Many customers are sold on the beauty and durability of pre-finished wood floors without being informed about the details of the warranties and the simple maintenance necessary to ensure performance and satisfy expectations. They often thought their pre-finished floors would look brand new for 30 years, but they have since found out or been informed that the warranty doesn’t cover general wear and tear.
The good news is that Slaughterbeck Floors, Inc. can often help these floors look much better; the bad news is that sometimes we just can’t. Sometimes the wear layer on such a floor is so thin that it can’t be sanded, and the finish is worn so badly that a recoat won’t give it the appearance customers want.
This is also the case with some new floors that simply can’t be recoated. Some factory-finished floors are impossible to recoat. For years, contractors have been wary of trying to recoat newer pre-finished floors because many have finishes that are difficult to abrade. For example, pre-finished wood floors that have well-known brand names for non-stick and anti-stain ingredients (Teflon and Scotchgard, for example) may not accept a new coat of finish, no matter what abrasion or chemical recoating product is used. Customers should have realistic expectations from these floors. Use common sense; place rugs or mats on high-traffic areas, and being careful about grit or scuffing.