There's nothing quite so beautiful
as a wood floor, but many times, those floors are dull, scuffed
and scratched. If you're lucky enough to purchase a home with wood
floors, a few hours of work will guarantee positive results. Hardwood
floors can last for hundreds of years, and many do. While many wood
floors merely need to be cleaned and buffed, some need to be refurbished.
Some rental equipment suppliers offer
floor-sanding machines, but if you've never used one before, it's
better to take the extra time and effort to use a hand held sander
in order to minimize damage to your hardwood floors. If you do rent
a floor-sanding machine, take your time!
You will need to purchase sand paper
depending on what type of finish is on your floor, whether it is
paint, stain, varnish or bare wood. Larger grit sandpapers will
be necessary for paint and varnish or wood stain removal, while
finer grits can be used on bare or old wood. Start with the rougher
grits of sand paper first and then gradually work down to very fine
grit to give your wood floor that glass-like, smooth feel.
Before you start to sand, make sure
you have adequate ventilation, wear a face mask if desired, and
always check to make sure no nails or screws are sticking up out
from the floor. Then:
- Using a hand held vibrating or
rotating floor sander or pad sander, sand in the direction
of the wood grain, even if you're using a rotating sander. Then,
go back over the area, making sure that you have left no grooves
behind.
- Brush or wipe off sanded grit as
you go to prevent pieces of sand or dirt from scratching the surface
of the wood as you sand.
- Replace sand paper frequently,
especially if you are removing a thick layer of varnish or paint
from your wood floor. Be careful not to sand so hard in
one place that you create dips or grooves in wood.
- For corners, you may find it necessary
to sand by hand.
To finish, sweep and then go back
over the floor with a damp cloth to remove fine particles
of dust and grit. Now, you're ready to re-paint, apply varnish or
wood stain to create a beautiful, like-new floor.
