Can You Bleach Your Hardwood Floor During Refinishing?
Posted on: 29 May 2019
If you're about to refinish your hardwood floors, you may also be planning to change their color. Staining can only darken the color of wood, bringing out the grain and changing the tone. However, there is an option for lightening your floor as well: bleaching.
Bleaching Should Be Done by a Professional
As with staining, bleaching can easily become uneven. You need to be careful when applying the bleach. There are also multiple steps to bleaching hardwood, including sanding. These steps are far easier for professionals, who have the equipment that's necessary already available.
It's Best Done When You're Refinishing
After bleaching hardwood, it has to be sanded and refinished regardless. Consequently, it's easiest to do this when your hardwood floor already has to be refinished and repaired. The bleaching itself will alter the shine and polish of the floor.
You Usually Can't Lighten More Than a Few Shades
Lightening your floor significantly usually isn't possible. If you have a wood that is dark or medium in color, you aren't going to be able to lift it to white. The material will start to look unnatural the more it has to be lifted. If your floor is already fairly light, on the other hand, you'll probably be able to lighten it significantly.
If your floor has already been stained or dyed, this process may become less predictable.
You Need a Special Type of Bleaching Agent
When bleaching hardwood, a multi-stage bleaching agent is usually used. This includes harsh chemicals that you will need to be very careful of when handling. While you can theoretically lighten wood with regular bleach, it will take a long time and is more likely to be uneven. The agent that is specifically designed for bleaching wood will have far more consistent results and will get those results faster.
It Can Be Costly to Correct
If the bleaching goes wrong, you'll likely have to remove it by grinding it away and refinishing the floor. This can require the removal of a significant amount of material and is another reason why it should be handled by a professional.
So, do you want to refinish your hardwood floor? If you have solid hardwood of good quality, it's likely that a professional refinishing company will be able to bleach your hardwood to the shade that you want. You can start by getting a quote from a refinishing company like Kenton Carpet Care in your area.
Share