How to Degloss a Hardwood Floor
Deglossing a hardwood floor is necessary when refinishing the floor. Hardwood floors become scraped up, chipped, dinged, and the finish starts to look dull and spotty. Deglossing the floor and applying a new layer of stain and gloss will restore hardwood floors to their former elegance. Though there are liquid deglossers on the market, sanding is the best way to achieve professional quality in an evenly deglossed floor. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Plastic tarp
- Vacuum
- Pliers
- Goggles
- Ear plugs
- Drum sander
- Palm sander
- Sand paper (20- to 36-grit, 50- to 60-grit, 80- to 100-grit)
- Hammer
- Nails
Instructions
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1
Clear the area. Remove all furniture and rugs. Sweep and clean the floor thoroughly. Place plastic tarps over ventilations to keep sawdust from circulating throughout the house.
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2
Make repairs. Remove any nails or screws jutting out of the floor with pliers. Use nails and a hammer to nail down any floorboard jutting up. Walk around to see if there are any squeaks or cracks. Make necessary repairs before sanding.
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3
Sand with a drum sander. Fit the sander with a course sandpaper such as 20- to 36-grit paper. Start off in a low-visiblity area, such as the spot for the sofa. Then make your way to more visible areas. Walk the drum sander from wall to wall, going with the grain, making forward and backward movements on the planks. Be sure to wear protective goggles and ear plugs while operating the sander.
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Re-sand. Change the sandpaper to a less course medium, such as 50- to 60-grit paper, and re-sand the entire area.
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Sand the edges. Using a palm sander with 80- to 100-grit paper, sand the edges of the room. Do not use a drum sander for sanding the perimeters of a room. Vacuum the room to clean up the excess wood dust.
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