Schools, universities, and health clubs across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts have us maintain their wood gym floors. The ones with the best-looking courts, year after year, all do the same thing: they recoat annually.
What a year of play does
A gym floor takes more abuse in one season than a living room floor takes in a decade. Shoes pivot on it, benches and bleachers drag across it, and the finish wears through in the lanes first, right where play is heaviest. As the finish wears, three things slip: traction, the floor’s look, and the wood’s protection. Once wear reaches the bare maple, dirt and moisture start working into the wood itself, and then the fix is no longer a recoat.
The annual recoat
A screen and recoat is the maintenance pass: we abrade the existing finish lightly, clean the floor, and apply a fresh coat. No sanding to bare wood, no relining, far less downtime. Done yearly, it keeps the finish layer thick enough to protect the maple and the game lines underneath. Most schools book it for the summer or the off-season window that fits their calendar, and the floor is back in play quickly.
When it is time for a full refinish
As gym floors age, the wood darkens and the lines and artwork fade or go out of style. A complete sanding, refinishing, and relining brightens the whole gym. We repaint lines to NJSIAA, NCAA, and NBA specifications, and we can design a new court layout, including hand-painted logos and center-court artwork that reflects your school.
The rule of thumb we give athletic directors: recoat every year, and a full refinish becomes a scheduled decision you make on your terms, not an emergency the floor makes for you.
Planning your gym floor calendar? Ask us for a bid or call (203) 264-5574.