Years of Dancing Had Taken a Toll on This Manchester Maple Floor

Some hardwood floors tell you exactly how they've been used.

This maple dance floor in Manchester, Connecticut certainly did.

Years of dance classes, including tap dancing, had left the existing finish heavily worn. The before photographs show extensive traffic patterns, scratches and areas where much of the protective finish had simply been worn away.

But underneath that worn surface was something worth saving: a beautiful maple hardwood floor.

We had another connection to this project as well.

We have worked with this Manchester dance studio and its owner many times over the years. Although she now lives in Florida, she contacted us and asked Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring to come back and take care of the floor.

There is also some personal history here.

My daughter took dance from her when she was younger. Today, my daughter works as a contemporary ballet choreographer in New York City.

So returning to restore the floor where generations of children had learned to dance meant a little more to us than an ordinary commercial hardwood floor refinishing project.

BEFORE: YEARS OF DANCE AND TAP DANCE

Large portions of the floor were dull and gray, with extensive wear from repeated foot traffic and dancing. You can see how little protection remained in some areas.

A floor that looks like this doesn't necessarily need to be replaced.

Solid hardwood—when it has enough usable wood remaining—can often be professionally sanded to remove the old finish and surface wear before a new finishing system is applied.

That's exactly what we set out to do here.

Sanding a Heavily Worn Commercial Maple Floor

This is an excellent photograph for the article because you can actually see the transformation happening.

One side still shows the old, heavily worn surface while the freshly sanded maple begins appearing underneath.

The difference is dramatic.

Our sanding process removes the deteriorated finish and works the floor through the necessary sanding stages to create a clean, consistent surface for the new finish.

With maple, proper sanding is particularly important. Maple has a tight grain and a naturally light appearance, so sanding inconsistencies can become visible once the finish is applied.

OLD FLOOR VS. FRESHLY SANDED MAPLE

I really like this photograph for the website.

You don't need us to tell you what sanding accomplished—the picture shows it.

On one side is the old floor after years of use. On the other is the clean, light maple that had been underneath it all along.

This is why an experienced evaluation matters before deciding to replace an older commercial hardwood floor.

Worn finish doesn't necessarily mean worn-out wood.

Why We Didn't Use Just Any Floor Finish

A dance studio presents a different challenge than a typical living room.

Appearance and durability matter, but so does how the floor performs underfoot.

Children are dancing, turning and moving across this surface every day. We had an extensive conversation with the owner about the finishing system because we did not want to create an unnecessarily slippery dance surface.

For this project, we selected a Bona commercial water-based finish system appropriate for the traction requirements of the space.

That was an important part of the job.

A commercial wood floor refinishing project isn't simply about making an old floor shiny again. The finish should be selected with the actual use of the floor in mind.

MAPLE COMPLETELY SANDED

This photograph shows what was hiding beneath that dark, worn surface.

The room immediately looks larger and brighter.

That's one of the characteristics we like about maple. Its naturally light color works beautifully in a space like this, especially with the large windows and mirrors.

Rather than trying to turn the maple into something it isn't, we wanted the refinishing system to let the natural character of the wood show.

Applying the Finish

Once all sanding and preparation were completed, the finish was applied systematically across the maple.

Water-based professional finishes allow maple to retain much more of its naturally light appearance compared with the heavier ambering associated with traditional oil-based polyurethane. They also offer lower odor and lower VOCs, which can be particularly beneficial in commercial interior spaces.

For this dance studio, however, the decision went beyond appearance.

Traction and the intended use of the floor were major considerations in selecting the finish.

A Completely Different Dance Floor

Now compare this to the original photograph.

It's difficult to believe it's the same floor.

The gray, heavily worn appearance is gone. The natural light maple has returned, the entire room feels brighter, and the floor is once again protected for continued use as a dance studio.

The owner was ecstatic with the outcome.

For us, that's especially meaningful on a project like this because of the history we've had with her and the studio over the years.

Sometimes an Old Commercial Hardwood Floor Deserves Another Life

Commercial floors take punishment that most residential hardwood floors never experience.

Dance studios are a perfect example.

Hundreds or thousands of hours of dancing, tap shoes, classes and daily traffic eventually take their toll on the finish.

But that doesn't automatically mean the hardwood itself has reached the end of its life.

This Manchester project demonstrates what professional hardwood floor sanding and refinishing can accomplish when the underlying floor is still a good candidate for restoration.

We removed years of wear, brought the natural maple back and selected a commercial finishing system based on the way the floor would continue to be used.

And instead of replacing a beautiful existing maple floor, we gave it another life.

Commercial Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Manchester, CT

Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring, Inc. provides commercial hardwood floor refinishing, wood floor refinishing, hardwood floor sanding, hardwood floor repair and residential hardwood floor refinishing throughout Manchester, Connecticut 06040 and 06042 and surrounding communities.

We work with homeowners as well as businesses and commercial properties with hardwood floors that have experienced years of traffic and wear.

Our family's hardwood flooring history dates to 1927 in Maine, with our Connecticut operation beginning around 1972. Four generations later, we continue restoring existing hardwood floors whenever they can reasonably be saved.

If you have an older maple, oak or other hardwood floor that looks worn, gray or beyond repair, replacement may not be the only option.

Sometimes the beautiful floor you're looking for is already there—underneath years of wear.