Hardwood flooring is popular for many reasons; one of those is that it can last a lifetime.
When you install hardwood flooring in your home, as long as you maintain it well, it will remain in good condition for as long as you live in that property, making it hugely cost-effective.

But what happens when you haven’t been looking after your hardwood floors, or if you move into a property that has hardwood flooring fitted and you’re not sure whether it needs replacing?
Though, in many cases, hardwood flooring can be restored by sanding and refinishing rather than replacing, this is not always the case.

How do I know if my hardwood flooring needs replacing?

We, typically, replace things that we own when they get old, outdated, can no longer function/serve their purpose, or they are damaged or broken in some way, and this is no different when it comes to hardwood flooring.

If your hardwood floors fall within one of the above categories, then it could be time to replace them.

If you have damaged or broken hardwood flooring then your first option would be to get them refinished. This is the process of sanding down the flooring and reapplying a finish to remove any scuffs, chips or stains and leave your floor looking as good as new.

This process can be done to most hardwood floors at least six times, and up to ten, before too much of the top layer of wood has been removed/sanded away.

To understand this process in more detail, check out our previous blog: Beginner’s Guide To Refinishing Hardwood Floors

However, there are a number of cases where refinishing your floors may not be an option.

The first instance would be, if you have already refinished your flooring a handful of times and reached your maximum quota for doing so, which means that you will start to see the grooves in the planks and nails if you continue to sand it down.

Another occasion where refinishing is not the most suitable option is where there is structural damage rather than purely surface wear and tear.
This could be caused by termites, mould or excessive water damage and is usually indicated by one or more of the following; creaky floorboards, soft spots, sagging or unevenness as well as superficial signs, such as discolouring or cracks/dents.

In order to combat these kinds of problems, which are most commonly found when purchasing older, period homes, the flooring will need to be removed so that you can take a closer look.

Furthermore, if there is any kind of movement in the floorboards then refinishing them would do more harm than good, causing bigger gaps and an unsightly mess.
Again, in this situation, you will need to consider replacing the flooring instead.

Sometimes, however, it’s not the condition of the flooring that means it’s time for a new one. The biggest cause for homeowners to purchase new hardwood floors is purely for aesthetic reasons.

In a 2018 survey, it was revealed that one in four millennials would choose to improve their existing home rather than move, and this has become the increasingly popular option as the property market becomes more and more challenging.

With that being said, renovating (or remodelling) is a great way to update a property and often means adding extensions and changing colour palettes and interior themes.

As a result, the current hardwood flooring in the property may no longer be the right fit for this new look so they get replaced with a different colour or style.

Do I need to replace a few planks of wood or the whole wood floor?

Unless you are replacing your hardwood floors for the aesthetic reasons mentioned above, there may be a handful of cases where you only need to replace a few planks rather than the entire floor, saving yourself a heap of time, money and hassle.

When there is structural damage, it usually occurs in one area which means that only a small number of flooring planks have been affected. Though these will still need to be ripped up and replaced so that you can fix the issue, you do not need to rip up the entire floor.

This is also true when just a few flooring planks are stained, discoloured, scratched or loose - if it makes more sense to just remove and replace half a dozen planks of wood then refinish or replace the entire floor, then go for the easier and more cost-effective option.

However, it is important to keep in mind that it may prove difficult to find the exact hardwood flooring that you have in your home when replacing just a few planks which is why we always advise purchasing more than you need when they’re originally being fitted so that you always have some spare.