Can This Flooring Be Restored? 7 Things to Check First

Flooring takes the most day-to-day wear of almost any surface in a home, and it's often the first thing people assume needs full replacement after damage. In many cases, that's not necessary.

Seven things worth checking

• Is the damage on the surface, or has it gone through to the substrate?
• Is the damage isolated, or spread across a large area?
• Is the material still structurally sound underneath the damage?
• Is there enough surrounding material to match colour and grain against?
• Has the floor been refinished before, and how?
• Is moisture or ongoing damage still a factor?
• Is the flooring pattern or material still available, if replacement were needed?

When in doubt, ask before you remove anything

Once a floor has been pulled up, restoration is no longer an option. If there's any uncertainty about whether damage is repairable, it's worth getting an assessment before committing to replacement.