Hardwood flooring can get dull, scratches, and dents with time, but unlike other floors, this can be corrected. A floor refinishing is all it needs. Hardwood flooring can take a number of complete sanding and refinishing jobs in its lifetime unlike other types of flooring.
If you want to save some money, you can decide to do the refinishing by yourself. However, caution must be taken with some of the tools and equipment used to avoid costly mistakes.
Here is a guide to some DIY floor refinishing practices;
- Wear a good dust mask or respirator
- Wear goggles and ear protectors
- Seal doorways
- Turn on HVAC to prevent dust circulation
Two methods are involved when refinishing hardwood floors; buffing and sanding.
Buffing
It is also called screening. It is most applicable when the scratches and wear are on the surface, and the wood found beneath the surface is in good condition. Here, the surface is restored by buffing the top coat. For this process, you will need a floor buffing tool and screen grits. The tool is easy to handle and use. Any dust between each grit should be swept or vacuumed.
Sanding
This process is most suitable for old damaged floors. It completely restores the floors and even changes the color using stain. It also has its special equipment for the process which involves a progression of grits and, a drum sander.
The problem for beginners is that a drum sander can gouge the floor if you aren’t careful. You might try an orbital sander instead. You will also need an edger for along the walls and in the corners.
Finishing
You need to vacuum and then carefully clean the floor with a tack cloth or something similar. Don’t wet it. Then you can leave it a natural color or put on a stain to change the color. Finally, you put on coats of polyurethane. For some other tips check out this article by clicking here.
Call in a professional floor refinisher, if you want to save time and energy. They are highly trained and skilled in using this equipment, and they will be efficient in their work. This way, the refinishing will be economical and will last for a couple of years.