Sanding hardwood floor is a noisy and dusty job but also a necessary job when you want to restore and replenish the beauty of your wood flooring. As with every home improvement project, it is important to make preparations ahead of time to avoid any problems. Here are some helpful tips for sanding hardwood floor areas to make them look their best.
Before beginning it will be necessary to carry out a little reconnaissance to see if your floors can be sanded. You should make sure that there is at least 1/8 th of an inch of wood above the tongue before you begin. Checking this can be done by removing a grate in the floor or door threshold and inspecting the boards. Also, some boards may require more than sanding and refinishing. If a board sags, feels spongy or soft or is warped you should consider replacing it all together.
Now that you have determined that your floors are suitable, you can continue the sanding hardwood floor project. You should fill all gaps at the ends of boards or any other gaps you feel should be filled without taking away room for normal expansion of the wood. Ensure you have the proper equipment including a drum sander, edge sander, buffer, shop vacuum as well as ear protection and dust masks for the messy procedure. Next prepare the room by removing everything and cover doorways with plastic sheeting. Some people find that fixing a fan in a window sill helps to send out a lot of the dust created. Set any exposed nails and you are ready to sand.
Sanding hardwood floor with the drum sander will take some getting used to, so try it at first in a hidden area such as under a couch. Begin with the most course paper (20-36 grit) walking forward and backward from wall to wall with the grain of the wood, then use progressively finer paper (60, 80, and 100 grit). Finish off sanding hardwood floor by sanding the edges followed by a final buffing and you’re done!
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