Hardwood Floor Restoration in South Bend, IN
A great deal of South Bend's hardwood has been under carpet since the 1960s or 1970s. In housing that was floored in red oak as standard, that means there is usually a good floor waiting under the covering, and recovering it is one of the highest-return jobs available on a property here.
The Landlord Arithmetic
This is worth doing plainly because it is the question every property owner asks. Carpet is cheaper this month. It also has to be replaced every one or two tenancies, and it is the single thing prospective tenants most often complain about at a viewing.
A restored hardwood floor runs through many tenancies. Between tenants it needs a one-day recoat rather than a replacement. And it lets a unit faster. Over a ten year hold it is not close.
Carpet Actually Preserved It
The instinct is that a floor buried for fifty years must be wrecked. Usually the reverse is true. Carpet and padding shield wood from ultraviolet light and from foot traffic, so what comes up is frequently in better condition than the exposed floor in the room next door. The typical damage is around the edges: tack strip holes at the perimeter, staple holes across the field. Both fill and disappear under a refinish.
Linoleum, Adhesive and Asbestos
Sheet flooring glued straight to the boards is harder than carpet, because the adhesive has to come off before anything can be sanded.
It also raises a safety question we do not sand through. Old sheet flooring, its backing and some adhesives of this era can contain asbestos. Anything suspect gets tested first, and a positive result means abatement by a licensed contractor before any flooring work begins. This is not a corner to cut in a rental.
The Process
Remove and dispose of the covering. Pull tack strips and staples. Assess honestly what is underneath, including remaining thickness and species, before committing to a plan. Fill the perimeter holes. Sand, stain if wanted, finish.
What It Costs
Carpet removal and disposal adds $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot on top of the refinishing price. Linoleum and adhesive removal is quoted after inspection. Refinishing runs the usual $3 to $6 per square foot.
How do I check whether there is hardwood under the carpet?
Pull back a corner in a closet where nobody will see it, or look at the edge of a floor register where the floor edge is often visible without lifting anything. In the pre-1950 housing here the answer is very often yes.
Is it worth doing on a rental?
Usually, yes, and the arithmetic is straightforward. Carpet needs replacing every tenancy or two. A restored hardwood floor runs through many tenancies, needs a recoat rather than replacement, and rents the unit faster.
What condition will it be in?
Generally better than expected. Carpet shields wood from sunlight and traffic, so what comes up is often in better shape than the exposed floor in the next room. The damage is tack strip holes at the perimeter and staple holes across the field, and both fill and vanish under a refinish.
What if it is linoleum glued down?
More work than carpet. The adhesive has to come off before sanding. Some old sheet flooring, backing and adhesive from this era contains asbestos, so anything suspect gets tested rather than sanded.
What does removal add?
Carpet and pad removal, tack strip pull and disposal typically adds $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot. Linoleum and adhesive removal costs more and is quoted after we see it.