For normal household use, wooden floors usually need a proper polish or refinishing every 3–5 years, but it depends on how you treat them. In low-traffic rooms where people don’t walk with shoes, that gap can be longer. In busy areas with kids, pets and shoes, you’ll see wear faster – dull patches, scratches, or areas where the finish has thinned.
There’s a difference between light maintenance and full refinishing. Light care can be done more often using products made for wood floors that restore a bit of shine without heavy sanding. Full refinishing, where the surface is sanded and new finish is applied, is a bigger job and happens less frequently.
The key is prevention: using doormats, felt pads under furniture legs, and sweeping regularly to avoid grit scratching the surface. When floors start looking tired even after cleaning, and bare wood shows through in places, that’s your cue that a proper professional refresh is due.
