One of the appealing qualities of hardwood floors is their longevity.  However, they don’t last forever!  How to know when it is time to replace hardwood flooring will ensure you don’t spend more money than necessary while still providing you with a beautiful and stable surface on which to tread.  In this post, we list the signs that let you know it’s time to replace your hardwood floor.

It’s Over 25 Years Old

As mentioned, hardwood flooring doesn’t last forever.  However, it should last you 25 to 30 years or more.  If the floor is older than that, you should be starting to think about replacing it.  This isn’t a hard and fast rule – you should definitely look at the condition of the floor before deciding to rip it out after 25 years.  Certain floors experience much more wear and tear than others.  But if your hardwood flooring is getting up there in age, it should be kept in mind that it’ll need to be replaced eventually.

It’s Been Refinished Several Times

One of the beauties of hardwood floors is that they can be refinished and brought back to near new after many years of use.  However, there is a limit as to how many times you can sand down a hardwood floor and refinish it.  If your hardwood flooring has been refinished 10 times or more, you should realize it’s coming to the end of its lifespan.  

Wide Gaps Are Appearing Between The Floorboards

Hardwood flooring will expand and contract as temperatures rise and fall.  This will cause the gaps between the floorboards to change over time.  Small gaps can often be fixed when the floors are refinished.  However, if the gaps become too large, refinishing the floor will no longer fix the problem and it’ll be time to start thinking about replacing it.

Warping Or Cupping

If your floorboards are warped or are starting to cup, it’s likely they’ve been water damaged and will need to be replaced.  Excessive water damage can’t be repaired and will eventually require the replacement of hardwood flooring.  To prevent this from happening, keep your floors from getting wet and be sure to wipe up any spills immediately.