Refinishing or refurbishing a wood floor takes time, care and patience and is not a job that should be taken lightly. That said, with the right preparation, the right equipment and a bit of effort, the end results can be quite outstanding. There are essentially three steps to refinishing your wood floor. The first is sanding, the second is staining (if you choose to stain the wood flooring) and the third is wood flooring finishing.
When it comes to sanding, there are two main types of sander you can hire. The first is a drum sander and the second is an orbital sander. Drum sanders have the benefit of being really effective, but are heavy and can be tricky to use. What’s more, if you don’t keep your drum sander constantly on the move, you’ll find you develop permanent grooves that are dug into the surface of your floor by the sander turning in a stationary position. Orbital sanders on the other hand are much more user-friendly and present less risk of potential damage. Depending upon the job you’re doing, you might also consider hiring an edging sander, which will allow you to get right into the corners and right up to the skirting in your room.
When it comes to choosing the right sandpaper, it’s a good idea to select a range from heavy, for example 40 grit, through to fine, which goes as high as 120 grit.
1. Sanding can be a messy process, so make sure you remove all furniture and soft furnishings and clear the room completely. When removing furniture, take care not to drag heavy items across the floor because this can cause damage.
2. When your room is empty, you’ll have a good opportunity to make sure that the floor is clear of any staples, nails or tacks which could cause problems while you’re sanding. If you do find staples, make sure you pull them out and take the time to punch any nails or screws down so they fall below the surface of the wood.
3. When you start to sand, use the heaviest grit at the beginning and re-do the floor, working with finer grit each time (the same rule also applies to the edges if you’re using an edging sander).
Once you’ve finished sanding, make sure you vacuum up all the dust that has collected on the floor and between any gaps in the floor. At this stage it’s really important to leave enough time between sanding and staining and finishing to make sure any airborne dust has settled and has been cleared away before moving on to the next phase.
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