Do You Know How To Refinish A Hardwood Floor?

Hardwood floors can beautify your home, but like any wood product, they must be properly cared for in order to maintain their luster and elegance. Hardwood floor refinishing is not a difficult process, but is a necessary one if those floors are to be maintained. By putting aside a little time to dedicate to refinishing hardwood floors, they will last for years, keeping that fresh and new appearance free of scratches and scuffs.

Refinishing hardwood floors is only a two-step process, involving sanding the floor smooth and staining it. Sanding clears away built up dirt, dust, and wears down any surface scratches or scuffs, creating a smooth surface. After the floor has been sanded, the stain corrects the rustic look with a smooth polish.

If you are refinishing your hardwood floors, you should see if they need to be redone at all. You may want to try a test in an inconspicuous place on your floor. Drop a drop or two of water on the floor and observe. If the water is quickly absorbed by the flooring, it's time to refinish. If it isn't absorbed at all, or absorbs slowly, you can wait a while before redoing the floor's surface.

While you are checking, also make sure the floor does not need repair work. Some examples of problems requiring repair include warped or squeaky floor boards, badly stained wood, or other permanent damage. If you discover any of these problems, you should repair the floor before you refinish it.

Once you've determined that your floor truly needs refinishing but does not require other repairs, you can start your work. First, remove all objects from the room and cover all openings, vents and light fixtures. Sanding is a messy process and you want to protect the room from the inevitable dust.

You will need a drum sander for your first sanding. The drum sander is a powerful tool and damaging the wood while sanding is easy to do. To avoid this, keep the sander moving, never letting it stay in one place for more than a few seconds. However, don't rush. When encountering corners and other areas you cannot reach with the drum sander, use an edge sander.

Once you have completed sanding, clean up, removing dust and other debris. The floor is now ready to be stained. There are a number of different stains available. Pay close attention to how long it takes for the stain to dry and how many coats are needed. There are oil and water based stains that have a variety of appearances. Choose the stain that best suits the needs of your floors and follow all instructions carefully.

Your stain is dry; your floor is done! Offer yourself some congratulations! Refinishing hardwood floors can be difficult, and some hire a professional, but you know how to refinish hardwood floors so you don't need to. This task takes a little time, but when you see your dull floor shining and gleaming again you will know it was all worth it.

Visit us for more information on how to install laminate floors, how to clean and refinish hardwood floors, and wood floors.