Refinishing hardwood floors is an adventure that some avid do-it-your-self individuals will take up on their own.
If your hardwood floors are in dire need of refinishing, get a few estimates from professionals. You may be surprised at the figures. You may want to sit down when they tell you the cost to have your living room redone.
For many homeowners, refinishing hardwood floors is a job they would prefer to have the pro perform. While you could carpet over your hardwood for less than refinishing hardwood floors, carpeting over beautiful hardwood floors seem, well, wrong?
Tips on Refinishing Hardwood Floors
Go to your favorite local home improvement store, Lowe’s, Menard’s, Home Depot or other. Rent a sander. You’ll need a drum sander, a belt sander, or both. They will explain to you how to use the machine and tell you what kind of sandpaper to purchase.
They will also tell you what kind of stain and finish to get. Make sure you also pick up some dust masks, as you will have sawdust everywhere. Contrary to what you may have heard about refinishing hardwood floors, a properly selected and applied finish doesn’t take days and days to dry.
The sanders used for refinishing hardwood floors are fairly easy to use. They’re a bit on the loud side. The key is to keep it moving at all times. Do not stop, or you will get a divot in your wood. Think of it like a clothes iron. You need to keep it moving, or you will burn your clothes. Same deal with the sander. It creates a lot of heat, and you will burn or dent your floors if you hesitate in one place too long.
You will feel like a Zamboni driver smoothing out your surface. Word of caution: You need to maintain control of the machine at all times. It is self-propelled, like a lawn mower or a basset hound on a leash. When you power it up, hold on to the machine tightly. Don’t be afraid of it, and after a few passes, you may start to have fun. Be careful, though, for with too much fun, you may damage the floor.
Refinising the Floor
Refinishing hardwood floors is like redoing your fingernails. First you need to remove the old finish, basecoat, color, and top coat. You may opt to forgo the color (stain) and just use the nature color of the wood. You will still need to apply a finish to it.
There are basically two types of floor finishes used: one is oil-based and the other is water-based polyurethane. Oil-based is available in a satin, semi-gloss or gloss finish. Satin works well on floors because it hides small flaws and lets the natural beauty of the wood show without a bright shine. Oil-based also produces a warm amber look that gives you the traditional glow of wood floors. Water-based polyurethane dries clear and resists yellowing. Water-based also dries quicker.
Make sure you let each coat thoroughly dry before applying the next; same as you would nail polish. Give your floor at least 24-36 hours before moving furniture back on it. It will continue to harden in the first couple of weeks.
Don’t be overwhelmed. Instead of looking at refinishing hardwood floors as a humongous job, look at it as giving your room a manicure, one step at a time. You’ll also save money by doing it yourself.
If you believe that refinishing hardwood floors may be overwhelming for you or you just don’t have the time, you may want to hire a local floor refinishing contractor to handle the job for you.
