How to Sand a Wood Floor

Have you been thinking of giving your house a new lease of life? If so, it is time to learn about sanding. This simple home improvement technique will give your home a newer feel. Indeed, your guests will keep telling you something about your house feels a bit different after sanding.

If the flooring has stains and signs of wear, you do not have to be a specialist to give it an immaculate touch. All you need to get rid of these stains and dents is the prerequisite skills and at the end of the day, you will get an impeccably even floor. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1

Preparation stage: Sanding is a dusty task and you need to protect yourself and everything in the room. Make sure you remove all fittings from the room or alternatively cover them up. All windows should also stay open in order to get some air as you work. Make sure no screw heads or nails are protruding from the floor.

Step 2

Pick the right tools and gear: You need protective gear including gloves, a respiratory mask, ear protectors, and protective clothing. For the tools, you need three sanders namely drum sander, edging sander and finally a corner sander. If you do not have these, you can rent from a local store. Remember different sanding papers are required for each of the sander.

Step 3

After feeding sanding paper into the drum sander, plug it in, tilt it backwards in such a way that the drum lifts off the floor and start the machine. Lower the drum now and start sanding from the centre in diagonal runs.

Step 4

For the edging sander, feed a new disc of paper when the machine is not plugged in. Work on the edges of the room once you start the machine to get even finishing across the floor. The corner sander is much smaller and it will help you sand the corners and other inaccessible places.

Step 5

Vacuuming: Leave the room for a few minutes after sanding for the powder to settle. Sweep the floor and then vacuum it to get the ideal surface. Make sure you have a new filter in the vacuum and then proceed to work in line with the floor strips. If there are areas that the drum sander has not touched, use the handheld corner sander and apply it on such areas.

Step 6

Dry tacking and refinishing: You should dry tack the whole floor using a microfiber cloth along the grain of the floor. This will ensure that you do not leave behind any dirt that you might have overlooked. In case you want a perfect floor, you can opt to stain it for both aesthetics and protective functions.

It might seem like a complicated process but in fact, it presents a type of project that you can do comfortably. Such skills help you improve your home’s livability without having to break bank. What’s more, you will not have to risk damage to your precious wood flooring.

Go on; make a bold step and learn how to solve minor carpentry problems without having to call a professional every other time.