Bryll asked:

I’m thinking of refinishing the bedroom floors. Currently they have carpet but with 4 kids and a dog and 2 cats I’m seriously considering ripping up the carpets. Will this decrease the value of the home if the bedrooms are all wood? Our home is brick one story built in 1964 and has the original wood floors. I was also considering just having bamboo floors installed if refinishing them is too much for me. Any advice would be great. Thanks!!

Reply:

Hardwood floors do increase the value of a home. Also, they are more practical because they do not have to be replaced as often as carpet. That is why when we bought our 1929 bungalow, all of the carpets were ripped up, and we refinished the floors. It’s actually easy, but is messy, and can be time consuming. Here is how it is done: First, pull up the carpet, starting in a corner. If you cut it into sections as you pull it up, it is easier to handle. Next, use a crowbar to pull up the tack strips around the edge of your room. Sweep the floor to get up any dust from the carpet pad. Next, rent a drum sander from Home Depot or Lowes. Renting one is not very expensive. The sander can be a little intimidating at first, but once you get used to it, its pretty easy. It’s basically a heavy vacuum cleaner, at least that is how you operate it. A word of advice is to not stop with it still running, or you will gouge your floor. buy generic drugs Also, you may want to rent a small hand sander to get into the corners, where the drum sander may be unweildy. Change the paper on teh sander whenever you stop seeing easy results. For example, our master bedroom is 15×11 and it took three sheets (Our floors had several layers of paint, and old varnish…almost 80 years worth…). This part of the job is messy because the sander will blow the grit and dust from the floor all over. I reccomend wearing a mask when you do it. After you have removed the old finish, sweep up the room. You may have to buy a new broom for this. Then, you can stain the floor. We did ours by hand. The master bedroom took 1 small can of cherry stain, and 1 small can of clear sealant. We got the no wax kind. Start in a corner, on the opposite side of the door, otherwise, you may trap yourself in. Use a new paint brush that you won’t use for anything else, because the stain won’t come out of the bristles. After you have stained it, wait about 24 hours before applying the sealant. Allow the sealant to dry for another 24 hours before walking on the floor. It is strenous physical work, but is well worth it. Hardwood floors add classic beauty to your home, match any decor, and appeal to buyers if you want to sell your home.