Tips On Refinishing Hardwood Floor
This article offers some tips on refinishing hardwood floor. If your floor is beginning to lose its luster, it is time to refinish it for a shinier appearance. This process is messy and requires patience and time but the results will make it all worthwhile. First of all, a simple test can be made to see if the floor really requires a complete refinishing job. If you let a few drops of water fall to the floor and the water forms beads or soaks into the wood slowly, all you need is some cleaning and polishing. But if the water soaks in rapidly, refinishing hardwood floor is the only solution.
It should be noted that if there are deep stains, the floor is warped or there are some damages, you will have to perform hardwood floor repair first before refinishing it. And if you do decide to refinish the floor, it is vital to note that sanding hardwood floors eliminates a substantial portion of the surface. Thus, the thickness of the planks should be at least three-fourths inch. This is possible if the floor is somewhat old and the floor has already undergone some sanding before, so it is advisable to perform some checks to avoid sanding the planks down to the sub-floor. If what you have is engineered hardwood flooring, this means that you should perform the refinishing without sanding because sanding this kind of flooring will remove the top layer, which is the real hardwood and expose the plywood underneath.
It is important to remove everything from the room, cover the light fixtures and to tape every opening. Correct sanding restores the grain and levels the floor. A number of passes will be needed to attain a smooth finish. After sanding, the next step in refinishing hardwood floor is to stain the floor if desired. However, if you prefer a natural finish, you may skip to the next step, which is the application of a finish. Do not forget to open the windows before staining. You may use a rag to apply the stain or you can use a brush if you like darker coats. After letting the first coat dry, you may apply a second coat if desired.
The final step in refinishing hardwood floor is, of course, the application of the polyurethane finish. It is important to remember that the polyurethane mix should be stirred and not shaken. Shaking it will cause bubbles to appear in the final finish. You can utilize a roller or a brush to apply the polyurethane by using strokes that are smooth and even with the grain. The next step is to let the polyurethane dry, which will usually take about three hours. After this, you can apply a second coat. Before moving back the furniture into the room, make sure that the second coat has dried for at least 12 hours. For better results, it is advisable to let the finish dry up to three days before returning the furniture. After this, you have a hardwood floor that is as good as new.
