Simsbury, CT Hardwood Floor Refinishing — A 2,200-Square-Foot Transformation Before Move-In
Sometimes a successful hardwood floor refinishing project begins months before we ever turn on a sanding machine.
That was the case with this home in the Lionel Drive area of Simsbury, Connecticut 06070. The homeowner, Mr. I., had purchased the house but was still about two months away from closing. He knew the existing hardwood floors needed attention, and because he wanted to move into the house soon after closing, getting the timing right was extremely important.
Over the next several weeks, we spent quite a bit of time talking by phone, looking at photographs and discussing the condition of the floors, possible finishing options, scheduling and approximate pricing.
This wasn't simply a matter of giving someone a number over the phone. We wanted to understand what he was buying and what he wanted the floors to look like when he finally walked into his new home.
Planning the Project Before the Homeowner Even Closed
One of the challenges was that Mr. I. didn't own the house yet.
We initially worked from the information and photographs available to us. About three weeks before closing, arrangements were made with the realtor so we could finally walk through the house and inspect the hardwood floors in person.
The project was approximately 2,200 square feet.
After seeing the floors firsthand, we were able to finalize the scope of work and secure the price with a written proposal. Just as importantly, we could establish the schedule.
Mr. I. wanted to move in as soon as possible after closing. We explained that we would need approximately three to four days to complete the sanding and finishing process.
So we planned the project around the closing itself.
Choosing Between Water-Based and Oil-Based Finish
Color was an important part of our conversations.
The existing floors had developed the familiar honey-golden, almost pumpkin-orange appearance that older hardwood floors can sometimes have. Mr. I. wanted to get away from that look and bring the wood back closer to its natural appearance.
But he didn't want the floors to become too light either.
We looked at finish samples and discussed both water-based and oil-based options. After seeing the samples, Mr. I. felt that the water-based option would produce a lighter appearance than he wanted for this particular house.
He preferred a warmer, more traditional hardwood-floor look.
We therefore decided on a commercial clear sealer followed by two coats of oil-based polyurethane.
It was a good example of why we like to show homeowners options rather than simply choosing a finish for them. Two people can look at the same freshly sanded hardwood floor and have completely different ideas about what the finished color should be.
Closing Day — And We Went to Work
The scheduling worked out exactly the way we had planned it.
On the day Mr. I. closed on the house, we came in that afternoon and began the hardwood floor refinishing project.
Our professional sanding process removed the old finish and the heavy golden-orange appearance, revealing the natural variation in the hardwood underneath.
This stage is always interesting because homeowners finally get to see what their floor actually looks like without years of finish and color sitting on top of it.
Once the sanding and preparation were completed, we applied the commercial sealer followed by two coats of oil-based polyurethane.
The finished floor remained warm and traditional, but the strong older orange appearance was gone.
From an Orange-Golden Floor to a More Natural Traditional Look
The difference wasn't about making the hardwood look brand new or changing it into something it wasn't.
It was about removing an older color the homeowner didn't like and finding the right balance between natural wood and the warmer appearance he preferred.
The commercial sealer and oil-based polyurethane allowed us to retain that traditional warmth without going back to the heavy honey-orange appearance of the old floor.
The photographs show the natural variations throughout the hardwood much more clearly after sanding and refinishing.
And because all of this had been planned well in advance, the work could begin immediately after the closing rather than delaying the homeowner's move while he searched for a flooring contractor.
A Project That Started With a Phone Call Two Months Earlier
This was a great project for us because it shows that hardwood floor refinishing isn't only about sanding and applying finish.
There was a lot of communication before this job ever started.
We talked on the phone numerous times. We looked at photographs. We discussed pricing and scheduling. We coordinated access with the realtor. We walked through the house before closing. We compared finish samples. And we made sure Mr. I. understood how long we would need before he planned his move.
Then, when closing day finally arrived, we were ready.
After more than five decades in the hardwood flooring business, I've found that this kind of planning can be just as important as the sanding itself—especially when someone is buying a home and has only a small window to get the floors completed before moving in.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Simsbury, Connecticut 06070
Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring provides hardwood floor refinishing, wood floor refinishing, professional sanding, hardwood floor repairs and unfinished hardwood floor installation throughout Simsbury, CT 06070, including homes in and around the Lionel Drive area.
We also work throughout nearby West Simsbury, Avon, Canton, Granby, Farmington and surrounding Farmington Valley communities.
We're a fourth-generation family hardwood flooring company. Our family's flooring history began in Maine in 1927, and our Connecticut operation has been serving homeowners since approximately 1972.
For this Simsbury homeowner, the project started nearly two months before closing and ended with approximately 2,200 square feet of hardwood flooring transformed and ready for the next chapter of the home.