How to Refinish a Hardwood Floor
Has your hardwood floor seen better days? Rather than replace it, refinish it to make it look like new. Learn how to refinish a hardwood floor in this Lowe’s video:
Refinishing solid 3/4-inch hardwood is a good DIY project; however, refinishing engineered wood should be left to pros. The difference between the two is solid has end grain and isn’t layered.
To determine if your floor needs to be refinished, place a few drops of water on it. If it beads or soaks in slowly over a few minutes, you can probably just clean and polish. If the water soaks in immediately, you’ll need to refinish. Also, if your floor is damaged or stained, or there’s wax over the finish, you’ll need to sand to bare wood.
Start by clearing the room – that includes curtains and pictures – and take off or protect register covers. Also, remove doors and shoe molding. Use painter’s tape to label the molding and the corresponding wall. Next, do a close inspection of the floor and drive in nail heads. If you’re ripping up carpet, remove the carpet staples underneath. These fasteners will tear the paper on the floor sanders. Sanding gets really dusty, so cover the air vents, lights, windows and doorways with plastic. Turn off the AC. If possible, put a fan in the window to blow dust outside. With the room prepped, you’re ready to sand.
Use a random orbital sander for flat floors. It’s easier to handle, and the random sanding pattern won’t leave directional scratches on the floor. If your floor is cupped or way, you’ll need a drum sander; call a professional for help. Be sure to wear safety glasses, hearing protection and a dust mask.
Load the machine with a coarse grit sandpaper (start with 30-40 grit), start it up, and immediately begin moving. Letting it run in one spot will damage the floor. It’s easiest to work along the grain to see where you’ve sanded. When you get to the end, move over, slightly overlapping the first pass by a few inches. Continue sanding, getting close to the edges. After you’ve sanded the center of the room, do the edges using a power hand sander with the same grit paper. In the corners, use a detail sander. After sanding, vacuum thoroughly with a brush attachment. Before you sand with the next grit, fill in deep gouges and holes with matching wood filler. Also, draw light pencil marks a few feet out along the edges. This will help you see where you’ve sanded, as the sander removes the pencil marks.
For the second pass with the sander, use a medium grit sandpaper (use 50-60 grit; never skip more than one grade abrasive for each sanding). Also use a medium grit paper with the hand sander along the edges, and the detail sander for the corners. Clean up the dust with a vacuum and brush attachment. Do a third pass with fine grit sandpaper (use 80-100 grit). This will be the final sanding pass. Afterwards, vacuum thoroughly with a brush attachment. Also use a damp mop on the floor to pick up any remaining particles.
If the floor feels rough after sanding, buff it with a 120 grit screen. Buffing with a screen will smooth out fine scratches. Work along the grain getting as close as possible to the walls. Use a sanding screen for the edges and corners too. Finish up with a thorough cleaning – window sills, walls, everything. It’s a good idea to go over the floor with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits (check local fire regulations for disposal instructions).
Staining is only needed if you want to change the floor color. Apply a pre-stain conditioner and stain according to the manufacturer’s direction. If you’re not staining, apply a sanding sealer before the polyurethane finish. Start at the farthest corner from the door; don’t paint yourself in the room. Let it dry, then lightly sand with 320-grit sandpaper. Vacuum the entire room again and clean the floor with a tack cloth. It’s important to have a dust-free floor.
Complete the project by applying a polyurethane finish with a natural bristle brush and applicator. Some polys add an amber tone, so check the directions. Make sure your home is ventilated as poly has a strong odor. Before using the applicator, remove loose fibers with tape. Stir the poly thoroughly – no shaking – and apply it along the edges using smooth strokes. You don’t want any bubbles. For the center of the floor, use the applicator. Always maintain a wet edge and avoid creating bubbles. Let the poly dry according to the directions and apply a second coat. Some products don’t require sanding between coats. After the second coat has dried for a few days, you can re-attach shoe molding and bring your furniture back into the room. Avoid sliding it across the floor. Felt pads can help prevent scratches too.
Now your worn out hardwood is reborn with a fresh finish!
