Hardwood Floor Refinishing

The attraction of hardwood floors lies in their shiny look. They adds a royal touch to any house and are far more glamorous than the widely prevalent concrete. But like as in humans, time does take its toll on hardwood floors too. They worn out and lose their luster and glory. To restore them to their earlier glory refinishing is required and it is a small price to pay to regain the original richness and beauty of the wood. You can hire a professional but since refurnishing is fairly straightforward all that you require is time, patience, proper tools, and techniques. And you can have a floor that demands a second look. So, if you are looking to revive your hardwood floor then read the article given below to know more.

How To Refinish Hardwood Floor

Equipment For Refinishing

The equipments for refinishing hardwood can be found in the local hardwood shop.

Drum sander
Floor edger
Buffer
Orbital/ palm sander
Putty knife and scraper
Shop vacuum
Ear protection, dust masks, safety goggles
Sanding materials - lamb's wool and natural bristle brush, or foam applicators, tack cloths

Sanding The Floor

Clear the room of furniture and rugs.
Also, clear the floor of any staples, tacks, or nails.
Take a 36-grit sandpaper and clip it into the sander.
Now, run the sander over the floor and do it in straight even strokes.
When the entire floor is sanded, clip a 60-grit sandpaper on the sander and use it to remove the scratches and lines.
Vacuum the floor to clear the floor of sanding dust.
Then again, sand the floor with a lighter grain sandpaper. To get a beautiful surface use the sandpaper with grits 36 to 100 moving up sequentially.
To polish the edges you can use an edging machine.

Staining The Floor

Brush the floor to remove the sawdust.
Apply stain with a rag. Coat the entire floor with the stain. For darker and heavier stains, use a brush. The rag is good for lighter stains.
The stains must be applied in long even strokes.
Let the stain dry and if necessary apply the second coat or touch up on the lighter spots.
Leave the floor to dry completely before applying the finish.

Finishing The Floor

Use a polyurethane finish.
Stir the container but don’t shake as shaking will create air bubbles which will show in the finish.
With a brush or roller, apply the polyurethane in smooth strokes. Try to avoid marks as much as possible.
Leave for three hours for the finish to dry.
After the first coat has dried, apply a second coat. Leave it overnight for it to dry completely.

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