As Families Come Together, Hardwood Floors Take a Beating. Here's a Simple Fix

Flooring Influencer: Ashlee Moore and Mike Haas

The holidays bring joy, laughter, and countless gatherings, but they can also bring an unexpected culprit of chaos: foot traffic. Between festive parties, houseguests, and winter’s grit, your elegant hardwood floors take quite a beating. Fine dirt and sand tracked indoors act like sandpaper, dulling finishes and scratching surfaces with every step. Even the most durable floors can lose their luster under the hustle and bustle of the season.

But there’s good news, restoring your floors’ shine doesn’t require a full refinish. Once the last guest leaves and the decorations come down, it’s the perfect time to invest in a professional hardwood floor cleaning or a Screen & Coat service. This restorative process is a favorite among homeowners who value luxury, longevity, and low disruption.

Here’s how it works: Experts first deep-clean your floors to remove embedded dirt and residue. Then, they perform a “screening” process, lightly abrading the top layer of your floor’s urethane finish. This removes minor surface imperfections without touching the actual wood. A fresh coat of urethane is then applied, reviving your floors with a beautiful, protective sheen.

The result? Your hardwoods look refreshed, renewed, and ready for another year of life’s best moments. Unlike full refinishing, which can take days and create dust, a Screen & Coat can often be completed in a single day depending on the size of the house or area, leaving you with minimal mess and maximum impact. But note, this process will not remove deep gouges.

As the holidays approach, protect your investment by placing mats at entryways, using felt pads under furniture, and scheduling your post-season touchup.

With professional care, your hardwood floors will continue to shine, reflecting the warmth, beauty, and sophistication of your home long after the holiday guests have gone.