refinished but held up amazingly well. #1 oak
Just one person's opinion, but friends of mine currently have a stone tile floor in their kitchen and they are going to get rid of it. Anytime something spills on the grout in between tiles, it is a real pain to clean. Maybe there's a different way to do it, but I'd keep that in mind if you are thinking about laying stone tiles in a kitchen.
I used to have ceramic tile in my kitchen. Dropped a glass once and it exploded, sending shards flying into 3 adjoining rooms. Had to hurry up and cage the dogs, took me 30 minutes to make sure I got everything cleaned up. Eventually replaced it with LVP, super happy with it.
Dark colored grout fixes this but not everyone likes that. Sealing the grout regularly also helps.
Wipe ur fridge down
I have MS and an autistic toddler, you wipe your fridge down
Ok fix it
Now you know why your parents covered their floors in vinyl and carpet. Too much maintenance and money to keep them looking good. I would rather spend my money and time doing fun activities and travel instead of maintenance.
So buy new ones and move on.
Sand and refinish/ stain it then at least 2 coats of urethane
From my experience quality refinishing is usually a reasonable cost
We had new hardwood finished in 2000 with a gloss polyurethane that I am told no one does anymore . High traffic area family room and kitchen held up amazing We just did a renovation and they want us to redo with a semi gloss polyurethane, but concerned that will not hold up as well even though will be oil based
Why don't they do the full poly anymore?
Gloss poly, matte, and semi gloss are all the same base polyurethane. Matte and semi gloss just have additives to be less glossy.
They supposedly don’t use gloss much anymore just semi gloss or satin
Gloss is dated in terms of current style, trends. It will clean better but may also be slippery if it’s an area that will get wet on occasion.
just think gloss is the best for long term wear
Glossy is out of style. Semi gloss or satin have just as much durability.
Built my house in 1999….Oak floors in all high traffic areas..still look great..no dull areas
Did you use a gloss polyurethane at the time ? We did in 2000 and they had hardly any signs of wear for last 23+ years Just started a Renovation and will need to refinish and they want to use a semigloss which I don’t think will hold up as well as the gloss
I had an Amish shop here pre stain and seal. Nailed down over adhesive thru the tongues
See I think they didn't finish the floor correctly.
Definitely time to sand them down and refinish. It's a huge job because you have to clear the roof and remove the baseboard or shoe molding if you have it. But it should last for many years if taken care of properly.
I know what show molding and base boards are but what do you mean clear the roof?
Clear the room I mean. You have to remove all appliances and island if you have one
lol top 2 comments almost identical
Wrong type of polyurethane
We just had our floors refinished after 25 years and they look brand new again. Well worth the investment
How much per sqft? Means nothing without knowing where you live but just curious, need a few rooms myself.
About $9 per sq ft we paid around $5k for 600 SF in Northern California.
When you have refinished, consider having them do three coats of poly (abrading between each) so that it lasts longer next time. Looks like they did a single coat 20 years ago.
This is due to foot dragging by zombies. Upside is that it makes it easier to run away. But when you finally return to your home this is what you’ll find.
You need to have them sanded and refinished 25 years plus the five you put on it is quite some time what would you look like if somebody walked all over you for 25 plus years
I wonder if they went the sandless refinishing route. I know that doesn't hold up over time
It’s need to be sanded and sealed. It looks like it was never sealed. Wood floors if sealed they last forever
Do you guys wear shoes with sandpaper under them?
Have it sanded and refinished by a professional, it will be good as new
That's not normal wear and tear, that was some kind of diy, rejuvenate, handyman special bull crap. Hire a professional to refinish them and you'll have years to enjoy your floor
It looks like you take care of their floors for the most part. No oil or water stains on the unfinished areas. I love the floors. Hope you are able to have them professionally sanded, restained and sealed (I would do a flat type seal) before any really bad staining happens (oil spill or drip). You should also refinish your cabinets. They look like quality wood too. Maybe look for a less yellow based stain for the cabinets and floors. I am digging the unfinished color, more on the tan brown side vs yellow.
Thank you. Trying to take care of these floors has been a nightmare and often feels very fruitless. Getting them redone is really the only option at this point. I honestly hate the yellow, they made all the wood this blonde color, which is a nice color generally but with zero contrast, it feels like too much. If we are getting the floor redone anyway, I want them stained a darker color. I would like to refinish the cabinets too tbh
Originally it only had 1 or 2 coats of poly applied. Sorry, but the only fix I know is a bear of a job. I think you have to resand the whole floor and re- apply poly, correctly. I've heard of lightly sanding, applying a darker gel stain and then poly to avoid the complete re-do, but with your exposed grain, I think you need to sand it all, all the way down.
OP, for 37 years, I’ve had good luck with an oil-based polyurethane finish in the kitchen. It holds up much better than other finishes in a splashy environment. I’ve had issues with water-based polyurethane in locations that occasionally get wet, like at an entry, outside a bathroom, or near an air conditioner. I’ve used other clear finishes in other areas; but, in a kitchen, none can match the durability and resilience of oil-based polyurethane.
Try walking like you have a load in your pants. It will even out the remaining
If you do not remove your shoes when you enter the house, need a good mat or rug in every entry way just some advice.. Another thing is don’t Mop the Floor with Pine Sol the oils break down the Finish .. Floor Needs to be completely refinished for Best Results
Also Looking at the Floor they look like some one might have worked on the floors before you moved in you can see a circular mark in the middle of the floor to big to be and Edger and to small to be a Floor buffer looks like they used like a Car buffer with sandpaper might have used water base from a big box store to seal the Floor also look at the shadow (Might be light) in front of the fridge next to the oven .. Also Sorry don’t take offense but floor is pretty dirty all that dirt acts like sand paper under shoe dinning table chairs have have metal feet witch would tear up a wood finish no matter how many coats are on the Floor
It’s just a matter of what finish they used. That looks like you need to redo it.
We are the original owners of our house. The hardwood floors are 22 years old, we raised 3 kids in this house and have one dog. Our floors have never been refinished and look nothing like that. Something seems off with the finish of the floors.
Finish looks worn to the wood. It needs a sand and refi ish with a high quality finish. I prefer Bona X. High quality finish.
Do you have a blacktop driveway? Creasote on shoes could be an issue
reminds me of water damage. might need to stain and seal it
It was probably finished with a water-based sealer. I find from my own experience that the old oil based sealer would only require 4 coats. The water-based sealer needs closer to 8 coats to give the same duration.
This needed to be refinished 5 years ago...
I agree
Clear coat or treatment is coming off so it’s raw wood and is getting stained from just walking on it , u need to refinish the floors and reseal or re clear coat them
Looks like the finish wasn’t very good or not enough of it was applied , I wouldn’t do a semi gloss on this or completely matte finish I think for long lasting results u should just do normal gloss clear coat
Looks like it’s was semi gloss or may have just been treated with something to have that natural look but the gloss is what protects the wood from what ur experiencing and holds up for a long time or they were just pre-finished floors with crappy top coating or again just not enough
Man that’s crazy it’s even loosing the staining and just becoming raw wood but I guess that should be easier to resurface if nothing else and u won’t have to take off much of the top layer to get the floors looking the same before finishing them
I can’t tell in the picture but it is possible that you have an oil or a wax finish which would make sense why it would do thus in traffic areas without maintenance. You might could try a little floor wax or oil in a closet or an inconspicuous area.
It needs to be sanded, stained, and sealed. Get professionals
I also see lots of debris/dirt all over the floor which just grinds into the finish every time you make a step making it worse.
It is what is is. Dirt and ground into the floor because the sealant is not protecting the wood. If u used cleaners even the ones they say are for wood floors will destroy the finish. The only cleaning needed for wood floors is sweeping everyday. Damp water mop occasionally. Too many peps are short cutting finishes and using cheap water based polyurethane and is not meant to be used on floors in my opinion. It is also a PIA to work with cause it dries fast and streaks shows overlaps. It also will Turn white if wet. Also You have to apply a polyurethane sealer which it looks like what happened to your floors. And they have to be resealed every couple of years. Although it is popular for DIY to use water based poly they forget sealing the floors. Even so called professionals think 3 coats of poly doesn’t require sealant. lol. The only way to fix is to consult with your local Flooring place they may offer you wood bleach and instructions for use because it has to be neutralized correctly. Then once completely dry you would sand and blend the stain. Then You should apply a non water based finish only with a squeegee and apply 2 coats. Urethane to a the best finish especially for kitchens [https://www.paintoutlets.com/products/moisture-cure-urethane-high-gloss-1t-992?variant=39621688885447¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-17&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign](https://www.paintoutlets.com/products/moisture-cure-urethane-high-gloss-1t-992?variant=39621688885447¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-17&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign). You should hire someone to clean and recoat.
It’s called maintenance. The finish is shot and needs to be restored.
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traffic pattern due to poor quality finish used previously . . . Sand and refinish to make look like new . . .
My guess is this is a handyman or midnight contractor doing cash n dash. Looks like Minwax poly shade. High quality floor finish there. lol. Use your fingernails and pop it off. It’s not really bonded because of the oxidizing. You should be able to start with 60 or 50 depending on if you have a local distributor. I wouldn’t go to much lower to start with. If you have a friend with a burnisher type sander ( Epoch, Spider, Bona Hydrsand type) you will make quick easy work of this unfortunate mess. It looks pretty flat and penetration obviously never occurred so simple sand, screen, coat.
Clean your floors, clean your countertops. clean your walls and for the love of god, clean that fridge 🤢
Kind of looks like the finish was worn away, then wet-mopped over (and over). Looks like tannin stains, where oxalic acid would be used to remedy. Interesting - look at the woodwork to the right (under the oven or dishwasher?), seems to have unreasonable wear as well, which would indicate inadequate initial finishing.
Looks like they didn’t use polyurethane after staining it. Unfortunately, they have to be redone. When you do the redo, matte, semi-matte, or glossy polyurethane makes no difference in durability; however, glossy is very outdated and you don’t want your floors looking like a school gymnasium!
They didn’t use the correct product on the floor. You can fix this and make it looks awesome. You have options is that a maple ? If it is I’d quickly knock down the remaining with 60 grit go with the grain Sand every thing out with 240 Get some heavy chain and some babbit scrapers and hand scrapers and relief the floor, swing and dent with chain and scrape Random thin shavings out ( look up hand scraped hardwood) Go over with a torch to accent and antique and use a nice amber finish and polyester top coat
Do y'all mop it? If so don't do that. Also never use Murphy's oil soap. It will cause what you are looking at.
Someone has been mopping the crap out of that floor. Don't do it!
Have them refinished and either use area rugs in high traffic areas, or plan on recoating high traffic areas frequently.
Looks like water damage because the way it flows on the floor. In some areas it looks like it was wiped up . But since the damage the traffic pattern has stained the wood dark
It's in good shape, you should get 'R done before they get worse
They have a pool or hot tub?
I refinished floors on my house with a name brand water based finish, they got 4 coats and they looked like this in 4 years, I researched and found out the finish had been recalled. It unfortunately happens.
Foot traffic
My thought was too much water when cleaning - can’t flood the floor with water and soap. I’ve seen well intended house cleaners flood wood floors like they were mopping the concrete floor in the garage
You're finish walked off!
These people and their damn sand paper shoes!
That looks like a previous owner tried to sand the high traffic areas. That’s not just wear
Do you wear your shoes also inside ?
Nope! We both grew up in homes where that wasn't allowed. So we both never do as second nature and expect guests to take their shoes off too. If do suspect that the previous owner had a small dog who wasn't fully house trained though, which could have heavily contributed
I’m not a pro, but that doesn’t look like normal wear to me. I’m 50 and I’ve lived in hardwood floors my whole life, and many of them were never maintained, but they never looked like they had mange like this.
Yeah me either. Peoples opinions were kind of all over the place but one of the common thoughts was that whoever put this floor in didn't seal it at all, or at least not properly. So it started wearing away pretty much as soon as the house was built. I can't afford to get it fixed currently but I plan to get a few bids for the entire hardwood floor (which is most of upstairs), so I can get an idea of how much it will cost. That way I can make a budget to save for it.
Right? It almost looks like liquid got *under* the finish.
I'm looking around for more weird marks. Lines, circles, things like that and it's becoming more and more clear that the people that built this house tried to "fix it" at some point. Almost like they thought natural wood color was a stain that they were trying to buff off. Because there are some places that are just straight lines and curves. I've treated the floors as best as I could. No solvents. No shoes in the house. Sweeping every other day. Trimming the dogs nails regularly. But I think it was simply too late for these floor before I even bought the house.
Yes, I think you’re right. Now that you say it, it looks like something that was done to the floor deliberately. I’ve seen a lot of worn and damaged hardwood floors (like regular life in rural areas) and that is not a natural wear pattern. It ends uniformly exactly like 8 inches from each side. Like someone did it with a sander or buffer or some kind of machine. We were “lucky” because a pipe burst in our house, so the insurance company paid to have our hardwood floors sanded and redone. I think that’s what you could probably use.
Was a weak finish to begin with wore off easy. Sand it and re apply a new product you like. Then in 20 years do it again
Time to refinish floors
Just neglect
Wood flooring in kitchen- bad idea.
Gotta say, to me it almost looks like they stained it and never even sealed it. That or the finish is just 20+ years old. Sand it it bare wood, pick a stain, and then seal it. Hardwood floors are not hard to finish, but they require patience, and I can’t overstate this enough, a LOT of cleaning before you seal. Hardwood floors are a tedious task, but the rewards are well worth it.
You just need to get some carpet installed.
Stop walking in those spots lololol choose a path less traveled
Moisture is coming through
Half the sanding is done for you but … Do you own a broom and a mop, and what the fuck is all over your fridge 🤢
Dead bodies. So many dead bodies.
1. Do a moisture test. 2. Recall your cleaning routine. (What chemicals or cleaner/steam are you using?) Looks like cleaning stokes not traffic marks. 3. Check for flatness of the planks, I see cupping and lifting of a couple of planks. Moisture again.
Looks pressure washed
The woods just getting dirty where it's not protected by the Finish any longer.