The Steps Of Hardwood Floor Refinishing
Preparation
Preparing your room for hardwood floor refinishing entails clearing the room of furniture and accessories. First of all, remove any drapes, pictures or lampshades that are not easily washable. Additionally, take down your shoe moulding, as well as any nails that are still attached to it. In addition, make sure to cover any vents or light fixtures with a cloth so as not to get dust on them. Trust us when we say there will be a lot of dust!
Sanding
This is a lengthy, meticulous process in whole hardwood floor refinishing that requires several sanding papers, each with increasingly fine grits (30-40, 50-60 and 80-100). Using a sander, sand each section of the floor with the coarser paper before moving on to the next finer level. After finishing with the last sandpaper level, vacuum up any dust and damp mop the floor clean.
Buffing
If your object isn’t smooth enough, you can use 120-grit sandpaper, but you probably won’t need to. Buffing is usually only necessary when you want to remove the coating and apply a new one.
Cleaning
After sanding, vacuum the room to remove dust. Next, wipe the walls, windows, and any unpainted parts with mineral spirits to remove stains. Vacuum again and then wipe down the floor with mineral spirits.
Staining – You can change the colour of the wood by staining it. This is not always necessary, but you should know how to stain if you want to change the colour of your wood. Follow the instructions on the stain canister to know how to apply it correctly.
Sealer
Sanding sealer will be needed if you don’t plan on staining. Start with the farthest point from you, and move your way back to the door. You don’t want to get stuck in a corner because you started staining or sealing in the wrong direction.
Apply Clear Polyurethane
Once you have sanded, swept, vacuumed and wiped down your wood floor, it is time for Polyurethane. Open up the windows and doors and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get your brushes ready. Remove any loose bristles and excess fibres from your brushes, so they don’t get into the Polyurethane and stick to your floor.
Put Everything Back
When the Polyurethane has dried, put everything back in its original place. Be careful not to drag anything across the floor and damage the finish you’ve worked so hard on achieving.
If you’re not sure of one of the steps in refinishing your wood floor, you can ask at your local supplies store. Although it’s usually better to avoid starting a refinishing project if you’re not sure what you’re doing. A simple few hundred dollars job can turn into a bad situation, costing you thousands of dollars instead. Make sure you know exactly what you’re doing and how your floors should be handled.