Sanding a floor can help remove the top layer of the floor, revealing a clean, fresh surface underneath. Sanding can be used to refurbish an existing wood, cork, particleboard or parquet floor, or can be used to even out the surface of a newly installed wood floor before it is stained and sealed. This basic guide to floor sanding outlines the major steps involved in sanding a floor so you can determine whether or not it is a project that you want to attempt in your own home.
Preparation
The first step in sanding a timber floor is making sure that the surface is properly prepared. This is probably the most important part of the process, simply for the fact that the level of preparation can have a significant impact on the quality of the finished results.
The first step in preparing the floor is to make sure that all of the nails are flush with the surface and that none are protruding. Any nails that stick up higher than the flooring can cause significant damage to the sanding machine. Thoroughly inspect the floor for any nails that are sitting too high above the surface and use a hammer to pound them down.
At the same time, keep your eyes peeled for any staples or other types of fasteners that may have been used to tack down old flooring. Pull any staples or tacks that you find out of the floor completely. This will help ensure that the sanding machine can glide over the surface without getting hung up.
You may also need to remove certain types of adhesive that were used to hold down old flooring. If your flooring has adhesive on it, research the best way to remove it to get the wood properly prepared for sanding.
Sanding
The next step in the process is to actually sand the floor. If you are renting a floor sander, be sure to have the rental company show you how to properly use it. The process of sanding the floor is time consuming, but fairly straightforward.
You begin by using course-grit sandpaper to remove the top surface of the flooring. This helps remove any dents or dings and evens out the height differences between boards. Then, you gradually transition to finer and finer grit paper until the surface of the floor is smooth and even.
The open, centre part of the floor is usually sanded using a large upright sander. For the edges of the room, however, you will typically need to use a smaller palm sander to even out the surface and reach into tight spaces.
Sealing
Once the floor is completely smooth, you can apply stain to the surface to change its colour. After the stain is dry, you should then seal it with a wood floor sealer that is designed to withstand whatever amount of foot traffic that the room receives on a regular basis. Be sure that the floor sealer is completely dry before you walk on it or put furniture back into the room.
Floor sanding is hard work, but the end results can be very rewarding and are worth the effort.
Preparation
The first step in sanding a timber floor is making sure that the surface is properly prepared. This is probably the most important part of the process, simply for the fact that the level of preparation can have a significant impact on the quality of the finished results.
The first step in preparing the floor is to make sure that all of the nails are flush with the surface and that none are protruding. Any nails that stick up higher than the flooring can cause significant damage to the sanding machine. Thoroughly inspect the floor for any nails that are sitting too high above the surface and use a hammer to pound them down.
At the same time, keep your eyes peeled for any staples or other types of fasteners that may have been used to tack down old flooring. Pull any staples or tacks that you find out of the floor completely. This will help ensure that the sanding machine can glide over the surface without getting hung up.
You may also need to remove certain types of adhesive that were used to hold down old flooring. If your flooring has adhesive on it, research the best way to remove it to get the wood properly prepared for sanding.
Sanding
The next step in the process is to actually sand the floor. If you are renting a floor sander, be sure to have the rental company show you how to properly use it. The process of sanding the floor is time consuming, but fairly straightforward.
You begin by using course-grit sandpaper to remove the top surface of the flooring. This helps remove any dents or dings and evens out the height differences between boards. Then, you gradually transition to finer and finer grit paper until the surface of the floor is smooth and even.
The open, centre part of the floor is usually sanded using a large upright sander. For the edges of the room, however, you will typically need to use a smaller palm sander to even out the surface and reach into tight spaces.
Sealing
Once the floor is completely smooth, you can apply stain to the surface to change its colour. After the stain is dry, you should then seal it with a wood floor sealer that is designed to withstand whatever amount of foot traffic that the room receives on a regular basis. Be sure that the floor sealer is completely dry before you walk on it or put furniture back into the room.
Floor sanding is hard work, but the end results can be very rewarding and are worth the effort.