The result is a fresh surface that is then stained and top-coated with whatever protective coating you prefer.
Some floors that look like hardwood aren’t wood at all.
If you have laminate wood-look floors, sanding is not an option.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
verify to wear a protective mask, eye protection, and hearing protectors when using this tool.
Where possible, open windows and ventilate with fans during the procedure.
Take your time when sanding, making sure to use sanding belts or pads with the proper abrasive grit.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
Avoid tilting or rocking the sander, as this is guaranteed to gouge the floor.
Use plastic sheeting, secured with painter’s tape, to cover doorways and vent ducts.
This will prevent sanding dust from traveling throughout your home.
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Completely clean the surface of the floor.
It should be swept or vacuumed to thoroughly remove any dust or debris that may be present.
Examine the floor for protruding nails and pound them down using a hammer and nail set.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
Damaged or missing flooring boards should be replaced or repaired before you begin sanding.
Sand the Floor
Install a 40- or 60-grit sanding belt on anupright drum sander.
Sand in a series of long passes, overlapping each pass by 2 to 4 inches.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Get as close to the walls as possible, but don’t touch the baseboards with the tool.
How you start and stop the sander is crucial.
When you reach the far wall, raise the drum before you stop moving the sander.
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Failure to follow this method can result in dips and severe damage to the floor.
In corners, you may need to use a paint scraper to remove the last bits of finish.
Or, you could also sand by hand in these areas.
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This can also help to smooth out any rough patches that may have occurred during the process.
However, it is still important to sweep and/or vacuum the room thoroughly before proceeding.
Afterward, use a tack cloth to wipe the floors and walls.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
confirm the stain dries completely (usually overnight) before proceeding to the topcoat system.
Polyurethane finishesare available in both water-based and oil-based formulations.
Water-based poly is easier to use and dries quicker, but it has a tendency to show imperfections.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
These moldings are easy to tack into place with a brad nailer.
And it’s easy to make mistakes that can irreparably damage the wood flooring surface.
Refinishing hardwood floors is no easy task.
The professional process includes sanding, plus the utility of two or more layers of surface finish.
The process will generally require three to five days, including cleanup.
A refinished wood floor can last up to 10 years ifwell maintained.
Otherwise, you may need to refinish a solid hardwood floor after about seven years.
If you have already refinished hardwood flooring about 10 times, you should not refinish it again.
However, you may not even need to refinish your floors.
There are a few ways to inexpensively revitalize hardwood floors without having to go through a full refinishing process.
This is a decent option if your floors aren’t in particularly rough shape but could use an upgrade.
