Refinishing a hardwood floor is an easy way to add beauty and value to any home. It can also be a real ego boost for the do it yourselfer. Doing it yourself will save you money if you follow these easy steps.
The most important factor to consider when refinishing is a hardwood floor is cleanliness. You want to make sure the floor is free from any debris. Debris can get caught in the sander and damage the floor. Small jagged stones are the most damaging. Sometimes it isn't possible to see the damage until after you apply your finish coats, and then it's too late.
The baseboards are also another factor you must consider. If you are confident with your skills, you can gently remove them with a small flat-bar and a hammer. Take your time. The idea is to remove and replace, not remove and then drive to the hardware store because you broke the boards. You can leave the baseboards in place if it isn't practical to remove them. If you choose to leave the baseboards, I recommend that you protect them with painters tape. The power sander will damage them if you are not careful.
When the floor is clean, and the baseboards have been removed or protected sufficiently, you can begin to sand. I recommend renting an orbital sander with a rectangular face. (Be careful when transporting it to and from your home and make sure you have someone help when lifting the sander.) Start with 80 grit sand paper. Guide the sander smoothly over the floor. Make sure you are sanding parallel with the joints in the floor. Try not to sand perpendicular to the joints, as this type of sanding can damage the wood and cause the finish to look less than perfect. The number of passes it takes to remove the old finish will differ from floor to floor. Be deliberate. Remove all the old finish before you move to a smaller girt sand paper.
Now that you are done sanding with the 80 grit sand paper, you will want to sweep or vacuum the floor. This removes any large wood particles or debris that may have been dislodged. Once cleaned, sand the floor in exactly the same fashion using 120 grit sand paper. You will notice the 120 grit sand paper sands very efficiently. This is because you are no longer sanding through the old finish and the sand paper is directly on the face of the wood. Try to be smooth and fluid as you move the sander. If you pause or stop, you will over sand and create low spots in the floor.
You will know when the sanding is complete by the look and feel of the floor. Visually you will not see any shinny or glossy areas. The floor will have a smooth and dry feel to it. Take you time to crawl around and closely inspect the floor. If you find any areas that do not meet your standards, carefully sand them again. As you sand over the imperfections, be sure that you do not hold the sander in one place for a prolonged period of time. Instead, make passes over the area needing to be sanded; short ones first, followed by progressively longer ones. This technique is called feathering and will help prevent over sanding your floor in any one area.
After your final inspection of the floor is complete, you will want to clean again. Deliberately vacuum or sweep up all the debris. Then, using a slightly damp cotton towel, wipe over the entire floor surface. When you are wiping, keep the towel in one orientation against the floor. Do not pick it up. The goal is to capture any small debris left behind on the front face of the towel. You will notice that the floor wicks some of the water out of the towel. This is normal and will not affect your final finish as long as you allow it to dry.
In conclusion, refinishing a hardwood floor does not have to be difficult. Remember to clean the floor before you start to sand. Clean the floor whenever you change the girt size of the sand paper you are using. When complete, you will have a smooth floor ready to accept its first coat of finish.
The most important factor to consider when refinishing is a hardwood floor is cleanliness. You want to make sure the floor is free from any debris. Debris can get caught in the sander and damage the floor. Small jagged stones are the most damaging. Sometimes it isn't possible to see the damage until after you apply your finish coats, and then it's too late.
The baseboards are also another factor you must consider. If you are confident with your skills, you can gently remove them with a small flat-bar and a hammer. Take your time. The idea is to remove and replace, not remove and then drive to the hardware store because you broke the boards. You can leave the baseboards in place if it isn't practical to remove them. If you choose to leave the baseboards, I recommend that you protect them with painters tape. The power sander will damage them if you are not careful.
When the floor is clean, and the baseboards have been removed or protected sufficiently, you can begin to sand. I recommend renting an orbital sander with a rectangular face. (Be careful when transporting it to and from your home and make sure you have someone help when lifting the sander.) Start with 80 grit sand paper. Guide the sander smoothly over the floor. Make sure you are sanding parallel with the joints in the floor. Try not to sand perpendicular to the joints, as this type of sanding can damage the wood and cause the finish to look less than perfect. The number of passes it takes to remove the old finish will differ from floor to floor. Be deliberate. Remove all the old finish before you move to a smaller girt sand paper.
Now that you are done sanding with the 80 grit sand paper, you will want to sweep or vacuum the floor. This removes any large wood particles or debris that may have been dislodged. Once cleaned, sand the floor in exactly the same fashion using 120 grit sand paper. You will notice the 120 grit sand paper sands very efficiently. This is because you are no longer sanding through the old finish and the sand paper is directly on the face of the wood. Try to be smooth and fluid as you move the sander. If you pause or stop, you will over sand and create low spots in the floor.
You will know when the sanding is complete by the look and feel of the floor. Visually you will not see any shinny or glossy areas. The floor will have a smooth and dry feel to it. Take you time to crawl around and closely inspect the floor. If you find any areas that do not meet your standards, carefully sand them again. As you sand over the imperfections, be sure that you do not hold the sander in one place for a prolonged period of time. Instead, make passes over the area needing to be sanded; short ones first, followed by progressively longer ones. This technique is called feathering and will help prevent over sanding your floor in any one area.
After your final inspection of the floor is complete, you will want to clean again. Deliberately vacuum or sweep up all the debris. Then, using a slightly damp cotton towel, wipe over the entire floor surface. When you are wiping, keep the towel in one orientation against the floor. Do not pick it up. The goal is to capture any small debris left behind on the front face of the towel. You will notice that the floor wicks some of the water out of the towel. This is normal and will not affect your final finish as long as you allow it to dry.
In conclusion, refinishing a hardwood floor does not have to be difficult. Remember to clean the floor before you start to sand. Clean the floor whenever you change the girt size of the sand paper you are using. When complete, you will have a smooth floor ready to accept its first coat of finish.
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