How to Burnish Floors
When the finish on a wood floor starts getting cloudy or dull, the usual method of refinishing is to screen off the finish and add new gloss. Generally, it's a three-stage process, with rough, medium and fine-abrasion screens. However, if you just want to burnish and shine up the floor, you can skip the rough screening and just use medium and fine screens, allowing you to add shine without dramatically affecting the existing finish. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Rotating floor buffer (rented)
- Refinishing screens in medium and fine abrasion
- Vacuum cleaner
- Tack cloths
- Polyurethane floor gloss
- Finishing paintbrush
- Extra-fine sandpaper
Instructions
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1
Load your floor buffer with a medium refinishing screen. Start it.
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2
Move the buffer forward in the direction of the boards, then pull it back, then move it forward again. Continue moving it forward and back, working your way across the floor. It should take off the top layer of gloss.
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3
Vacuum the dust.
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4
Repeat the process with the fine screen in your buffer. It should get the remaining finish flat, dull and clean.
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5
Vacuum well. Wipe down the floor with dry tack cloths, to take up any remaining dust.
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6
Brush on polyurethane floor gloss, using a finishing brush and applying it in the direction of the floor boards. Make the layer thin and even. Cover the whole floor.
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7
Let the gloss set overnight. Use extra-fine sandpaper to buff the gloss by hand, getting it slightly dull. Pick up the dust with tack cloths.
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8
Apply a second coat of polyurethane in the same manner. Let it dry, hand-buff it and apply a third layer. Let the third layer dry for 24 hours.
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