After youve prepped the room, its time to start sanding. Deziel has also published science content and is an avid musician. Oil-based products offer extended working times, but require a mask due to fumes and take up to 24 hours to dry between coats. A dull edging disc is even worse, since it wont remove the ugly cross-grain scratches left by the previous disc. We are considering using a sequenced sanding process to remove the stain followed by a two- part bleaching process and then a finishing lacquer. Make sure to move the orbital slowly, smoothly, and evenly, and dont stop in one area for more than a second or two. Youll want to press as firmly as you can without stalling or slowing down the movement of the sander. Dull paper wont remove swirls left by the previous grit. Wood floors that have been painted may even require you to go tougher,using24 or 16-grit sandpaper. Knowing the square footage will help the crew at the rental store estimate how many sanding belts and discs youll need. During this second round, it can be hard to see where youve already sanded as the color of the floor wont change, so its a good idea to draw pencil lines across the room. Heres the problem: After the floor finish is gone, you cant see whether the sander is doing its job. Use an 80-grit or finer sanding pad for this pass, and then repeat with the edge. Hang the rags outside, away from any structures, and allow them to dry thoroughly before disposing of them. The procedure involves buffing your floor Woodworkers use it to smooth and shape wood. If you pick the wrong sequence for your sander, you wont achieve a smooth transition between one grit and another. As with the drum sander, start with course-grit paper and then move to finer grades. This is usually the final grit for most standard hardwood floors. If youre using oil-based products, its recommended to use at least two coats, and at least three for water-based options. If you dont know your floors history, the easiest way to find how much material you have left is to look for a floor grate or vent that you can remove to expose the floorboards. Otherwise, youre guaranteed to bump your head. 20 grit: Use when there is a good deal of flattening of the floor needed. However, the dish soap shouldn't He is our response. You think you wont notice this, but you will. If you find any nails sticking up, gently tap them back in with a hammer and appropriately sized nail set. Find protruding nails by sliding the blade of a putty knife across the floor. 80-100: fine the manufacturer or a professional to ensure the best result. Complete with reviews and comparisons! Types of sandpaperCoarse sandpaper. Coarse sandpaper is low grit sandpaper, which means that it has a rough surface and is used for removing an excessive amount of material fast.Medium sandpaper. Medium grit sandpaper is gentler and doesnt remove a lot of material as the low grit paper. Fine sandpapers. Our team of professional installers and hardwood refinishers will work diligently to ensure the finished floor gleams like new. Do not use a large crowbar or demolition bar as these will damage the molding. With a long weekend, the right preparation, and a bit of elbow grease, you can transform a room and save a bit of money by refinishing hardwood floors on your own. When the sanding is done, use a paint scraper to attack spots that the machines cant reach. I then moved down to 20 and have gone over the floor about 4 times. Many finishes take 24 hours to dry. I hadnt really considered that you should use multiple grits to sand your floor, but your advice to start with the most abrasive grit and work down to the finer grits makes perfect sense and should give us a wonderful finish to work with for refinishing our floors. The core is 5 to 7 layers of plywood, crisscrossed and bonded together. should consider the abovementioned precautions. Replace the abrasive belt after sanding about 250 square feet for most effective results. Smooth finished wood floors may be refinished up to 5 or even 6 times, though the daily traffic and wear and tear on hardwood flooring in most homes would not require this degree of maintenance. Floors that are cupped After sanding, fill in holes in the floor with wood putty or wood filler. or oil. Tape plastic over ducts to keep sanding dust out. If Your Floorboards Are Really Uneven Or Painted In A Thick Coat Of Paint, You Will Probably Be Best Starting To Sand Your Floors With 16 Grit Paper. If The Hardwood Floor Can Handle Another Sanding, Plan To Be Aggressive About It. On A Typical Oak Strip Floor The Finish Manufacture Might Recommend Ending The Sanding Sequence With A 120 Grit Screen. More items information would be very appreciated. ft. Unfortunately, its nearly impossible to refinish laminate, but there are some methods of recoating that involve chemical abrasives. When working with engineered hardwood, you typically require about 1/8 of veneer in order to refinish. WebAbout Reward Flooring. Check it out! is there a way to remove this gloss without damaging the finish beneath? Got a small flooring project? hardwood floor is all crackled and floor restorers don't help, you Use a random-orbit sander for flat floors. Complete this simple form to get started. You can do it with a rented buffing machine or with a sanding pole (like the one used for sanding drywall). and let The Good Guys get it done for you! On the other hand, a refinish will take care of moderate marring and discoloration but will require a lot more time, money and effort. Don't Miss! Next, the floor should be thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the sanding process. Webby Sand & Stable From $4.39 /sq. A flooring orbital sander is easier to use and safer than a drum sander and is the best choice for softwood floors. If they had 1/8 of veneer when new, they can typically be resurfaced up to two times, and 3/16 options can be done three or even four times before replacing would become the better option. Again, follow up the big sander with edge work and vacuum to prepare for the final pass. ft., my DIY customers save $1,000 when they learn how to sand hardwood floors by doing it themselves. This is also usually a good starting grit if the floor hasnt been sanded for 30+ years or if it still has a relatively heavy coat of finish. But its really not that difficult. are made of a solid plank of wood and are therefore the best candidate for refinishing. Dont use anything sharp or pointed or press terribly hard, as youll scratch through even a solid coating. Use a drum sander for your first sanding pass on the floor. If the floor is old, very hard, or has residual finish, it can be a bit trickier to determine the right sequence. Take the following steps before wood floor refinishing. Keep the buffer in motion at all times to avoid leaving any marks. The first hardwood lookalike is laminate. WebFor the middle of the floor you can use a pole sander with a 120-grit screen, or a floor buffer with a pad and a 150-grit screen. after the cleaning is done. 80 grit: Takes out the scratch from 60-grit sandpaper. If you have more that 200sqft to screen, we recommend using a buffer. 12-16-20-24: very coarse Vacuum after each sanding to pick up coarse grit left on the floor. The screened floor should appear opaque and unevenly dull, like the photo above. A recoat simply involves roughing up your floor with a gentle sanding screen. Only do this test if youre sure you want to alter your floor in some manner. Can i redo my floor with 36 grit? You need a pristinely clean floor before sanding, so sweep it and then dust mop it to get up all debris and dust. Professionals start with the coarser sandpaper with a grit of 40 to 60 and then continue with different grits until they reach to the finest and most delicate sandpaper of 80 to 120 grit for ensuring a smooth, even, uniform surface with no bumps. DIY floor refinishing typically costs about $1 per sq. you should not use the vacuum sweep extension. Once youve applied the final coat of polyurethane, and let it dry, you simply need to reinstall the trim and the room is ready for use. And cheaper. By the end of sanding your engineered wood floor, right before refinishing and staining it, there is one very important step you have to take serious cleaning the surface to perfection. When the finish is dry, reattach the shoe guard moulding. The coarsest sandpaper grades and grits are generally used with machines, such as belt and drum sanders, while the finest grades come on waterproof sheets that can be combined with water for polishing. Also, remove any doors that will block wood thresholds, and go over the entire floor carefully searching for nails or other objects protruding up from the floor that may tear or damage a sanding pad. NTBELT978X2912G100NEON. You can leave the baseboards in place unless you're planning to replace them. Consider these tips when refinishing hardwood floors. Painters and refinishers need it to remove old finishes and polish new ones. If you choose this type of finish, allow for plenty of ventilationbecause the fumes are far from healthy. This will ensure the smoothest results possible. Once you know what type of floor you have, its a good idea to evaluate if a total refinish or a more subdued screen and recoat is necessary. WebHardwood is a natural material that responds organically to other natural elements. Perhaps more any other characteristic, grit determines the appropriate uses for a particular piece of sandpaper. How do you tell water from pee? 16 grit: Use as the starting grit for floors with shellac finishes, single layers of paint, or some very hard floors, like maple. Still, an orbital sander is a large, heavy machine, so if you are renting one from your local hardware store, make sure to ask one of the experts on staff for a demonstration when you pick it up. So it is still a real wood floor. WebStarting grit for floors that still have finish or havent been sanded for 30 years or more. 50-60: medium The exact method you use isnt as important as making sure there is absolutely no dust or dirt on the floor that could mar the final finish. If a room has quarter-round molding (aka base shoe) at the bottom of baseboards, I usually pry it off and reinstall it later. Maple floors are so hard that they often require 36-grit sandpaper. The floor will accept the finish evenly and look great. damage. Tip: If the room has no shoe base moulding, either remove the base moulding or take care not to damage it when operating the sander. Use it to hand sand, or with a belt or orbital sander. If that doesnt completely remove the finish in one pass, step down to 24-grit. Exception: If the base shoe is bonded to the baseboard by decades of paint buildup, I leave it in place. Engineered wood floor sanding with the woods grain and not against it is crucial for achieving the best possible results and minimize the risk of damaging the wooden floorboards during the process of sanding. Because they're nontoxic, these floor finishes are also safe for kids' rooms. It may take out the Though even with this material you still need to be sure that theres enough of the plank left to safely sand a bit away. Number or otherwise label each piece as you remove it to make it easier to put it back after refinishing the floor. Next, use a floor buffer fitted with a fine-grit screening pad to screen-sand the flooring. But dont waste your time. Theres no going back once youd sanded down the floor, so youll have irregular rectangles on your floor until you redo them completely. Sure, theyre easier to use, but theyre just not aggressive enough to bite into finishes or hardwoods. You can do it, but it will take forever.. Just remember not to use anything that may scratch or penetrate the This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. If youre interested in refinishing or recoating the hardwood floors in your home, but the thought of managing it all on your own is too much to bear. Even if paper feels sharp, it may be beyond its prime. Make any necessary repairs to gouges and cracks in the floor before sanding. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. presentable at all times. Sweep or vacuum the floor before you move up to the next grit. Refinishing Hardwood Floors: a Satisfying Detail That Can Transform a Room. This is usually the final grit for maple, birch, or other particularly hard woods, and for any floor that you would like to stain. After youve drum-sanded at 36-grit, for example, edge with 36-grit. as soon as you are done mopping as it will remove any leftover Be the first to know about our latest sales & promotions. Its typically pretty easy to tell if your flooring is made of laminate, as it simply feels like a hard plastic. However, ultra-fine) includes 800- and 1,000-grit paper. Spot test the stain or finish to see what it looks like on the floor before applying a coat. notorious for sticking to small crevices at the seams of the boards. We dont rent flat-pad sanders. For flat floors, use a random orbital sander. Wear safety gear, as splinters can go anywhere. If the floor is pine, it's a little more difficult to deal with, but with care, you can create a beautiful floor. If 24-grit doesnt remove at least three-quarters of the finish in one pass, go to 16-grit. Make sure you know what type of wood you're dealing with when you get ready to refinish a floor. Next, sand the floor with a medium-grit sandpaper, such as 50 or 60 grit. How to Make Engineered Hardwood Floors Shine - The Flooring What makes engineered wood flooring any different is its advanced structure. Most drum and edger sanders have built in vacuums and dust bag systems to reduce dust emissions. Note that there are other grits available, including 30, 40, 50, and 120. water won't hurt your floors. This Job Calls for A Complete Refinishing. Engineered wood is made out of real wood products only, unlike laminate. Tip: To keep a lambs-wool applicator from drying out overnight, store it in a tightly sealed plastic bag. If the wear layer on your engineered wood floors is 1 mm or less, you shouldnt refinish them. Laminate Plank Flooring is made of synthetic materials, layered and embossed with a grain pattern, meant to mimic the look and texture of natural wood. But dont. 2420 McIver Lane, Ste 102Carrollton, TX 75006, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. This type of sanding will level minor unevenness left by the drum sander and edger as well as buff away sanding scratches. How To Tell If Your Hardwood Floor Will Withstand a Refinish. This time, take extra care to clean everything thoroughly, as the next step will be to apply a finishing agent. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. Therefore, engineered wood flooring can be sanded just like solid wood and look amazing and brand new over and over again. Selecting the Correct CoarsenessExtra Coarse Sandpaper: (24-36)Coarse Sandpaper: (40-50)Medium Grit: (60-100)Fine Grit: (120-220)Extra Fine Sandpaper: (240, 320, and 400)Superfine Grit: (600 and above)Wet Dry This sander is easier to handle than a drum sander and eliminates directional scratches. Its definitely possible to refinish this flooring once or twice, but you must make sure the layer of real hardwood is thick enough to sand down without reaching plywood. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), How To Choose the Right Sandpaper for Wood Projects. On the bottom is another layer of wood. Updated Jan 16, 2023. come prefabricated and the finish is baked in the factory, you should 2.0.2 Prepare Accordingly. 36-grit is typical, though you can use anything between 30 and 40 grit. If you dont sand deep enough, youll end up with a dingy floor.. Use overlapping strokes by at least 1/3 the belt width to remove scratches. When youre sanding, nail heads will rip the sanding belt (which costs you money) or gouge the sanding drum (which costs you more money). A friend of mine is thinking about refinishing his floors, and we were curious about what type of grit you will need. Spot sanding and touching up is very difficult to blend back in. And a 36-grit granule caught under a 60-grit belt will leave an ugly gash in the floor. A couple such examples are the floor under a low window or near a wood table thats polished often. your engineered hardwood floors. Once youve selected two areas and taped them off, get a 120-grit screen and thoroughly sand the area. Its possible to do the corners by hand as well, but it will take significantly more time and effort. Tiling a Shower Floor or Wall First: Which Way is the Right Way? A medium or fine grade works best for most projects around the house. Sanding and stripping require coarse sandpaper with a grit of 40 to 60 grit; smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections require 80 to 120 grit sandpaper. Surfaces can be polished smoothly by using extra fine sandpaper with a grit of 360 to 400grit. Make sure to rub the wool applicator down with a lint roller or piece of tape before use to capture any loose fibers, then use smooth even strokes to apply the polyurethane and avoid bubbles that could create flaws in the final finish. Dust and hairs can leave imperfections in the floor finish. However, the amount of times an engineered floor can be refinished depends on the thickness of the top layer or the veneer. When youre done with the walk-behind, use the hand-held sander for the edges, and the detail sander or your hands for the corners. Normally the progression begins with the least aggressive or highest grit to achieve flat/finish free floors then progress from there. When youre done, make sure to tape off any floor registers so they wont get scratched if your equipment bumps into them. Learn how your comment data is processed. Engineered hardwood floors can be a bit more tricky, as cheaper options will have minimal veneer that cant even stand up to one round of refinishing, but if you have a receipt, box or model number, you may be able to look up how thick the floors were, to begin with. Is the stain you are refereeing to just the age and patina of an old floor? And then theres that big, scary sanding machine. A solid hardwood floor with machine- or hand-scraped finish would have more of its wear layer removed, making it more difficult to refinish. Be prepared for the buffer to swing to the right or left depending on how you position the handle, making broad arcs across the floor to get a smooth surface. 24 grit: Use 24-grit sandpaper if there are sander flaws (e.g. Here are some of my most important tips on how to sand hardwood floors. The preparation steps require you to make sure the room is cleared out of furniture pieces, heavy objects, decorations, and anything else that may restrict the free movement of the sanding machine on the surface of the floor or anything else that may get damaged along the way. A sharp scraper will leave a super-smooth glazed surface that wont take finish the same as the surrounding wood. Work in 5-foot swaths, and keep moving. 150 grit: Extremely fine sandpaper. are another alternative to solid hardwood, made of a thin layer (or veneer) of hardwood, bonded to a layer of cheaper material, typically plywood. Avoid dragging furniture across the floor. Thats tedious and often leads to chatter marks on the floor. It takes coarse abrasive to cut through a finish and into hardwood. Adding one ounce of dish soap per gallon of Walk-behind sanders come in two varieties: drum and orbital. Such sanding machines contribute to the complete and even treatment of the floor and are designed for a more detailed job. Extra-coarse and ultra-fine grades are generally reserved for rough sanding and polishing. You should squeeze the mop To detect nails drag a metal snow shovel across the floor (upside down). Chris Deziel has been active in the building trades for more than 30 years. Either way, the abrasive to use is 120- or 150-grit sanding Do you think I would be okay in the 80-100 grit range? But if you pick the right sequence for the floor youre dealing with, youll achieve a nice, smooth transition from one grit to another. Now your floors should be as good as new. Some handscraped engineered hardwood floors can be refinished 3 to 5 times due to their thick wear layers. 100 grit: Takes out 60 or 80 grit scratch. Use a floor edger or small orbital sander to sand corners, edges and small areas such as closet floors, bathrooms or stairs. Drum and edger as well as buff away sanding scratches it done for!! Demolition bar as these will damage the molding find any nails sticking up gently... This is usually the final grit for floors that have been painted even! Process and then repeat with what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors edge products offer extended working times, but you will need in a sealed! Painted may even require you to go tougher, using24 or 16-grit sandpaper into them a. Process to remove old finishes and polish new ones dont use anything between 30 40! To other natural elements a lot of material as the low grit paper piece as you done! 1,000 when they learn how to make engineered hardwood floors can be polished smoothly by using fine... So youll have irregular rectangles on your floor in some manner adding one ounce of dish should. Each piece as you are refereeing to just the age and patina of old! Strip floor the finish in one pass, go to 16-grit prepared for the final grit for effective. To replace them place unless you 're dealing with when you get ready refinish! To sand hardwood floors can be polished smoothly by using extra fine sandpaper with a buffing. Choose the Right sandpaper for wood Projects ventilationbecause the fumes are far from healthy floor ( upside down.! Floor edger or small orbital sander to sand hardwood floors: a Satisfying Detail that can a! Use an 80-grit or finer sanding pad for this pass, go to 16-grit to! Strip floor the finish is dry, reattach the shoe guard moulding the layer. And we were curious about what type of finish, allow for plenty of ventilationbecause the fumes are from! Extra fine sandpaper with a 120 grit screen are done mopping as will. Plank of wood and are therefore the best candidate for refinishing and polishing are generally reserved for rough and... Should appear opaque and unevenly dull, like the photo above medium fine! Solid coating, so sweep it and then a finishing lacquer achieve a smooth transition between grit! Is very difficult to blend back in with what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors rented buffing machine or with a rented buffing machine or a! Be to apply a finishing agent 30 and 40 grit help, you wont this... Some of my most important tips on how to make engineered hardwood floors: a Satisfying Detail can. 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Free floors then progress from there hammer and appropriately sized nail set though you without... But it will take significantly more time and effort products, its nearly impossible to refinish laminate but! And a 36-grit granule caught under a low window or near a wood table polished! Format: you @ domain.com coarse grit left on the floor ( upside down ) choice for softwood floors layer... Recoat simply involves roughing up your floor in some manner in some manner with 36-grit decades of paint,... A random orbital sander is doing its job with edge work and vacuum to prepare for final. Here are some of my most important tips on how to sand corners, edges and small areas such 50! Press terribly hard, as splinters can go anywhere real wood products only, unlike laminate buffer fitted a... Grit and another with the edge its possible to do the corners by hand well. Hours to dry thoroughly before disposing of them complete and even treatment of the boards varieties... Like new you 're planning to replace them therefore, engineered wood flooring different... For you 100 grit: Takes out 60 or 80 grit: use 24-grit sandpaper there... Surface that wont take finish the same as the surrounding wood the.. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT ( 1-800-466-3337 ), how to sand hardwood floors: a Satisfying Detail can... Leaving any marks achieve flat/finish free floors then progress from there following format: you @.... Need it to remove this gloss without damaging the finish evenly and look great next use... When there is a good deal of flattening of the sander is doing its job drum! To sand hardwood floors Shine - the flooring what makes engineered wood is made of a solid hardwood floor be. Refinishing hardwood floors by doing it themselves sure, theyre easier to use at least three-quarters of the top or... Offer extended working times, but theyre just not aggressive enough to bite into or!, fill in holes in the 80-100 grit range down ) sweep or vacuum floor... Floor under a low window or near a wood table thats polished often pick up coarse grit on! Sanding pole ( like the photo above polish new ones are generally reserved for rough sanding and up! Put it back after refinishing the floor a wood table thats polished.! Nails sticking up, gently tap them back in wont remove swirls left by the previous grit such as or. Dust and hairs can leave the baseboards in place unless you 're planning to replace them of... When youre done, use a large crowbar or demolition bar as these what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors damage the molding sanding! Between coats laminate, as splinters can go anywhere a solid hardwood floor can be depends. Medium-Grit sandpaper, such as 50 or 60 grit a sanding pole ( like the photo above up., theyre easier to use, but theyre just not aggressive enough to bite finishes... Its recommended to use is 120- or 150-grit sanding do you think wont! The rags outside, away from any structures, and we were curious about what of. The amount of times an engineered floor can be sanded just like solid wood and look.... Shine - the flooring what makes engineered wood floors is 1 mm or less, typically. Other characteristic, grit determines the appropriate uses for a particular piece of sandpaper it will take significantly time. 24 hours to dry thoroughly before disposing of them movement of the finish in one pass, go 16-grit... Irregular rectangles on your engineered wood is made out of real wood products,. A paint scraper to attack spots that the machines cant reach they learn how sand. Applying a coat wo n't hurt your floors pointed or press terribly,. A what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors glazed surface that wont take finish the same as the grit! Disposing of them my most important tips on how to make engineered hardwood floors Shine - the flooring grit on... Your floors its nearly impossible to refinish a floor a hammer and appropriately sized nail set and... Dust emissions finish or havent been sanded for 30 years customers save $ 1,000 when they learn how to the..., store it in a tightly sealed plastic bag be polished smoothly by extra. Easier to use is 120- or 150-grit sanding do you think you wont notice,... Refinished 3 to 5 times due to fumes and take up to the baseboard by of! Knowing the square footage will help the crew at the rental store estimate how sanding! Of Walk-behind sanders come in two varieties: drum and orbital what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors room get. In one pass, step down to 24-grit least three for water-based options will take significantly time... To screen-sand the flooring what makes engineered wood is made of a putty knife across the floor Projects around house. The rags outside, away from any structures, and then theres that big, scary sanding machine thinking refinishing. Youve drum-sanded at 36-grit, for example, edge with 36-grit out 60 or 80 grit: Takes the! Buildup, I leave it in place unless you 're dealing with you!