Refinishing Your Hardwood Floors
If you are lucky enough to have an older home with hardwood under the carpets, it's time to bring that floor out into the open. Sometimes wood floors are covered with carpet because the previous owners wanted carpeting, or possibly because the floor was stained or damaged. Once you pull up the carpet, you can evaluate the project ahead of you.
First, clear all items from the room, including drapes, pictures and closet doors. Sanding creates a lot of dust, so removing these items all together will protect them. After removing the carpet, carefully pull up the tack strips around the edges of the floor using a pry bar. You don't want to do any further damage to the wood. Carefully remove the quarter round moulding or baseboards from the wall. After the carpet is removed, take a good look at the floor. Do not panic if the floor looks stained or there is bare wood showing through the finish. The beauty of hardwood floors is that they can be sanded down to look like new.
Cover all door openings with plastic sheeting and don't forget the air vents in the walls or floor. Carefully go over the floor and check for exposed nails and any deep holes or cracks. Remove any nails that are sticking out, filling in those holes (and any others) with wood filler.
For the sander itself, an orbital sander is the easiest for a homeowner to operate. This sander is less likely to damage the floor if left in place for to long and is easier to handle. This machine can be rented at any home improvement store. You will sand three times, starting with coarse sand paper and moving to fine.
The first sanding is designed to remove the existing finish and deep scratches. This sanding requires a 36-grit sandpaper. The store that you rent the machine from will carry the discs you need for your particular machine. Wearing a dust mask and goggles, you can begin sanding. Move back and forth across the room, going with the grain of the wood. Periodically empty the dust bag on the machine. It also helps if you have someone who follows you with a shop vac to help keep the dust under control. Remember, this is a messy job! After going over the floor with the 36-grit paper, check to make sure all the finish has been removed and that the deep scratches and major discolorations have been removed. Thoroughly vacuum before starting the next sanding.
Repeat this process next with a 50-grit sandpaper and then an 80 grit for the final sanding. Since the orbital sander won't reach into corners or go right up to the edges of the floor, you will need a hand or palm sander for these areas. Simply use the same sandpaper grits in the same order.
Once you have finished sanding vacuum all areas several times, including walls and windows. Then follow up with either a tack cloth or damp cloth to remove any traces of sawdust.
Now you are ready to finish the floor. You can choose to stain the floor, or just go ahead and put down the finish. It all depends upon the look you are going for. If you choose to stain the floor, test in an inconspicuous area (such as a closet) to see if you like the color. If so, proceed according to the manufacturer's directions.
To finish the floors, you want to work from the farthest point of the room to the exit. Make sure you leave yourself a path to get out of the room! Don't apply the finish directly to the floor, but use a paint tray and applicators. Working backwards, pull the applicator tool in the direction of the grain. Always lift the tool after pushing it back into the wet edge to eliminate brush/tool marks in the finish. You will want two or three coats of finish. Let each coat dry thoroughly between applications. If you put finish on too soon, the coat will bubble up and you will have to remove it and start over. Keep in mind that humidity will extend the drying time. Sand lightly between each finish coat, as this will allow the coats to adhere to each other completely.
After the final coat has dried, you can now replace the baseboards and enjoy your beautifully restored hardwood floors!
Related Tags: hardwood floors, refinishing
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Flooring
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