What do you do with hardwood floors under carpet?

How to Refinish Your Hardwood Floor (under Carpet)

1. Step 1: Check for Hardwood.
2. Step 2: Remove Carpet and Padding (foam)
3. Step 3: Install Edging for Remaining Carpet.
4. Step 4: Sand Your Wood.
5. Step 5: STAIN and Your Done.
6. 4 Discussions.

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Just so, how much does it cost to remove carpet and refinish hardwood floors?

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Costs Per Square Foot

Room Size	Square Feet	Average Cost
4x10	40	$200-$350*
10x10	100	$300-$500
12x12	144	$450-$750
16x16	256	$800-$1,300

Furthermore, how can you tell if you have real hardwood floors? Look for water marks, stains and faded areas on the floorboards. Laminate doesn't stain the way natural wood does, so if you see water rings, random splotches or discolorations on the floor, it is probably hardwood.

Besides, what is usually under carpet?

Directly beneath the floor surface Working down from directly under the floor surface, you may encounter a number of things. Under carpet, the next layer is usually a sheet of what's known as 'underlay'. The underlay can be made of foam, rubber or felt padding, and will act as additional cushioning and sound buffering.

Is there usually hardwood under carpet?

David Auten, owner of Piper & Auten Floor Sanding in Centerville, Ohio, said it's possible that the wood floor under an old carpet is in good shape, but in some cases the floor is damaged, and in other rare cases there is no hardwood floor at all under the carpet.

Related Question Answers

Do houses built in the 70s have hardwood floors?

If you live in a home that is built prior to 1970's there is almost certainly hardwood underneath that dingy carpet. Although there is no hard and fast rule for knowing what kind of wood is in your home judging only by its age, there are some strong tendencies that coincide with the age of homes.

Can you tell the difference between hardwood and engineered hardwood?

An engineered wood floor is constructed of layers of both hardwood and plywood, where solid hardwood is a solid piece of wood with no layers. Engineered hardwood construction has durable, high-performance qualities. It is constructed with multi-layers of wood; each layer is positioned in a different direction.

How can I tell what kind of flooring I have?

To get an honest assessment, you may have to scrape off a little of the finish.

1. Determine whether the flooring boards are made from a hardwood or softwood by pushing your fingernail into the surface of one.
2. Compare the floor surface with a catalog of wood species.

Is it cheaper to refinish or replace hardwood floors?

In general, it will almost ALWAYS be less expensive to refinish your hardwood floors. If you replace them, you need to pay for additional wood as well as ripping up and hauling away existing hardwood. Even if you have this, it will still be less expensive then replacing the whole floor.

How long do you have to stay off hardwood floors after refinishing?

At a minimum, you should wait at least 24 hrs before walking on the floors; for hours 24-48, it's best to wear socks only (no shoes, no bare feet). Ideally, you should wait a total of 4 days before moving furniture back. This is to allow enough time for the floors to dry and cure.

Do rugs ruin hardwood floors?

Use a Non-Skid Pad that Won't Disintegrate or Discolor Rugs with rough backings are bad news. If your rug has a seedy underbelly it can gradually scratch wood floors. Provide a barrier between your rug and the hardwood with a non-slip rug pad.

Do hardwood floors add value to your home?

Hardwood floors can add up to 2.5% to your home's value. Many buyers love seeing hardwood flooring, but to make a dent in the value, the rest of the house needs to have updates, too.

How much does it cost to hire someone to refinish wood floors?

Homeowners spend $1,550 on average, or between $990 to $2,110 to refinish their hardwood floors. Depending on the condition of the wood, you can expect to pay between $3 to $5 per square foot with 80% of your costs attributed to labor.

How do you remove old carpet from hardwood floors?

Get rid of carpet pad staples fast with a floor scraper. If the blade digs into the wood, scrape from a low angle. To detach the carpet from the tack strip that holds the carpet in place along walls, start in a corner; just grab the carpet with pliers and pull.

How long does it take to sand and refinish hardwood floors?

Depending on the product used, and the current weather conditions, each coat could take either hours or days. Figure at least two days for the “sand and poly” job or three to seven days for a full refinishing project, plus at least one day if you're adding color.

How hard is it to refinish hardwood floors yourself?

Difficulty: Intermediate Hardwood floor refinishing is a fairly simple do-it-yourself project. You may need to use some rented machines for sanding the wood floors, applying stain and adding a protective wood finish to make your hardwood floors look shiny and new again.

How do I know if there is mold under my carpet?

Steps

1. Smell your carpet to see if it has a musty odor. Mold has a distinct, off-putting smell.
2. Look on your carpet for any black, green, or white growth.
3. Look underneath your carpet for mold growth.
4. Check your carpets if you've been experiencing bad allergies.
5. Hire a professional mold inspection service.

Why would someone put carpet over hardwood floors?

Hardwood floors don't hold debris that cause build-up of bacteria and particles that aggravate asthma. A major reason people choose hardwood is they feel like carpet gets dirty and is more difficult to clean. In addition, carpet actually acts as an air filter by trapping dust and debris until it can be vacuumed.

Can pulling up old carpet make you sick?

Dangerous germs found in carpets can make you ill. The Norovirus, linked to causing stomach flu, can survive on an uncleaned carpet for more than one month. But using an older vacuum can cause more harm than good.

How do you temporarily remove carpet?

Start at the shortest wall and lift up the corner of the carpet with pliers to detach it from the tack strip. Work along the wall toward the opposite end and lift the edge of the carpet up by hand to detach it from the tack strip along the short wall.

How do you remove old carpet padding stuck to hardwood floors?

Dissolve the padding with chemical cleaning solvents, such as an odorless mineral spirit that works like a paint thinner. Scrape with a metal tool, but with care not to scratch the wood. Use soapy water to loosen the padding enough so that it can be sanded or scraped off in the floor-finishing process.

What is the wood under carpet called?

Underlay or underlayment generally refers to a thin layer of cushioning made of materials such as sponge rubber, foam, felt, crumb rubber, or recycled plastic; this material is laid beneath carpeting to provide comfort underfoot, to reduce wear on the carpet, and to provide insulation against sound, moisture, and heat.

Does foam carpet underlay contain asbestos?

Asbestos was used in the adhesive to glue down the carpet underlay which is usually a black bitumous material. The exact characteristics of the suspect underlay are not fully known. However, it islikely to be brown in colour and look like a fibrous mat. rubber, foam) are not known to contain asbestos.