Hardwood floors are one of the most long-lasting investments as they can last as long as the house. Their durability is unquestionable but like every other item in your house, they can suffer wear and tear due to everyday use and will eventually need a refinishing!
Most hardwood refinishing projects are simple and easy to do, but it requires you to rent machinery, buy stain for the floors and their wood finish. You can avoid all these nuisances by hiring a professional sand and finish hardwood flooring service in Cornelius NC! Nonetheless, we are here to give you some professional tips on your refinishing your hardwood floors with satisfactory results.
Remove Shoe Base Molding
If you want to prevent the floor sander banging against it, remove the shoe base molding that is where the floor meets the wall. You can use a pry bar to pull out the molding. Make sure to protect the baseboard with something durable like a piece of wood.
Don’t go berserk while removing them, because they need to be replaced after the floor refinishing is completed. They are just removed to provide ease and convenience. If there is no shoe molding, then remove the base molding or be careful not to damage during the project.
Fix the Creaking & Loose Nails
This is a good time to fix those unwanted squeaky noises when you walk around your floor. Find any loose floorboards and nail them with finishing nails. If you find any protruding nails, set them again and use wood putty to fill the holes up!
Rough Sanding the Floor
You would need a drum sander for this purpose. It can be difficult to handle for an amateur. But have no worries, use the drum sander along the length of the floorboards.
Make sure to start with the coarsest sandpaper that has about 36 to 40 grit and then go on to 60 grit. Then follow with 80 and finally 100 grit. Don’t skip the progression. The main purpose of this is to remove the scratches with overlapping strokes.
Sweeping
The key to cleaner and finer refinish is making sure there is no debris present while sanding. As the sandpaper can scratch the floor it is recommended to sweep and vacuum the floor between sanding.
Sand Edges & Remove Dust Completely
Use an edger to sand the small areas and make the hardwood floor repairs with precision. Make sure to use the same grit for the edger as the drum sander to get consistency.
After rough sanding, use the floor buffer with a fine-grit screening pad. This will level the floor and give it the edge that makes it look professional.
Make it dust-free as possible at the end of the sanding.
Stain & Finish
Apply wood stains with foam applicator. Stain in the direction of the wood grain not against it. Not leave excess stains on the floor before finisher.
After drying the stain applies the wood finish. Don’t use water-based finishes as they dry out quickly. Do 3 to 4 coats of finishing with light sanding in between. Vacuum up the dust in between.
