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Professional hardwood floor refinishing in Cincinnati.

Floor Refinishing vs. Restoration


Professional Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Cincinnati

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Footprints Floors Cincinnati Flooring Estimate

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So you know your floors need help—but how do you know if they need to be restored or just refinished? There are several factors to keep in mind when making this decision and finding professional hardwood floor refinishing in Cincinnati. Understanding the needs of your hardwood floors can save you thousands of dollars and a good deal of stress.

Determine What Your Floors Need

There are three main factors to consider when determining if you need floor refinishing or restoration: the condition of your floors, the age of your floors, and the type of hardwood.

Hardwood floors in homes built after the 1940s with light scuffs or scratches, some wear from foot traffic and have lost a bit of shine probably just need to be refinished. Floors installed before the 1940s with more significant signs of damage (deeper scratches from furniture, or floorboards that are warped or cracked, for instance) will likely need to be restored instead.

If you’re not sure what your floors need, consult with a professional hardwood floor refinishing company like Footprints Floors. We’ll be able to advise you on whether your floors need to be restored or just refinished and provide you with a free estimate for the work.

Footprints Floors providing beautiful, professional hardwood floor refinishing in Cincinnati.

The Refinishing Process


Broken down, the steps to refinish a hardwood floor are very simple.

  • 1. Strip the floor of its current finishing.
  • 2. Sand or “screen” the floor to remove scratches or other signs of wear and tear from the surface.
  • 3. Give the floor a brand–new finish!

Refinishing a floor is not just a weekend project. Weather, the type of wood and the size of the floors you need refinished are all factors that play into how long a refinishing project takes. Also, despite the simplicity of the steps, a lot can go wrong. Uneven sanding or incorrect application of a finish can make your floors look worse than before.

As a professional hardwood floor refinishing company, the licensed contractors of Footprints Floors can get the job done quickly and correctly, so you aren’t inconvenienced in your home for long. And you can feel confident about the work done, so you don’t have to refinish your floors again for a long time.

The Restoration Process


Restoration of a hardwood floor is more labor intensive than refinishing. Hiring a company that understands different types of wood and how different kinds of damage will impact the restoration process is essential.

Some restoration steps are similar to refinishing—both require stripping away a current finish, sanding and applying a new finish. However, floor restoration involves more significant repairs and may even need patches of complete replacement. Depending on the depth of restoration required, these projects can take more than a week to complete.

Both refinishing and restoring floors are time–intensive, labor–intensive processes involving heavy, dangerous equipment. It is generally much more cost–effective and time–efficient to hire an outside contractor rather than attempt to do the job yourself.

The Best for Your Floor—and Your Budget Professional Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Cincinnati

Professional flooring refinishing near you in Cincinnati - Footprints Floors.

There are many things that homeowners can do to care for the hardwood floors in their homes. For instance, regular cleaning of your floors can help keep them looking nice and prevent long–term damage. Sweeping with soft–bristled brooms, regular vacuuming to remove dirt, and mopping with specialty hardwood floor cleaning solutions can all work wonders on your floors.

Of course, even with care, hardwood floors are not impervious to damage. Your pets might scratch the surface. Water damage might cause a section of the floor to warp or have a loose board that wobbles. You might notice gaps appearing between planks over time and as the weather changes, causing the wood to expand or contract, or you might have dents in the wood from high foot traffic areas. Perhaps your floors just don't look as shiny and new as you'd like. When your own cleaning and maintenance doesn't go as far as they used to, it's time to refinish or even restore.

While it is possible to DIY hardwood refinishing and even restoration, someone without experience can easily damage a hardwood floor. Instead of paying for a costly repair, get it right the first time by calling a professional hardwood floor refinishing company. They'll get the job done right the first time.

Footprints Floors has years of experience working on all kinds of flooring in all types of conditions. From beautiful, rare mahogany floors in Victorian homes to the stunning red oak floors of a mid–century modern suburb house and everything in between, Footprints Floors can do the job right.

We're committed to providing high–quality finishes at the lowest possible rate in a reasonable amount of time. We work to save our clients stress (and money!) as we work to give them floors that look brand new! We won't offer you services you don't need and are confident you will be satisfied with the finished project. Contact us today for a free estimate on your hardwood floor refinishing or restoration project.

This beautiful spiral staircase was refinished by Footprints Floors.

Great Floors & Great Impressions Are What We Are All About!

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What Our Customers Say

Great job on time the installers worked hard and were friendly.
Tim Burgoyne 05/31/24 — google
Excellent work, completed in one day!
Michael Hall 04/19/24 — google
Excellent work! We are thrilled with our new hardwood floor. Mike and his crew were so professional, clean and did an amazing job! Highly recommend!
Megan Deeley 04/17/24 — google
I had an excellent experience with this company. Mike provided clear explanations of my options and guided me through the floor refinishing process with expertise. The crew that handled the job was exceptionally professional and went above and beyond in cleaning up the site afterward. I would absolutely recommend this company, and I plan to enlist their services again for the remaining floors in my house.
Matt A 04/13/24 — google
Mike and his team were awesome - easy to work with and did a beautiful job. After discussing the project with a few potential partners, Footsteps instilled a high-level of confidence at the right price point and I wasn't disappointed.
Heidi Lofton 03/27/24 — google
From start to finish Mike and his team were wonderful to work with. Mike is very knowledgeable about hardwood floors which made the whole process stress-free. They were punctual every day, and the project was done on time. You can’t tell a difference between the old and new wood, and the finish is beautiful. We love our new floors and would highly recommend this company!
Suzanne Carr 03/18/24 — google
Mike and his crew did an amazing job laying down vinyl flooring in our garage loft. Mike was extremely helpful in helping us select the correct product for the space and ensuring the area was properly prepped for optimal install and durability. The best you can ask for when hiring a professional is punctuality, respect of your property, reasonable pricing and high quality work. This was our experience with Footprints Floors and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone!
kevin wimmer 02/28/24 — google
After contacting Footprints Floors, Mike responded quickly with a very fair quote for screening and recoating our hardwood floor. They were able to complete the project within a few days of our initial call and we couldn't be happier with the finished results! I won't hesitate to use Footprints Floors in the future and highly recommend them if you are looking for someone to recoat or refinish your hardwood.
Merri Purdy 02/12/24 — google
Mike and his team were great to work with and the final product exceeded our expectations. They refinished the floors in my wife’s salon the week between Christmas and New Year’s. We had a very specific timeline that had to be met and they pulled it off with no problems. The communication with Mike was excellent and the workmanship was an A plus. I would highly recommend Footprints Cincinnati!
John Mitchell 01/19/24 — google
Had hardwood floors resurfaced and then added in new flooring to replace existing carpet. Mike and his team did a fantastic job. We did this before moving in and they communicated daily with pics and did everything they said they would. Highly recommend their service
Tom Lucas 12/5/23 — google
Excellent experience, highly recommend. Mike was friendly, helpful, and answered any questions I had. The crew was also very friendly and did an excellent job. They removed carpet that was on existing hardwood floors in a hundred year old house and refinished them. The floors look amazing!
Melanie Atkinson 11/27/23 — google
Excellent job refinishing an entry hall and laying a new floor in the living room. In completing the living room floor, Footprints needed to match an existing wooden floor. I can’t tell where the existing floor ends and the new floor begins, they did such a good job. They were timely, the job was completed when they promised. They deserve a 5 star rating
Susan Nerska 11/18/23 — google
We had a small project we needed professional help with. A landing and two steps on our back door. The result turned out beautifully, very happy with the quality and service. Mike was great to work with. Would recommend.
Brooke Neace 10/11/23 — google
Footprints Floors replaced the old, worn carpet on our stairs with beautiful hardwood quickly and efficiently, with a beautiful final product. From start to finish, they were communicative and provided an accurate timeline and budget. I would highly recommend this company.
L M 09/18/23 — google
Appreciated the detailed information shared by Mike before installation. Also of merit is his punctuality before ,during and after installation and final inspection . The crew did a beautiful job making intricate cuts in small detailed area. They were hard working,respectful and did a great job cleaning up the items removed. This is one company that takes pride in making sure the customer is fully satisfied and I made the right decision. The floor looks great and I am thrilled with how it turned out. Of you want a no hassle,stress free experience this team delivers. Thanks for my beautiful floors gentlemen!
Ken Morrow 09/8/23 — google
Footprints Flooring did a fabulous refinishing job on our wood floors. I can't wait to entertain and show them off.
Holly Farmer 06/20/23 — google
Mike and his team are true professionals! The work they did is magnificent and the care they took to protect my furniture, walls, etc. was much appreciated! They kept us informed of status of the floors along the way, and started and completed as promised. I would have given them 10 stars if that was an option!!
Terri Wallace 03/31/23 — google
Mike and his crew did an incredible job from start to finish. The project started a year ago when they came and quoted a job for me. I did not get it done then but was able to make it work a year later. He was able to be flexible on pricing and was honest, helpful and always on-time. I look forward to using Footprint again in the future.
Gabriel Saba 03/21/23 — google
The repairs to my bathroom floor were excellent! I am so impressed with the professionalism and care that was displayed in the work!
James W. 05/21/24 — Thumbtack

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