Refinish Your Hardwood Floors In 5 Steps

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Refinish Your Hardwood Floors In 5 Steps
OTTAWA DIAMOND FLOORING INC
www.ottawadiamondflooring.com
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• If hiring a professional to do the hardwood
  flooring refinishing is not an option and if you
  are planning to do it yourself, be sure to equip
  yourself first with the important knowledge and
  skills to successfully carry out the project. Try
  reading some hardwood floors refinishing guides
  like this article before starting the project.

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• Do your floors already look old and rugged? Are
  they covered with scratches and dents? Well then,
  it may be about time for you to renew them. If
  you want your floors to look like brand new
  again, you would need to have them refinished.
  Unlike common beliefs, refinishing is not that
  really easy and it would require you to have
  certain skills to be able to do it the right way.

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What you need

• Small edging-sander or random-orbital sander
• Large random-orbital sander
• 60, 80, 100, 240 grit sanding discs
• Masking tape
• Sharp scraper
• Vacuum cleaner
• Oil based stain color
• Varnish or polyurethane sealant
• Rags and tack cloth
• Protective clothing like vinyl gloves, dust
  masks, vapor respirators, goggles, boiler suit,
  and earplugs
• High-quality brushes
• Paint trays
• Porous sponge
• High-density foam rollers with long handle
• A stick to being used for stirring the sealant
• Plastic tarps and cellophane

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Step 1 Prepare the room

• Before starting with refinishing, you need to
  prepare the room first by taking out everything
  movable that occupies the flooring space. Clean
  the entire area and then cover everything left
  inside the room with a plastic tarp or
  cellophane.

• To prevent the sanding dust from spreading to the
  other rooms, try to attach a plastic cellophane
  on the door. Secure the sockets with masking
  tape. If there are protruding nail heads, hammer
  them down.

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Step 2 Sanding

• Eliminate the old finish and stains, and smoothen
  scratches, imperfections, and dents by sanding
  the floor. Start by sanding the perimeter of the
  floor that the mechanical sander can't reach. Use
  your palm or hand and an 180-grit sandpaper for
  this. Once done, grab the mechanical sanding
  machines and gently sand the floor using a coarse
  grit. Change the disks as needed. If you want a
  quicker fix, you can substitute sanding with a
  chemical stripper.

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Step 3 Cleaning

• Thoroughly clean the area using your vacuum
  cleaner. Be sure the entire floor is completely
  dry and is free from any sawdust, stripper, and
  debris before applying the new finish.

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Step 4 Applying the finish or stain

• Before you start staining your floor, open the
  windows first so you won't be taking in too many
  fumes. Also, protect yourself by wearing a mask
  and a pair of protective gloves. When applying
  the finish, start with the perimeter and then
  work your way in. Wait for the first coat to
  completely dry before applying the second coat.

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Step 5 Applying the polyurethane coating

• If you wish to, you can also finish the floors
  with polyurethane coating. For easier application
  and nicer finish, use a long-handled roller.
• Hardwood flooring refinishing can be tedious and
  challenging but it can as well be an enjoyable
  thing you can do once in a couple of years.