Hardwood floor repair & maintenance

Whether you have a few problem boards or just want to restore your floor’s original luster, we have the right service for you.

• “Screen and Recoat” (Buff & Coat): This is the single best maintenance service for your floor. Recommended every 3-5 years, this one-day process is a “tune-up” for your floor’s finish. We lightly abrade (or “screen”) the existing topcoat to remove light surface scratches and prepare it for a new coat. We then apply a fresh, durable layer of polyurethane, restoring the floor’s protection and sheen. This is not a full sanding and will not remove deep scratches or change the color. More on the screen and recoat page.
• Plank Replacement: Have a few boards that are deeply gouged, cracked, or stained from pets or water? In many cases, we don’t need to refinish the entire room. Our experts can skillfully remove the damaged planks and weave in new, matching ones for a seamless repair.
• Water & Pet Stain Repair: Water damage and pet stains are the most common and damaging issues. We will assess the damage to see if it can be sanded out. If the stain has penetrated too deeply, we will recommend plank replacement to permanently remove the problem.

Repair & maintenance: frequently asked questions

What is a “Screen and Recoat” and how do I know if I need one?

A “Screen and Recoat” (or Buff & Coat) is a maintenance procedure. If your floors are in good shape overall but have lost their shine and have many small surface-level scratches, you are the perfect candidate. It’s a fast, one-day process that adds a new layer of protection before the damage gets bad enough to require a full, expensive refinish.

Can you fix deep scratches or pet stains?

• Deep Scratches: If a scratch is very deep and has gone through the stain into the raw wood, a “Screen and Recoat” will not fix it. The only options are to live with it, replace the plank, or do a full refinish.
• Pet Stains (Urine): These are tricky. The ammonia in pet urine turns the wood black and can penetrate very deeply. 99% of the time, these stains cannot be sanded out. The only proper solution is to remove and replace the affected planks.

Can you just refinish one room to match the others?

This is very difficult to do perfectly. Wood, stain, and finish all change color over time (a process called “ambering”). Even if we use the exact same stain and finish, a newly refinished room will almost never be a perfect 100% match to an older, adjoining floor. We can get it close, but we always recommend refinishing a continuous, open area at the same time for a uniform look.