Things You'll Need:
- Electric floor sander Sandpaper, course to fine grit Vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter Tung oil Dust mask Eye protection Lambswool applicator Mop
-
Step 1
Sand the floors with an electric floor sander. You can use whatever sander you are comfortable using. They can all be rented for a nominal fee and will save you hours and hours of back-breaking work. The belt sander will work very fast, but you have to be careful not to gouge the wood. You will probably also want to rent a corner sander to work on the corners and edges.
-
Step 2
Vacuum the floors using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. You never know what kind of chemicals were in the old finishes on the floor and a lot of dust will be kicked up with the sander. A shop-vac works great with the floor attachment. Wear a dust mask and eye protection and keep good air circulation in the room.
-
Step 3
Damp mop the floor to remove the fine dust that the vacuum cleaner does not remove. You don't want to get the floors wet but just keep the mop damp to collect the dust. Rinse the mop out regularly and squeeze very dry before applying it to the floor.
-
Step 4
Apply the oil of your choice to the floor. You can roll it on with a paint applicator or the lambs wool applicator and use a paint brush for the corners and edges. It will soak in very quickly at first. Use several coats until there is a slight sheen on the surface of the floor.
-
Step 5
Rub the oil into the floor by using a floor buffer and a polishing pad. The oil will give a warm hand-rubbed look to the floor as it is worked into the wood. Of course, you can run it in by hand, but it will take several hours to do it. Change the pad when it gets too oily and continue polishing until there is no oil being given off by the surface of the floor.
