How to Refinish a Prefinished Hardwood Floor

Prefinished wood flooring can be laid down in less then a day over your existing flooring. It is a popular choice because you do not have to finish it once it is laid down. Over time, prefinished flooring wears just like a regular hardwood floor. To refresh its look, a prefinished floor will need to be refinished.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Floor sander
• 20-grit sandpaper
• 60-grit sandpaper
• Hand sander
• Wood filler
• Spatula
• Vacuum
• Polyurethane
• Stain
• Roller that can be used with broom handle
• Roller cover

1. Remove the floor molding before beginning.

2. Sweep and mop the prefinished floor.

3. Inspect floor for dents or cracks. Fill with wood filler that closely matches the color of the prefinished floor. Scrape excess wood filler with metal spatula.

4. Assemble drum sander according to instruction manual provided at rental location. Use a sandpaper with a grit level between 20 and 60-grit. The more uneven the floor, the lower the grit level needed. Start in the far corner and allow the sander to do the work follow the direction of the grain. Overlap each pass by one inch.

5. Hand-sand the edges of the floor with the same grit you used on your drum sander.

6. Vacuum floor. Follow steps four and five using a 120-grit sandpaper for a smooth finish to your flooring.

7. Vacuum floor to remove excess dirt and debris. Using a rag, apply stain on bare wood floor. Allow to set for four hours and repeat as needed.

8. Seal stain with polyurethane. Start in the far corner and apply with a long-handled roller and thick nap roll cover. Allow polyurethane to dry for six hours and repeat.

9. Allow the final coat of polyurethane to dry for 24 hours before reinstalling your floor molding and placing furniture back in the room.

Tips & Warnings

• Repeat every ten years. You do not need to sand wood filler as you will be running a drum sander over it.
• Do not use water on bare floors.