If you have hardwood floors in your home, they will need to be refinished at some point. Steam Magic Carpet Cleaning will outline what is involved with this process.
How to Sand & Refinish Hardwood Floors
1. Preparing House for Floor Sanding. Prep work is important. You need to clear the floors and move the furniture out of the room. You will then need to make sure you put any fabric or items away that can get dusty, like drapes, register covers, pictures, lamp shades, etc. You should cover vents, light fixtures, doorways, and other items that will collect dust. This is also a good time to fill in any holes, gouges or deep scratches with wood filler.
2. Sanding Hardwood Floors. You will need to rent a sanding machine. It’s quite simple to do, it just takes time. You need to use 3 sanding papers, coarse (30-40 grit), medium (50-60), and fine (80-100 grit). You will need to sand the surface with each sandpaper level, including the edges and corners. Smaller sanders make this part easier. You will need to vacuum afterwards and use a clean damp mop to pick all the dust up.
3. Buffing Hardwood Flooring. If floor doesn’t feel smooth enough use a 120-grit paper. Buffing may be all you need if you want to just remove the coating to put a new layer on.
4. Cleaning Hardwood Floors. The whole room needs to be cleaned with a vacuum and dust mop again to remove any remaining dust. Wipe down the walls, windows and any surfaces that weren’t covered to prevent dust from falling onto the floor and use mineral spirits to remove any stains from the exposed wood.
5. Staining Hardwood Floors. Staining is not always needed, but if you do, it can be done to change the color of the wood. Read the directions on the stain and follow them so you do it right.
6. Sealing Hardwood Floors. If you choose not to stain, you will still need to use a sanding sealer. Start at the farthest point in the room and your way to the door. You do not want to get yourself stuck in the corner because you started at the wrong part of the room.
7. Apply Clear Polyurethane to Wood Floors. You’re almost done! You need to apply clear polyurethane. Open the windows and doors to air the room out as it has a strong odor and follow the manufactures directions. You’ve already removed all the dust from the surface. Now get your brushes ready by making sure there aren’t any loose bristles that can get stuck on the floor. Use a smooth hand and work with stable strokes to apply the polyurethane. Again, start at the farthest point of the room and work your way out of the room. Let it dry according to the directions. If you apply a second coat, you need more drying time.
8. Replace Furniture Carefully. Be very careful when you put everything back. You need to make sure the polyurethane is completely dry. Don’t drag items across the floor and ruin all your hard work.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing & More in San Diego, Solana Beach, La Mesa, Mission Valley, La Jolla, Del Mar, Poway, Encinitas, Chula Vista California
While you can refinish your hardwood floors yourself, you just might not want to as it is a lot of work and requires extensive knowledge, tools and more. Contact the professionals at Steam Magic Carpet Cleaning to provide you with an estimate for quality hardwood floor refinishing services.
