How hardwood floors are refinished?

Once the finish has been roughened, we apply a water-based polyurethane, which can be repainted in 3 hours. Oil-based polises are cheaper, but each coat takes about 8 hours to dry.

How hardwood floors are refinished?

Once the finish has been roughened, we apply a water-based polyurethane, which can be repainted in 3 hours. Oil-based polises are cheaper, but each coat takes about 8 hours to dry. With either finish, we recommend a new coat every two years or whenever the floor looks worn out. Follow that routine and your floors will never wear out.

The finish of the hardwood floors will add charm to any room and is a great way to make a space feel like new. REFINISH A HARDWOOD FLOOR IS A DIRTY AND DISTURBING JOB. Dust removal systems can reduce clutter, but the job will still take days and will require moving furniture, cornering the cat, and enduring fumes. Proceed with abrasives that gradually become thinner until the desired degree of smoothness is achieved.

My preferred progression for a hardwood floor like oak starts with 60 grit abrasive, goes to 80 grit, and ends with 100 or 120 grit. If you find loose hair embedded in dry polyurethane and you still have at least one layer left, sand lightly on the hair with a very fine abrasive (320). Carefully dig out the hair with a pin or fingernail, if possible. Then sand again with the same very fine abrasive, taking care not to break the stain layer.

When repainting with poly, the hair mark will almost disappear. Applying wood stain evenly, especially over large areas, is not as easy as it seems. It seems to me that the best technique is to apply the stain with an applicator to a small area at a time (approximately 18″ x 3′) and then rub all the excess with a rag. Avoid letting the front edge of your work dry; you'll end up with lap marks (streaks).

Oil-based stains stay active longer than water stains. Many professionals pour polyurethane along the floor and then spread it with an 18-inch lambswool applicator, but this is likely to result in a layer that is too thick for the beginner. A better way for the DIY enthusiast is to roll up the polyurethane with a foam roller, preferably a high density foam roller. The coat will be fine, even and will dry quickly to a smooth, glassy finish.

Use a good brush to cut around the perimeter of the room. Look for two areas on your floor and tape an approximately 6 by 6 inch square. The first should be an area that represents the most serious defects you have on your floor to see if they can be repaired with a coating layer. Each round of sanding will reveal a smoother surface with all holes or cracks repaired flush with the floor surface.

If your floor is old, the contractor has to decide if there is enough wood to restore it, said Jim Schumacher, hardwood flooring specialist at 3M in St. Since you removed the molding in the first step, you won't have to worry about cutting around the edges of the floor. If your hardwood floor has had better days and you think it might need a full finish, don't worry. Once you know what type of floor you have, it's a good idea to evaluate whether a total finish or a dimmer screen and coating is needed.

Some people rent an industrial floor damper for this step, but a pole sander, as shown in the photo, is another great option. Sanding removes scratches and stains from a wooden floor, but may not be able to alleviate deeper marks or discolored stains on wood. Sanding floors is one of the most critical steps in finishing hardwood floors, as it removes old stain and turns the entire floor into a blank slate. Because polyurethane sits on top of hardwood (does not soak), it offers excellent protection against water and scratches and requires minimal maintenance.

The first step to successfully refinish your hardwood floors is to determine what type of floor you have. Polyurethane sealant is probably the most popular hardwood sealant and is available as a water- or oil-based product. Even professionals advise homeowners to lower their expectations of what floor sanding can achieve. Working with a drum sander can be challenging, difficult to control and, if used incorrectly, can damage the floor.

If you don't know the history of your floor, the easiest way to find out how much material you have left is to look for a grille or floor vent that you can remove to expose the floorboards. During this second round, it can be difficult to see where you've already sanded, as the color of the floor won't change, so it's a good idea to draw pencil lines throughout the room. . .

Johnathan Updyke
Johnathan Updyke

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