| If you're lucky enough to find hardwood | | | | of old nails in the wood, remove them first. |
| floors hiding under your tired carpeting, you | | | | The remnant of a nail can tear up sandpaper, |
| might feel like covering the wood back up. | | | | damage a sanding pad, and do serious damage |
| That's understandable because refinishing the | | | | to the palm of your hand, so check carefully |
| floors yourself seems like an impossible | | | | to make sure all remnants of tacks and nails |
| task.Hardwood floors were a common feature in | | | | are gone before you begin sanding. Fill all |
| houses until the 1960s. Before that, having | | | | nail holes with a quality wood filler, |
| wall-to-wall carpet was considered a luxury | | | | matching the color as closely as you can, and |
| upgrade. From the 1970s on, most homes had | | | | let it dry. Then you're ready to begin |
| wall-to-wall carpet in nearly every room. | | | | sanding the floor with 220-grit sandpaper, |
| However, tastes change, and over the last | | | | whether by hand or with a sander. When you're |
| couple decades, hardwood floors have once | | | | done sanding, wipe the entire floor with a |
| again become fashionable and desirable. | | | | damp cloth to remove as much sanding dust as |
| Oftentimes, when I'm talking with someone | | | | possible. Damp cloths work better than vacuum |
| about fixing houses, they ask if refinishing | | | | cleaners. Let the floor dry, and then wipe it |
| hardwood floors is something they can do | | | | again with a tack rag, which is a cloth |
| themselves. Unless the person has a physical | | | | impregnated with resin to pick up fine dust |
| reason why they can't do it, I generally say | | | | particles. Again, your local hardware store |
| yes. However, I also remind them that redoing | | | | will have what you need.After the floor is as |
| hardwood floors takes a great deal of time, | | | | clean as you can get it, apply three coats of |
| sweat, and elbow grease. As a general rule, | | | | polyurethane with a paint pad, allowing each |
| floors of fifty square feet or less can be | | | | coat to dry thoroughly, lightly sanding with |
| sanded by hand, but for any floor larger than | | | | 220-grit paper, and wiping the floor with a |
| that, rent or buy a small orbital sander. | | | | damp cloth and a tack rag between coats. If |
| Everything necessary for doing it yourself | | | | you prefer an old-fashioned finish, you can |
| will be available at your local hardware | | | | use a 50/50 mixture of linseed oil and |
| store. You can buy a pretty good electric | | | | mineral spirits and then wax the floors with |
| sander nowadays for less than $100, which can | | | | beeswax or paste wax. Take caution with the |
| be a good investment, especially if you're | | | | chemical mixture and the rags because they |
| planning to work on your home on a regular | | | | can catch on fire. You can refinish hardwood |
| basis.The first layer to be removed is often | | | | floors yourself. It just takes time and |
| a thick wax coating, followed by a coat of | | | | effort--and a good set of kneepads wouldn't |
| either polyurethane or varnish. A heavy duty | | | | hurt, either! Once you finish, you'll have a |
| commercial wax stripper can remove the wax, | | | | gorgeous floor to be proud of and ready for |
| and then a lacquer thinner or acetone can be | | | | that next "do it yourself" project--perhaps |
| wiped on to prepare the wood for the next | | | | the next room with hardwood floors. |
| step. If there are any carpet tacks or pieces | | | | |