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