How to Sand Wood Floors
Hardwood floors can add character and beauty to a home and can last many years. Once in a while, though, they can benefit from a little refinishing to restore their original sheen. Before a new finish can be applied, the floors must be sanded to remove the old finish and any imperfections that may have developed in the wood. It can be a dirty job, and quite physically demanding, but the rewards are substantial. Here's how to accomplish the task: Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Drum sander
- Edge sander
- Supply of sandpaper in various grades
- Ear plugs
- Safety glasses
- Dust mask
- Plastic sheeting
- Powerful vacuum cleaner
- Hammer and nailset
Instructions
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Rent a commercial-grade drum sander at your local home improvement or equipment rental store. Though drum sanders are very effective, they are heavy and awkward to operate at first. Have the rental store give you a demonstration so you'll know what to expect when you put it to use. Get a good sandpaper supply in a variety of grits from coarse (20 to 36 grit) to fine (80 to 100 grit).
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Remove all furniture, rugs and accessories from the room and sweep it thoroughly. Hang plastic sheeting over all open doorways. Sanding the floor is a very messy job and if you don't seal off the room, the dust will settle throughout house.
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Closely examine your floor for any stray nails or tacks that need to be hammered in with a hammer and nailset to allow a smooth pass with your sander. Also look for obvious gaps and holes and fill them with wood filler. Wood floors will expand and contract depending on temperatures and humidity, so some gaps are normal. The heat and high humidity will cause the wood to expand, so if you have a large gap during the summer, fill it, since the winter temperature drop will cause shrinkage.
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Load the sander with coarse sandpaper and start the machine with the drum off the floor, lowering it slowly to the floor. Walk with the sander from one end of the room to the other, sanding in the direction of the wood grain. Make a return pass on the same area you just sanded. It's very important that you keep the sander moving; if you let it sit while turned on, it will gouge your floor very quickly.
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Use the edge sander with the same grade sandpaper to sand the areas the drum sander is unable to reach, such as the wall edge and corners. Work the sander in a small semi-circular motion to feather the sanding areas.
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When your entire floor has been sanded, change the sandpaper on the drum sander to a medium (50 to 60) grit and repeat the procedure. Follow with the edge sander. Check the surface of the floors again as the sanding can work loose some of the nails in the floor. If so, countersink them with the nailset.
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Change the sandpaper on the sander to the fine 80 to 100 grade for the final finish. When you've finished sanding the entire room, use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. This is a labor-intensive job, since the amount of dust is substantial. You are now ready to apply your new stain and your new final finish.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're unsure of your technique at the beginning, it's a good idea to start sanding in an area where furniture or a throw rug will be sitting. This way, you can learn from your mistakes and not have them out on display. When you vacuum your newly sanded floor, make sure that you vacuum the walls too. This will help you avoid having the dust settle on your still-wet floor right after you've stained and finished it. Block off vents in the room you're working in. This will help prevent dust being propelled throughout the rest of your home.
Sanding your floor is exceptionally noisy, produces a substantial amount of flying dust and debris, so wear ear protection, protective eye wear and a dust mask.
