Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Burlington, CT: From Honey-Gold to a Bright Natural Look
Sometimes homeowners don't dislike their hardwood floors.
They dislike the color their hardwood floors have become.
That was exactly the situation on one of our recent hardwood floor refinishing projects in Burlington, Connecticut.
The existing hardwood had an older polyurethane finish that had developed a strong amber, honey-gold tone over the years. The floor felt darker and more dated than the homeowners wanted.
But there was beautiful hardwood underneath.
So instead of replacing it, we completely changed its direction.
We professionally sanded away the old finish, brought the floor back to raw wood and applied Bona NaturalSeal followed by three coats of Bona Mega.
The transformation was dramatic.
The honey-gold was gone.
In its place was a much lighter, cleaner and more natural-looking hardwood floor.
Is Your Hardwood Really That Yellow?
This is a question we encourage homeowners to think about.
An older hardwood floor may look yellow, orange or golden—but that doesn't necessarily mean you're looking at the natural color of the wood.
You're also seeing the effect of the finishing system and how that system has aged.
Traditional oil-based polyurethane naturally adds warmth and amber coloration to hardwood. Over time, that appearance can become even more noticeable.
Some homeowners love that traditional warmth.
Others are ready for something completely different.
On this Burlington project, the homeowners wanted to brighten everything up.
Sanding Back to Raw Wood Changes Everything
Once we started sanding, that old honey-gold appearance began disappearing.
This is one of our favorite moments in a refinishing project.
As the old coating comes off, homeowners get to see their floor almost as a blank canvas again.
The raw wood is lighter.
The grain becomes clearer.
And suddenly there are finishing possibilities that weren't obvious when the floor was covered by years of old polyurethane.
That's why we don't immediately assume an outdated-looking hardwood floor needs replacement.
Sometimes the wood isn't outdated at all.
The finish is.
Keeping It Natural With Bona NaturalSeal
Once the Burlington floor was properly sanded and prepared, we applied Bona NaturalSeal.
NaturalSeal is a waterborne sealer designed to help retain more of the appearance of freshly sanded wood.
That was exactly the direction these homeowners wanted.
Instead of putting a strong amber tone back onto the floor we'd just brightened, NaturalSeal helped us maintain a lighter, more natural appearance.
We then protected the floor with three coats of Bona Mega, creating a complete waterborne finishing system.
The finished floor looked fresh and updated without hiding the natural grain and variation of the hardwood.
Light. Natural. Clean.
And still unmistakably real wood.
Oil-Based or Water-Based? It Depends on the Look You Want
We work with both oil-based and water-based finishing systems.
One isn't automatically right for every floor.
We've completed other projects where an oil-based finish was exactly what the homeowner wanted because it introduced warmth and richness.
This Burlington homeowner wanted the opposite.
They wanted to get away from the older honey-gold appearance and move toward something lighter.
That's why the conversation before refinishing is so important.
What do you want the finished floor to look like?
Not every homeowner is looking for the same answer.
Burlington's Rural Connecticut Character
Burlington is a great community for a project like this.
Even as the town has grown, Burlington has maintained much of the rural, wooded character that has defined it for generations. The town was incorporated in 1806 and developed from what was once the heavily forested western portion of old Farmington.
One of Burlington's best-known outdoor landmarks is Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area and Conservation Education Center on Route 69.
Sessions Woods includes forests, fields, streams, wildlife habitat and walking trails where visitors can learn about Connecticut's wildlife and natural-resource management.
There's also Johnnycake Mountain, an area surrounded by trails and open space, with connections toward the Tunxis Trail and other recreational areas. Burlington's planning documents also identify places such as Nassahegan State Forest, Devil's Kitchen and the State Fish Hatchery among the community's local points of interest.
It's a town where woods, natural materials and traditional Connecticut homes are part of the landscape.
So a bright, natural hardwood floor feels right at home here.
Working Throughout Burlington and the Farmington Valley
At Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring, Inc., we've been working throughout this part of Connecticut for decades.
Our projects take us through Burlington, Farmington, Avon, Canton, Bristol, Harwinton, Plainville, Simsbury and communities throughout the Farmington Valley and central Connecticut.
Some customers want dark stain.
Some want traditional oil-based warmth.
Some want gray or white tones.
And increasingly, homeowners are asking us to take their old yellow or orange floors and make them look much closer to freshly sanded natural wood.
That's what made this Burlington project such a good example of what's possible.
Four Generations of Hardwood Flooring Experience
Our family's hardwood flooring tradition dates back to 1927.
Today, Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring, Inc. represents the fourth generation of that tradition.
We're proud members of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) and combine generations of hands-on hardwood flooring experience with modern sanding equipment and today's professional finishing systems.
We're also proud to be ranked #1 in Hartford County by BusinessRate, along with our recognition as #1 in Connecticut.
But regardless of the product we're using, our philosophy remains pretty simple:
Let the hardwood look like hardwood.
We want to see the grain.
We want to see the natural variations.
And we want the finishing system to complement the wood rather than overpower it.
Have Honey-Gold Hardwood Floors in Burlington, CT?
If your hardwood floors have developed an old yellow, orange, amber or honey-gold appearance, don't assume that's the color you're stuck with.
Professional sanding can give you an opportunity to completely rethink the appearance of your existing hardwood.
That's exactly what happened on this Burlington project.
We started with an old polyurethane floor with a strong honey-gold tone.
We professionally sanded it back to raw wood.
Then we applied Bona NaturalSeal followed by three coats of Bona Mega.
The result was a floor that felt brighter, cleaner and much more up to date.
Same hardwood. New appearance.
Sometimes you don't need a new floor.
You just need to see the old one without all that amber.
Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring, Inc.
Fourth-Generation Hardwood Flooring Craftsmanship Since 1927
NWFA Member
Ranked #1 in Hartford County by BusinessRate
Serving Burlington, Farmington, Avon, Canton, Bristol, Harwinton, Plainville, Simsbury and communities throughout Connecticut