The Best Way to Sand Hardwood Floors

Best Way to Sand Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors have, without a doubt, an impeccable and elegant look. However, it starts degrading over time due to various factors, including moving furniture around the house. Because of this, it becomes necessary for the hardwood floor, but the cost of doing this is usually quite steep. If you find yourself stuck in such a position, no need to worry. This guide is a step by step guide on the process you should follow when sanding hardwood floors. By following all these steps, you’ll save a significant amount of money that you would have otherwise paid to the repair professional.

Step by Step Guide for Sanding a Hardwood floors

Clear and Clean The Room

The first thing you need to do is remove all the furniture from the room to a different location. After doing that, proceed to spray the hardwood floor using a mixture containing 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water or a hardwood floor cleaner. It would be best if you then used a towel or terry-cloth covered around a mop head to wipe the floor with gentle care. As you do this, ensure all the windows are closed to prevent the dust in the room you’re sanding from going outside.

Select The Proper Grit Sequence

Picking a suitable grit sequence is essential when you’re sanding hardwood floors. By doing this, you can be sure to achieve a smooth and nice turn between the different grits and thereby achieve an excellent finish. The different kinds of grits available to use are 12 grit, 16 grit, 20 grit, 36 grit, 60 grit, 80 grit, and 100 grit.

Prep Sanding On The Perimeter or Hidden Surface

You should choose either a surface usually covered by furniture or close to the wall to practice a little sanding. While doing this, make sure the machine remains switched on to ensure it doesn’t scratch the floor leaving noticeable marks.

Start Sanding Using The Drum Sander

Make sure to hammer every kind of metal nails or fastener present on the floor and clean the floor before you start sanding. When using an orbital sander, you shouldn’t be concerned about the direction you’re sanding. However, when using the drum sander, ensure the direction is parallel to the wood fibers. Once you’re done with every pass, sand the floor edges using an eager. You should then clean every corner once you’re through before proceeding to use the next grit. Any unexpected circular mark showing on the floor should be removed with a 100-grit sandpaper.

Keep A Constant Angle As You Sand

It’s crucial to avoid unwanted sanding depth or unsuitable finishing by maintaining a constant angle throughout the sanding process. You should do this by maintaining a smooth and constant movement and not moving the sander unnecessarily.

Hand Scratch the Hardwood Floor To Remove Noticeable Scratches

Sometimes, edger swirls or scratches will be visible regardless of whether the sanding is being carried out by a skilled professional or 100 grit. You should make sure to scrutinize the entire floor area to remove any unwanted marks, and later get rid of them by hand sanding. This step must be done if you wish to attain a perfect and smoother finishing.

Vacuum Every Sanded Region

Once you’re done gritting, proceed to vacuum the whole floor. Doing this is crucial to avoid the sanding mineral to jumble your hardwood floor. You start this by giving the sanded room between 10 to 15 minutes to allow the dust to settle. Consequently, install a clean filter into your vacuum and use a felt-bottomed accessory to sweep the floor. You should start by working in line with the floor strips and later sweeping across to remove any powder stuck in between the boards. Using a microfiber cloth, dry-track the floor.

Use A Drum Sander To Sand Every Targeted Area For The Next Grit

Use A Drum Sander

You should proceed to the subsequent grit following the predetermined sequence. Sand the areas that can’t be reached by the drum sander using an edger and, after that, vacuum the whole room. Keep doing this until you achieve a grit of 80 or 100. A grit of 100 is recommended for the maple floor and fine finishing.

Varnish Your Floor Using Floor Pad

If you want to achieve a shiny and fine finish, applying varnish to the floor is necessary. This means you should start by buying a varnish container from a trustworthy brand that comes with a floor pad attached to the container. You should then proceed to soak the pad inside the varnish and start applying it all over the whole floor in the same direction as the grain. It’s best to apply a minimum of three varnish layers to achieve the best possible shiny finish.

After you’re done with this, give the varnish time to dry, so that you can later apply another layer.

Conclusion

Sanding hardwood floors is essential as these floors over time start getting degraded, thereby not looking as pleasing. If your floor shows signs that it too needs sanding, reading through this detailed article has provided you with insight on the steps to follow to achieve an impeccable looking finish.

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