Use a sharp scraper to lift off any areas where the old finish is particularly stubborn.
How to sand and stain wood floors.
Rough sand the floor step 4.
Use a floor sanding machine and edge sander or sand by hand.
A step by step video for a home owner on how to use various wood floor sanders and how to apply the finish.
You ll want to evaluate the floors between each coat and don t be surprised if you have to sand again if you see any blemishes in the hardwood or stain itself.
If so use a very fine grit of paper and then reapply another coat of stain after sanding.
Sand floor in direction of grain of the wood.
Screen sand the floor step 6.
You will have to sand around the edges of the room with the edging sander and sand the rest of the floor with the large drum sander.
Apply the finish.
When to sand wood floors.
This doesn t mean there is nothing you can do to get a bit of color back into your floor.
If sanding by hand use 3 different grits of sandpaper 30 60 and 80.
It also minimizes the chance of dish out or waves when a loose or uneven floor gets sanded more in some spots than others.
Sand the floor carefully making sure not to miss any areas.
If you have really really uneven floorboards you should start by sanding with the large drum sander diagonally to the floorboards to even the floor out and then move on to sanding in the direction of the boards.
This will help level slight variations in the floor.
When staining you re looking at applying at least two coats.
You can always leave your wood floor as it is to create a naturally aged look.
However sanding a wood floor isn t always a necessity.
Sand the edges and corners step 5.
Typically the floor will then be sealed with some sort of lacquer or varnish to lock in the color and protect the floor.
Remove all dust step 7.
Then sand again with a finer sanding disc say an 80 grit one and then a final go over with an even finer one around 100 grit.
New wood flooring is usually sanded to make it completely level whereas old and already installed flooring is sanded to remove a grimy finish and even out worn areas.
Sand at a slight angle to the grain.
Vacuum floor between each sanding and when finished.
For the first stage of sanding you can move at a 7 to 15 degree angle to the direction of the boards.