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Professional hardwood floor refinishing in Raleigh.

Floor Refinishing vs. Restoration


Professional Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Raleigh

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Footprints Floors Raleigh 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 Raleigh. 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 Raleigh.

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 Raleigh

Professional flooring refinishing near you in Raleigh - 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

This is our second experience and it was wonderful. It was a small project but very expertly done. Wonderful clean up at the end.
Richard Jacobs 12/4/24 — google
Best in class service and craftsmanship! Don't look around elsewhere. Amanda and the whole crew at Footprints were a pleasure to work with. Flexible and very professional. Absolutely would recommend them!
Alex Kern 11/28/24 — google
We had LVP installed with Footprint Floors, and we could not be happier. Amanda came by to give an initial quote, along with some flooring suppliers they recommend (one of which we purchased from). The pricing was good, along with the fair warning that if the subfloor was not level, they would need to level it that would come with additional cost (labor plus materials). Once we had our material, we were then booked in for install. Amanda’s team did a tremendous job. They got the floor up quickly, found the floor was not level, and took the time to show me. They leveled it, and got the new floor installed. We’ve had it completed for a couple of weeks, and it’s perfectly flat, and couldn’t be happier. We have a couple more jobs around the house that will be done in time, and Amanda and her team will be who we select for that work. 10/10 would recommend for price, quality, and being great humans!
Mike Parker 11/22/24 — google
My wife and I decided to replace the carpet that was on the 2nd floor of our house as well as our stairs. We were originally thinking about LVP. We got several quotes from local flooring companies and all of them installed and sold the flooring — with the exception of Footprints. Footprints only installs the flooring and the more I researched flooring options, the more I realized that the installation was extremely important. Shawna was the representative from Footprints that provided the quote. She is also the one that told us to consider Laminate flooring, which is what we went with. But we only went with that after doing research and deciding that this was the best option for us. Footprints does have relationships with a couple of flooring stores in the area and we were able to talk with a few of the experts in order to help us make a decision. The great thing about this is that neither Footprints nor the flooring stores cared which flooring we chose, plus we were given the discount that Footprints would have gotten if they would have sold it to us. Shawna did preface her quote with the statement that if our floors weren’t level then there would be an additional cost to level them with self leveler that is poured onto the floors. Shawna was the only one that mentioned this but it made sense. And I researched it and it is indeed important to do this because if you don’t then you may have issues with your Laminate or LVP flooring later on. As it turned out, our floors weren’t level so there was an additional cost and it extended the installation. But Shawna explained everything very well and showed me what needed to be done. The installers that she brought in were excellent and it was easy to see that they really cared about doing a good job. And Shawna came to my house every day so that she could personally see the progress and keep me informed as well as answer any of my questions. I think the pictures speak for themselves but we are extremely happy with the results. We highly recommend Footprints!!
Ray Phillips 11/22/24 — google
Footprints was great to work with and provided excellent craftsmanship!
Amy Koch 11/21/24 — google
(Translated by Google) This company is extremely responsible and they do quality work. And it has a very efficient and knowledgeable work team. (Original) Esta compania es sumamente responsible y hacen un trabajo de calidad . Y tiene equipo de trabajo muy eficientes y con mucho conocimiento.
Mayra Calderón 09/19/24 — google
What a wonderful process! Very professional and the floors far exceeded our expectations. We are so pleased with the final results.
Amy Weaver 08/23/24 — google
I can't express how thrilled we are with our decision to choose Footprint Floors for our home renovation project. From the moment I conducted a quick online search, Amanda's prompt and attentive service stood out. She promptly scheduled an on-site visit the very next day to assess our needs and provide expert recommendations on replacing our upstairs carpeting with luxurious LVP flooring. Amanda's expertise streamlined the entire process, seamlessly coordinating material orders from the vendor, eliminating any hassle or coordination on our part. We simply provided our desired completion date, and her team effortlessly accommodated our timeline. On the installation day, her skilled crew arrived promptly at 9 AM and diligently worked throughout the day, with Amanda herself remaining on-site to provide regular updates and ensure our complete satisfaction. The end result was nothing short of perfection – precisely the stunning flooring we had envisioned. Footprint Floors delivered exceptional value, outstanding communication, and an overall seamless experience that far exceeded our expectations. If you're considering replacing carpeting in your home, do yourself a favor and choose Footprint Floors. You won't be disappointed with their professionalism, quality craftsmanship, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.
Laura McCarthy 08/4/24 — google
After getting several quotes for adding hardwood floors, repairing sections of existing hardwood floors and finishing all the floors, Footprints Floors has had the best prices. Shawna Eikenberry and Amanda Wilkins were very knowledgeable about the products and process of repair and installation, and stating the pros and cons of the options available. They were responsive (and patient) to all of our calls before and after the contract was signed. They provided a schedule for the work describing what would be done and what we needed to do with recommendations on care and maintenance after the installation. They were on schedule throughout the entire process. It has been a pleasure working with them and I am highly recommending Footprints Floors.
David Neil 06/20/24 — google
Simply put, a great business. Over the past several years we've contracted different businesses for significant home improvement projects, but not always with a 100% satisfaction. Thankfully, as it turned out, we saved the best for last. First off, our flooring project manager, Amanda, was very professional, knowledgeable, approachable, and kept consistently engaged throughout. She visited everyday to check in on her work crew to ensure their resource needs were met and that any questions we had were answered. Great communication, she was articulate, practiced her craft well, and discussed every decision with us no matter how trivial. We could not have asked for a better work crew. A special shout-out to Darwin and Nahoon for their workmanship, sticktuitiveness, HONESTY, and overall work ethic. They identified several sub flooring areas that needed repair before flooring could be laid down. This prolonged our project timeline of course, but instead of overlooking (hiding) these critical issues to rush through the job, they were forthcoming with us, adjusted their efforts as needed, and WORKED HARD to finish our project like total pros. I cannot express how much this meant to me, as we had to address similar issues like this with less than scrupulous businesses on previous projects. In fact, this back and forth tussle had become so common, we were starting to believe this dysfunctionality was the norm until contracting with Footprints. They're as honest as the day is long. Of their installation staff, I'd say that if we were building a new house from top to bottom, we’d take special steps to make sure they were included as project leads. We were so pleased with the final result, that when the job was done we sent the installers away with giftbags. Never felt compelled to do that before, ever. In short, Amanda and Shawna are experienced flooring experts. They run a well-oiled operation. They offer a wide range of flooring options and employ highly skilled, conscientious installers. It's been at least 2+ months, and we still absolutely love our floors. We cannot believe we waited as long as we did to take the plunge, and we are so thankful we bumped into this group of talented professionals. Literally zero complaints with the end result, and we would highly recommend. Reach out to Shawna or Amanda for our contact information if you’d like to reach out to us for further details on our successful project. We'd be glad to share. Chris and Shelley in Garner, NC
Plateav 06/19/24 — google
I had several boards that needed to be replaced. Did a google search for a flooring company. Picked 3 that had good ratings, and started calling in no particular order. The first company never returned my call. The second company set up a free estimate the day I called but never showed up the next day. You can see who did respond, show up, and did an excellent job. I value my time and my money and Footprints Floors valued that also. They were able to come out for the estimate within 3 days, get me the estimate the same day they saw the damage and schedule the work within a week. The team that came out knew the job and knocked it out with no issues, and excellent cleanup. Would recommend them over and over, I actually just texted their site to my squad who are all home owners and will be sharing in my community FB Group. Thanks again for your excellent work.
Angela Black 06/11/24 — google
We had the most amazing experience using Footprints Floors! I had purchased a 113 year old home & at the time Amanda came out to look at my home - I just knew if anyone could help us make these sloping floor’s perfect again her company could! It’s because of her expertise that we would hire a contractor to fix what we would discover were bad floor joists & subfloors. We had 5 different contractors work on our home & Footprints Floors was one of the only ones who we didn’t have to fire & start over with. Then after a long wait for the construction to get our floors ready for Amanda, she & her crew came in and transformed my hone in just 4 days!!! No easy task! From just raw wood subfloor to a beautiful home in less that a work week! We chose luxury vinyl plank flooring w/ 5 inch baseboards. The results are incredible! And the price for these magnificent floors to be installed was beyond reasonable! I highly recommend Footprints Floors to anyone who needs quality floors installed w/ nothing less than perfection!
Lisa Leventhal 06/8/24 — google
Shawna was a pleasure to work with and we look forward to working with her again on some future projects. The entire process from quote to project completion was seamless and rally fast considering the amount of work done. Their communication is frequent, their crews are extremely talented, and the final product was even better than expected. We had our red oak floors stripped and sealed without stain and wood flooring added to a master bedroom that was carpeted. The transition from the original floor to the new floor matches perfectly as if the entire area was wood from the beginning. The owner is on the job daily to check progress and the entire project was done in just over four days. We truly appreciate the quality of work that was done and highly recommend Footprints for your flooring needs.
Randy Deming 05/24/24 — google
Shawna and Amanda were super responsive and communicative during the whole process. Their crew, plus Shawna, showed up on time ready to work! Great attention to detail and knocked out a sizeable project in one day. We love how transformed our rooms are now!
Andrew Goldsmith 05/22/24 — google
Shawna and the team at footprints were fantastic! We had purchased flooring that we wanted to install and they delivered, answering every question along the way! The carpet we hated is gone and we’re left with a beautiful, perfectly laid laminate floor. Looking forward to having them work on more projects for us in the future!
Patricia DaSilva 05/15/24 — google
We hired Footprints to replace the flooring in our new home and we couldn’t be happier with the results! Shawna was incredibly communicative throughout the process, letting us know what to expect, notifying us whenever they discovered an issue and what was being completed each day. There were multiple issues with our subflooring but the team was able to fix each of them and still finish by the original timeline! Our floors and stairs look amazing and working with Shawna, Amanda and their crew was an absolute pleasure! 20/10 would recommend to anyone!
Jassimyn Broe 03/22/24 — google
Had a great experience with Footprints and Amanda’s team. We purchased Mohawk Laminate Wood Flooring from Costco for our Bonus Room (over 300sqf). We also wanted the carpeted stairs (to Bonus) replaced with Oak Hardwoods with stain that match the rest of the house. Footprints finished the job in 2 days. The workers were professional and polite, the communication from start of the job (quote) to end (making sure we were happy with the work) was great. Love, love my new flooring!
Alex Flynn 03/6/24 — google
My wife and I recently decided to remove the carpet from our bedroom and replace with hardwood-style laminate. Neither of us have ever looked into any sort of “flooring” job, and had no idea what to expect, as far as cost, timeline, options, etc. We came across Footprint Floors, and decided to get a consult from them. Simply from the consult, we immediately knew we wanted to go with Footprint! Amanda came out and spoke with us, patiently answered all of our questions, and explained everything thoroughly. She had samples, talked us through the different styles and what worked best for us, and helped us settle on the perfect one! Only a short (roughly) two-weeks later, and the entire job was completed with perfection! Between the consult, the ordering process, the initial work, and the final completion, Amanda and her team were phenomenal, and updated us every step of the way. They were quick, incredibly communicative, and cost efficient! The floors in our bedroom look incredible, and we could not have asked for a better experience. 10/10 job, and would definitely recommend to anyone that has interest in redoing their floors. Next time we need any flooring done, we will definitely be calling Amanda back!
David Britt 02/21/24 — google
My wife and I had a great experience with sales and service. Price was fair, good quality and installation was very professional.
Tom Crotty 02/15/24 — google
I’d give Amanda and her team a 10 🌟 review if I could. If you need new flooring do yourself a favor and give Footprints a chance. Craftsmanship and communication were 💯!!
Michael Durling 02/9/24 — google

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