These can be used across wood flooring ideas for a living room, wood floors for a bedroom, kitchen flooring and splash-safe wooden bathroom flooring. Engage the sander as you are moving and disengage before you stop (Image 1). Crystal leads her team with vision and a detail-oriented approach, allowing them to provide quality work and design to their clients. Can you sand and refinish hardwood floors yourself? Instead, use a simple chemical etching technique and apply a new topcoat of finish. If your floors are heavily damaged, it is best to use a trowel filler, a thinner wood filler that spreads and covers large areas (Image 1). Refinishing hardwood floors yourself can be. 36-grit is typical, though you can use anything between 30 and 40 grit. 'This can be done by using a mild detergent and water, or a specialized hardwood floor cleaner,' suggests carpenter Matt Hagens. Allowing for plenty of drying time will assure beautiful and durable floors. As a general rule of thumb, you should be sanding and refinishing hardwood floors every seven to 10 years. Keep the buffer moving at all times, but stop every 5 minutes or so and vacuum the pad. Use these professional tips to restore hardwood floors to a perfect finish every time, without sanding. saving substantial money and building your hands-on skills at the same time.A floor in a house some of my kids and grandkids moved into is behind this article, and these young people finished the floors themselves . Chemical abrasion kit (comes with the abrasive pad, abrasive liquid, application block, finish application pad, and finish) 2 plastic garbage bags. At this point, you'll want to be sure your floor and room are completely clean. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Walk the dog for 30 minutes while youre waiting for the etching liquid to dry. Double-check that your type of floor can actually be refinished. Before deciding which contractors to reach out to, do the following: Trowel filling after sanding is the easiest way to repair deep gashes, dings, and gaps when refinishing your floors. You should know each step: Sanding, patching, staining, and top coating could take a weekend or more to complete if you're refinishing less than 500 square feet. Another mistake that is often made is to neglect the importance of vacuuming and sweeping the floors before restoring. Typically, a professional will charge anywhere from $3 to $4 per square foot to refinish floors. Perform a water droplet test to quickly reveal your floor's condition. In a nutshell, wood compresses during the winter and expands in summer. It also works on plastic laminate floors. Wipe down the floor with a damp rag to remove all debris and dust. That's because unlocking a sad floor's hidden beauty doesn't always involve messy sanding and staining, particularly if yours aren't damaged. To hire a pro to sand, seal, stain, and apply several finish coats of an oil-based poly will cost $4 per square foot or more. That way, the abrasive pad lightly scratches the finish, creating a rougher surface than the etcher alone would provide. RELATED: All You Need to Know About Waxing Hardwood Floors. But if your floors are less damaged, use a wood patch filler on individual spots (Image 2). Check it regularly and change the sandpaper as soon as it looks worn. Stick close to the pad person to fix drips before they begin to dry. The total cost includes renting sanding equipment along with purchasing sanding pads, wood stain, brushes and finish. 16 March 2021. Learn how to transform your home with high-quality vinyl floors. Home Topics Cleaning Cleaning Floors Hardwood, By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine. 'Dents, gouges, and scratches may be recoated, but will still remain in the flooring surface and may become more apparent after the new coating has been applied.'. Theres no harm in applying new finish over these spots. I find that the best technique involves applying the stain with an applicator to one small area at a time (about 18 x 3) and then rubbing off all excess with a rag. This story will show you how to refinish hardwood floors and add a new coat of finish directly over the old by first applying a liquid that roughens the old finish so the new finish can bond to it. Use a good brush for cutting in around the room perimeter. Here are the major expenses to expect, aside from common tools like hammers, paintbrushes, scrapers, and rags: Drum sander: $50-$80 per day; Edger: $35-$45 per day A shiny new coat of finish may even accentuate deep scratches and dents. If the finish on your wood floor is worn and lightly scratched, you can make it look like new without the labor, mess and expense of sanding off the finish. This article was co-authored by Crystal Chadwick. Smooth out drips or puddles with a polyester brush. Use needle-nosed pliers to remove any nails or staples. Heres a list. This final cleaning removes any remaining residue and neutralizes the etcher. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Join the party! Place a few drops of mineral spirits on the floor; let it stand for two to three minutes, and then wipe it off with a clean white rag. Check what your floors are made from, laminate, engineered wood or solid hardwood. Blow-dry the stain for about one minute with a hair dryer. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). A pole sander is another great option for achieving a smooth finish. Upon recoating with poly, the hair mark will all but disappear. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Work in line with the flooring strips, then sweep across them to get any powder that settled between the boards. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. This can result in small particles of dirt and dust being embedded in the finish, which can lead to discoloration and unevenness in the finish.'. You dont have to wipe the floor absolutely dry; just wipe up the excess etcher, leaving a light film of liquid on the floor. It is possible to complete an entire 2,000-square-foot home in as little as four days for about $700. Remove all furniture, window treatments and rugs. Buffing hardwood floors can be tricky, so if youve never used a buffer before, practice in the middle of the room until you get a feel for how to maneuver it. She then shifted into freelancing, and spent 14 years writing for everyone from The Telegraph to The Sunday Times, Livingetc, Stylist and Woman & Home. I haven't seen this information anywhere else, yet it's so fundamental.If you want to get serious about r. Attach the abrasive pad from the kit to the wood applicator block and screw a broom handle into the block. Keep your laminate floors looking like new with these simple, gentle cleaning techniques. Protect baseboards with painters tape. The Varathane Renewal Floor Refinishing Kit includes enough liquid etcher and urethane finish to cover about 225 sq. 1. Cover your shoes with booties and your nose and mouth with a respirator that has organic vapor canisters. Begin your applications along the wall opposite the door you intend to exit. Go over your floor with a tack cloth to make sure that it's super clean. Don't allow stain to pool on the floor. Ask for a quick tutorial and pointers when you rent the equipment. Wipe a white rag over the spot; if it turns brown or yellow, the finish may be wax. Do the first pass over the room using the walk-behind orbital with a rough sandpaper. All rights reserved. Work in small sections with the grain of the wood. This is a very coarse paper that will do the heavy-duty work of removing scratches, dings and the old finish, but will leave a rough surface. Continue until the floor is covered. Its the process of adding a new topcoat of finish to an existing wood floor finish,' explains Brett Miller, vice president, Technical Standards, Training, and Certification at the National Wood Flooring Association. If the scratches dont go all the way through to the wood, you can scuff-sand your floors with a buffer and apply a fresh coat or two of finish. It is essential to apply the sealer evenly. Recoating hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for homeowners whether youre renovating a single room or you want to breathe new life into all of the flooring in your home. Oil-based polys are cheaper, but each coat takes about 8 hours to dry. Check out these in-depth guides from the This Old House Reviews Team: Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our expertsstraight to your inbox. ft. of flooring, plus an applicator block and pads. If they've been neglected, though, they can do the opposite. Pull the applicator at an angle so the excess finish puddles on the dry side of the floor. If your floor does have a wax finish, you may be able rewax and polish the floors using a buffing machine with a steel wool pad. But you may be surprised to learn that when tracked, both leave behind superficial scratches that dull the surface. Waxed floors are not only super slippery, but they also aren'tas durable as a urethane-based coating. Check the floor for larger holes or cracks and repair using wood filler and a spackle knife. 2 paint trays (if you don't have a garbage bags and shoeboxes) Oiled floors tend to wear faster in heavily-trafficked ares and are more easily stained than lacquered floors. . For example, Bruce produces hardwood flooring and has a line of floorcare products that could be helpful in this search. When the whole floor is done, remove the abrasive pad and rinse the applicator block and the paint tray. Deeper scratches that go through the finish and into the wood wont disappear completely, even if you touch them up with stain (Photo 8). With a random orbital sander, you can move with or against the wood grain. Once youre done cleaning, the floor is ready for liquid etcher, which roughens the surface (Photo 3). 260 Share 107K views 4 years ago Removing aluminum oxide finishes from Engineered Hardwood Floors can be a challenge. You will have to make numerous passes with each grit. The waterborne urethane finish included with the Renewal kit dries fast, though not as fast as most other water-based finishes. Concerned about fake reviews? Learn how to refinish your hardwood floors yourself and have your house looking like new in no time. Spray the floor using a pump sprayer, covering the floor completely (Image 2). The average cost to refinish hardwood floors is about $1,850, with a range of $1,150 to $2,500. There are two basic methods: buffing or abrading the existing coat before refinishing, or, alternatively, applying a chemical etching kit. Hardwood floor refinishing (also called resurfacing) is a great way to revitalize the look of a room without the trouble and expense of replacing and installing brand-new flooring. You can use this method on wood floors that you would otherwise sand or on flooring thats difficult or impossible to sand, such as prefinished or laminated wood. Next, it is essential to address any scratches or stains on the surface. Let the floor dry and then give it one last inspection before you apply the finish. The only question, really, is how good that sanding and finishing is going to be. Most hardwood floors are finished with polyurethane that may, or may not, be resting on top of a stain. Read on for some helpful tips about refinishing hardwood floors if you are ready to tackle this home improvement project! of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of warm water. We recommend our users to update the browser. You need some hardwood floor refinishing products, a mop, and a couple of hours to spare. They also tend to be darker, duller, and more orangey that lacquered floors. Use a pry bar to gently remove base molding. Stick to that routine and your floors will never wear out. Get your hot tub choice right. If your hardwood floor is only lightly worn, damaged, or scratched, you may be able to refinish it without sanding. Crystal Chadwick is a Licensed General Contractor and the Owner of Yin & Yang Construction out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Some jobs are better left to the pros. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Whichever method you choose, the average cost to refinish wood floors generally includes labor and time involved, as well as the supplies needed, which can include various-sized sanders. When the etcher is dry, mix 2 tbsp. Garage Floor Resurfacing: Fix a Pitted Garage Floor, How to Remove Paint from Concrete and Other Stains, How to Clean Carpet: Cleaning Tips for Long Lasting Carpet, This Hack Is the Easiest Way to Get Wax Out of Carpet, Clean Garage Floors Remove Oil Stains From Concrete, How to Get Red Wine, Coffee & Tomato Sauce Stains Out of Carpet, How to Dry Out Wet Carpet in the Basement, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Then, practice sanding on a large sheet of plywood until you are comfortable. Expert Interview. 'Routine maintenance should be all you need with wood floors daily sweeping, vacuuming on the bare floor setting about once per week and using a damp mop with the right cleaning product monthly,' advises Brett Miller from the National Wood Flooring Association. Choose DIY-friendly sanding equipment. Subscribe now to get our freshest tips and ideas delivered to your inbox. Run a rag or mop over the floor to evenly distribute the solution (Image 3). Let it dry fully before sanding (Image 3). Lets take a look at the top tips for how to refinish hardwood floors: Random orbital sanders are the best choice for do-it-yourself hardwood floor refinishing. Dry, grimy floors with deep scratches and wide gaps may need refinishing. Only fill larger gaps. 'At the National Wood Flooring Association, we suggest using a wood floor cleaner recommended by the floor manufacturer. It will perform better if you keep it less than half full. Clean and maintain a hardwood floor, or prep it for restoring without sanding, with this mop. Why? Stick a maroon buffing pad to the buffer, and put on a dust mask. 1 Prep Floor The first step in learning how to refinish wood floors is preparing your floor and room properly. Rub with the grain 4 to 6 inches out from the baseboard, working over each board until the finish dulls and a powder forms. After spreading it on the floor, you have five to 10 minutes (depending on the heat and humidity) before it becomes gummy and impossible to smooth out. Then clean the room to make it as dust-free as possible. A better way for the do-it-yourselfer is to roll on the polyurethane using a foam roller, preferably a high-density foam roller. Prepare the perimeter sanding by hand, then use the buffer, moving from side-to-side along the grain of the floor. This causes the wood grains to rise and better accept the stain. Working with a drum sander can be challenging it can be hard to control and using it incorrectly can damage your floors. Even an orbital sander can run away from you and cause sander markings that are difficult to remove. There are a few things to consider when recoating any wood floor, especially if don't plan to sand back the boards to remove damage and stains. Refinishing hardwood floors as a DIY project can be highly rewarding and very effective. Also have a paint pad and a 3-in.-wide polyester paintbrush handy for your helper. You can rent buffing machines at a hardware store or home center, but the job can also be done by hand, if you prefer. Your final finish will be hard enough for sock traffic after eight hours, and ready for you to move furniture back after 24 hours. All rights reserved. A home warranty may help. Give your floor two weeks to completely cure before putting down an area rug. The pads themselves aren't bad. The sheen of the floor can be changed through a recoat, but the color will remain the same.'. Deirdre Sullivan is an interior design expert and features writer who specializes in home improvement as well as design. Using the fine-grit paper will result in that professional-quality finish you want. Spray the floor using a pump sprayer, covering the floor completely. 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