You’re in the middle of ripping up your old carpet, ready to replace it with another colour, then voila! You spot the tempting gleam of hardwood flooring hiding beneath those carpets. Odds are that you’re like most people who make this discovery: pleasantly surprised and unsure of what to do next.
Here’s the good news: it’s absolutely possible to restore those tired wooden floors. The carpet has spent most of its life protecting them from sun, moisture, and other harmful contaminants that can damage the wood. In other words, all they likely need is a touch of tender loving care, and you’ll have the kind of hardwood floors that are the envy of the neighbourhood.
To help you tackle the process, we’re breaking down how to restore wood floors under carpet. From establishing whether they’re salvageable to putting the final layer of stain on the wood, we’ll guide you through every step with ease.
First, Figure Out if They Can Be Restored
Before you start wondering how to restore wood floors under carpet, take a moment to assess the condition of the wood to see if it can be done at all. Look for major signs of damage, such as deep stains, warping, or significant gouges. If the floors have been exposed to moisture for long periods, they may have structural issues that require more than just a quick sand and stain. In this case, we would really recommend calling in a professional floor restoration team.
Don’t worry if you spot carpet strips or adhesive holding the old carpeting down. These are manageable with the right tools, although they might mean a little bit more work for you.
If the wood appears mostly intact with just some minor scratches or dullness, you’re in luck because that means your floor restoration is likely a viable option.
Your Step-by-Step Restoration Guide
Heads up, this can be a labour-intensive process. Depending on how your carpet was adhered, how old the wood is, and how everything else looks, you might have one or two extra steps to tackle as you go.
That said, flooring restoration is absolutely doable with the right tools, some elbow grease, and some patience. Here’s our step-by-step breakdown to get you started.
Step 1: Rip Up Your Carpet
Start by carefully pulling up your old carpet as well as the underlay, which is the second layer behind the carpet. If your old carpet was stapled down using tack strips (a.k.a. carpet gripper), use pliers to remove any stubborn staples stuck in the hardwood (don’t worry, some wood filler goes a long way here).
Step 2: Scrape Away the Remnants
One of the biggest questions we get from people wondering how to restore wood floors under carpet is, ‘How do I handle adhesive?’. If you’re seeing a thick layer of glue, don’t worry; all is not lost. Many residential hardwood floors are covered this way, and they come up beautifully with some work.
You’ll need a scraper and some water to help lift the material without damaging the wood underneath. Don’t oversoak the boards, as this can create major issues later on. Just a gentle sponging to help loosen the glue is all you need. Make sure to work slowly and with the grain of the wood, as working too quickly can cause splintering or denting in your valuable hardwood floors.
Get Sanding
Once all the excess remnants, tack strips, staples, and glue are out of your hardwood floors, it’s time to get sanding. This helps to remove any imperfections and old layers of varnish or stain, allowing the stunning grain of the hardwood to shine.
Going in with a handheld sanding block will take you forever, so you’ll probably want to invest in a drum sander or orbital sander if you’re restoring anything larger than a square metre. Handheld sanding is excellent for the corners and edges, though.
Start the sanding process with a coarse grit to remove old finish and stains, then progress to a finer grit for a smooth, even surface.
Stain Your Hardwood
Once the floor is sanded and dust-free, it’s time to stain and seal it. Choose a stain that complements your home’s aesthetic and apply it evenly with a brush or cloth. Allow it to dry thoroughly before sealing the floor with a protective polyurethane finish. This will add durability to help everything last, plus it will give your hardwood that stunning final sheen.
A quick tip from us to you: make sure to test out a sample of your stain somewhere out of sight, such as a closet. This way, you’ll know how the stain really looks on your floors, so you can avoid any major re-sanding and re-staining if it comes up the wrong colour.
There you have it: our full breakdown of how to restore wood floors under carpet. As you can see, this is an in-depth process that requires a lot of work, but the result is worth the sweat. If you’re a DIY-lover with the time and energy to put into your floors, they’ll give it back to you in spades for many years to come.
That said, if you need some help along the way, a flooring restoration team like the one at Floorsanding NZ can help streamline this process and manage any unexpected bumps in the road.
Looking for a professional floor restoration? We’ve got you covered.
The team at Floorsanding NZ has years of experience providing a wide range of flooring services. From wooden floor restoration to whitewashing, we’re your go-to team for all things hardwood.
If this breakdown of how to restore wood floors under carpet has you sweating a little bit, there’s a team waiting to help at Floorsanding. Enquire with us for a free quote today.