If you’re interested in learning how to refinish a wood floor, you’ve probably wondered what’s involved. Well, the basic process involves preparing the floor for refinishing. This preparation process can take a full day. For starters, you should thoroughly clean the floor to remove dust, dirt, and stains. Next, roughen the existing finish with a sander and use a fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out any uneven patches. Finally, you should wipe down the floor with a tack cloth to remove any remaining dust.
Before applying the refinishing stain, it’s important to wear a respirator. Finishing products emit vapors that may cause respiratory problems or other health problems. Also, you should use a lambswool applicator or sponge to apply the stain. It’s important to avoid cutting into the edge of the floor. Then, work from the farthest corner of the room toward the door, following the grain of the wood. To prevent stain from pooling, you’ll want to use a box lined with plastic.
Next, use a coarse sandpaper of 40 grit. This will remove old finish and any scratches. Make sure to work slowly, moving the sandpaper in three to four-foot sections. Always keep in mind that a single sandpaper can only handle up to 20 square feet, so it’s important to change sandpaper when it wears out. Empty the dust bag before beginning the final pass.
Before starting the refinishing process, you should prepare a test area in a high-traffic area such as the hallway or a closet. Alternatively, you can use a large putty knife to apply wood patch filler on individual spots. After completing the refinishing process, the area should be thoroughly dried. Once the floor is completely dry, sand it. Afterwards, if there is any leftover residue, you should remove it with a putty knife.
Depending on the type of wood floor you have, you’ll need to decide on a different refinishing process. Remember that true hardwood floors can be refinished twice, while pine floors can be refinished three or four times. Engineered wood floors aren’t good candidates for refinishing because the veneer comes off during the sanding process. If you plan to refinish engineered wood, you’ll need to find out what kind of veneer it has. In general, floors with three or four layers of veneer will be difficult to refinish.
Before refinishing hardwood floors, you need to decide how much of the hardwood material is left. You can use a heating grate to measure the amount of wood remaining. It’s best to measure the amount of hardwood you have in a room and determine whether it can take another round of refinishing. If you can’t find any remaining wood, you can try using a chemical to remove the old finish.
Refinishing involves sanding off the uppermost layer of the wood floor and applying a new protective coating on top. If you’re unsure of the steps involved, consider hiring a professional to refinish your floor. If you’re not comfortable using a drum sander, you can purchase a floor-sander, power saw, and stain at any hardware store. If you’re unsure of the process, you can even do it yourself if you’re confident enough to follow directions.