Painted Hardwood Floors: Why We Sometimes Recommend Hitting Pause

One of the most rewarding parts of our job is uncovering the beauty hidden beneath old flooring. Sometimes that means pulling up carpet to reveal original hardwood. Other times it means removing decades of wear to restore a floor that’s been there for over 100 years.

Recently, we visited a home with painted original fir floors. At first glance, it looked like a standard refinishing project. But before putting together a proposal, we asked ourselves an important question:

What if the paint contains lead?

Doing the Research

Homes built before 1978 have a higher likelihood of containing lead-based paint. While not every painted floor contains lead, it’s something that deserves careful consideration before any sanding begins.

Rather than making assumptions, we took the time to research the regulations surrounding painted floors and lead-safe work practices. We learned that if the paint does contain lead, sanding the floor legally requires specialized certification and procedures that we do not currently hold.

That meant we had two choices:

Ignore the regulations and hope for the best.

Or be honest with the homeowner.

For us, the choice was easy.

Being Upfront Matters

When we sent the proposal, we included a simple disclaimer explaining that our quote assumed the paint tested negative for lead.

We also explained that if testing confirmed the presence of lead, we would be unable to perform the refinishing work. To make things fair, we let the homeowner know we would refund their consultation fee if that happened.

Could we have skipped that conversation?

Probably.

Would it have been the right thing to do?

Absolutely not.

What If the Floor Tests Positive?

A positive lead test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of options.

Depending on your goals, there are a few paths forward.

Option 1: Leave the Floor Covered

Installing carpet over the existing floor is one way to avoid disturbing the painted surface. While carpet installation isn’t a service we provide, it can be a practical solution for some homes.

Option 2: Install New Hardwood Flooring

Another option is to install new hardwood flooring over the existing floor, provided the structure allows for it. This preserves the original painted floor beneath while giving you the beauty and durability of brand-new hardwood. This is a solution we can absolutely help with.

Not Every Painted Floor Contains Lead

It’s important to remember that paint alone doesn’t automatically mean lead.

Many painted hardwood floors have been coated with modern paints that are perfectly safe to remove through normal refinishing methods.

That’s why testing is so important. It takes the guesswork out of the process and allows everyone to make informed decisions.

Why We Share Stories Like This

Anyone can write a quote.

What matters is how a contractor handles the situations that aren’t straightforward.

Sometimes doing the right thing means saying, “Let’s make sure this is safe before we move forward.”

At In the Groove Hardwood Floors, we’d rather lose a job than compromise our integrity or put our customers and team at unnecessary risk.

That’s the kind of company we’d want working in our own home.