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You should hire a flooring professional polish hardwood floors once per year. This annual schedule will help keep any surface scratches from getting more profound and restore a shine to your floor. However, if you have a high-trafficked home with excess dirt and debris, you might consider twice-yearly polishing to help it stay fresh. In between professional cleanings, stay on top of weekly floor cleanings and scratch-resolving to maintain the floor’s integrity.

Most homeowners can expect to pay between $1.00 and $2.50 per square foot to hire a professional to buff and polish hardwood floors. Adding additional coats of polish will cost an extra $0.50 to $1.75 per square foot. Keep in mind that buffing and polishing expenses are more cost-effective than refinishing hardwood floors, ranging from $1.50 to $7 per square foot.

Consider these recommendations for upgrading your flooring: Buffing is recommended for flooring with minor scratches and scuffs that can be filled, creating a new-looking shine. 

Refinishing your floors includes removing the top layer of wood floors, exposing new wood to stain, finish, or wax. This method is best when you have deeper scratches that cannot simply be filled. 

Replacing your flooring is best when it's been sanded and refinished numerous times, when unpleasant odors are coming from the floor, or when it has excessive wear and tear.

You can buff your floors yourself if you have plenty of time, patience, and know-how. This intermediate-level DIY project requires either buying or renting a floor buffer and purchasing a buffing solution. This process can be time-consuming and, if not done correctly, can leave burn-like marks on your floor. 

To ensure this job is done correctly without damaging your floors, consider hiring a professional floor buffer and polisher instead. You might save money on labor costs by DIYing this project, but you could spend more on repairs if not done correctly.

Both buffing and polishing increase the longevity of your floors by removing scratches and buildup, but they are different processes. Polishing removes the top layer of your floor, removing surface-level scuffs and scratches. Buffing your floor involves filling the scratches and scuffs with a buffing solution. No matter which method you choose, you can rest assured that both techniques will leave your floor looking shiny and new.