| Hardwood floors provide a rich, warm, and inviting | | | | that if captured on the sandpaper will scratch the |
| ambience to any room. However, over time, the | | | | floor surface rather than sanding it smooth. Remove |
| finish will wear off and it will need to be | | | | all wax with a quality wax remover and dirt with |
| rejuvenated.Refinishing a hardwood floor will make a | | | | soap and water.Sand the floorSanding the floor has |
| tremendous difference to any room. It is not difficult | | | | to be done in stages. Starting with a course grit |
| if done properly with good preparation and | | | | sandpaper and using finer grits as the process |
| planning.Before starting, consider what finished color | | | | continues. Corners and edges will have to be sanded |
| and gloss factor you want on your floor. Paint stores | | | | with a hand power sander using the same grit |
| carry a multitude of samples of colors and clear | | | | sandpaper.Remove the dustOnce you have |
| finishes. Remember that the color of the floor is | | | | completed sanding all the dust must be removed |
| relative to the type of wood, its grain, fiber density, | | | | from the room. Vacuum using a machine with a HEPA |
| and a number of other factors. If possible, always | | | | filter and then use a tack rag to wipe down |
| test an exact piece of wood with the color that you | | | | everything.Inspect the floorFill any cracks between |
| have chosen.Remove everything from the | | | | boards, gouges, and dents with wood filler. Correct |
| roomSanding a floor produces vast quantities of fine | | | | any squeaks and loose boards with finishing nails, |
| dust. Even the most expensive power sanders with | | | | countersinking and filling the holes with wood fill. Sand |
| built in dust collectors do not capture 100 percent of | | | | the areas that have been filled, vacuum and wipe |
| the dust that will be generated during the sanding | | | | with a tack rag.Stain the floorIf you are changing the |
| process. For that reason it is imperative that | | | | floor color from its natural color, this is the time to |
| everything be removed from the room.Prepare the | | | | apply the stain.Apply the clear finish coatsChoose a |
| room for dust containmentThe dust generated from | | | | high quality polyurethane finish that is made for floors. |
| sanding your floors will permeate your home. It will | | | | Allow the floor to dry overnight between coats. A |
| be collected on the bottom of shoes; it will be in | | | | minimum of two coats should be applied. Three if you |
| your hair and it will remain airborne for long periods of | | | | are doing a high traffic area.For additional information |
| time. It is important to isolate the area to be | | | | on finishing hardwood floors or other home |
| sanded.Remove any wax and dirtWax and dirt will | | | | renovation projects, visit Renovation Headquarters. |
| clog the sandpaper and create hard pieces of matter | | | | |