Hardwood Floor Refinishing and Repair

Daniel recently purchased a beautiful apartment in Buckhead, Atlanta, featuring solid #1 grade maple hardwood flooring. The floor itself was structurally sound — short maple boards glued over a ¼-inch cork underlayment, a system commonly used in multi-unit buildings to comply with sound-reduction regulations. While the structure of the floor was excellent, the appearance told a different story. Years of use had left deep(into the wood) scratches, with an outdated orange tone and several dark stains caused by pet urine from the previous owner's aging dog. Together, we evaluated the best approach to bring these floors back to life while keeping the apartment bright, modern, and consistent with Daniel’s furniture and style.

#loosetheorange

Assessing the Existing Floor

From a technical standpoint, the floor was stable and properly installed. The maple boards were securely glued and supported by the cork soundproofing layer beneath. The main issues were aesthetic:

• - Extensive into the wood scratches

• - A dated orange finish

• - Multiple dark urine stains in localized areas and water damage in a corner.

We initially discussed applying a darker stain to help conceal the stains. However, doing so would have required going very dark to properly hide the discoloration. In a relatively compact apartment, that would have made the space feel smaller and heavier, and it would not have matched Daniel’s design preferences. Instead, we decided on a more precise solution.

Removing and Replacing the Damaged Boards

The urine-damaged boards were carefully removed so new maple boards could be installed in their place. This is where the project became more complex than expected. Once the boards were removed, we had the pleasant surprise that the layer of Gypcrete that was acting as a second layer subfloor came out together with the cork and the flooring boards.

Gypcrete is commonly used in multi-unit buildings because it provides:

• - Fire resistance

• - Additional sound insulation

• - Lightweight structural support

As often happens in renovation work, unexpected conditions added an extra day or two to the schedule and additional costs. It’s always wise to plan for a little flexibility when working with existing structures.

Rebuilding the Subfloor Assembly

Before installing the replacement boards, we had to rebuild the floor system step by step:

1. - Repaired and stabilized the affected subfloor area

2. - Reinstalled the cork underlayment layer required for sound insulation

3. - Carefully custom-fit replacement maple boards to blend with the existing floor

Matching maple can be challenging because of its tight grain and uniform look, so precise fitting and board selection are important for a seamless repair.

Sanding and Preparing the Surface

Once the repairs were complete, the entire floor was sanded using a gradual grit progression to remove scratches and old finish while bringing the maple surface to the appropriate smoothness. Sanding maple requires patience and the correct sequence of abrasives to avoid swirl marks and uneven textures. This process effectively reset the floor back to raw wood, preparing it for its new finish.

Natural Finish and Protection

For this project Daniel chose to keep the maple natural, avoiding stain entirely.

We applied:

- A natural sealer to enhance the raw tone of the maple

• - Two coats of Loba Duo 2-component waterborne satin finish

This finish provides excellent durability, clarity, and protection while keeping the floor looking light and modern.

Final Result

The transformation was dramatic. The orange tone disappeared, the damaged boards were seamlessly integrated, and the natural maple grain came back to life. The finished floor ended up looking clean, bright, and almost reminiscent of a professional basketball court — something not far from the Atlanta Hawks arena floor.

Thinking About Refinishing Your Floors?

If your hardwood floors are scratched, worn, or simply outdated, refinishing can completely transform the look of your home without replacing the flooring.

If you think it's time to give your floors a new life, give us a call or click “Get a Free Estimate” at the top of the page and let's talk about your project.