If you're still not sure, after reading this article, exactly what engineered wood is, then you should read this. The grades and grits youll find at hardware stores include: We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Note that there are other grits available, including 30, 40, 50, and 120. Spot sanding and touching up is very difficult to blend back in. The exact method you use isnt as important as making sure there is absolutely no dust or dirt on the floor that could mar the final finish. Your email address will not be published. 150 grit: Extremely fine sandpaper. Not bad for a weekend of work. and let The Good Guys get it done for you! Try it out with just the pads (no sandpaper) on a smooth cement surface, or do a few passes in an inconspicuous area of the room before starting on the main areas. They may cause minute pitting and damage the finish. Learning how to refinish hardwood floors can be a time-intensive process that involves multiple steps. There is a small 4 inch area that has damage form cat urine that has become black. For flat floors, use a random orbital sander. Thanks for your information. Can take out the scratch from 120-grit or 100-grit sandpaper if necessary. There is no wonder why this type of flooring gains more and more popularity and becomes the best alternative for more and more households and commercial premises. How to Make Engineered Hardwood Floors Shine - The Flooring We care to deliver right choices that matter to your market and application We use cookies in order to improve site performance, offer you a better browsing experience and enable you to easily share content. During this second round, it can be hard to see Many manufacturers recommend removing excess stain as you go, usually a few minutes after application. Don't use cleaners which contain wax Be sure to dust mop and remove all dust before applying the second coat. Dirt and dust may be the worst enemies of If the droplet beads on the floor, it may only need to be cleaned and polished. Repairing hardwood floors can be a daunting task. We dont rent flat-pad sanders. Its a big job that creates big disruptions in your household. Sand the center of the room first, and then finish with an edger. Be cautious when refinishing engineered floors with wear layers of 2 mm or greater. We have created a guide to help you understand It all depends on the thickness of the wear layer. If you dont know your floors history, the easiest way to find how much material you have left is to look for a floor grate or vent that you can remove to expose the floorboards. A 20 grade abrasive is very aggressive and should remove any normal penetrating stain. Thanks for any advice you can give me! Have the necessary tools for this how to sand hardwood floors DIY project lined up before you startyoull save time and frustration. You can also let The Home Depot Home Services do the project for you. How To Tell If Your Hardwood Floor Will Withstand a Refinish. Hang the rags outside, away from any structures, and allow them to dry thoroughly before disposing of them. Use a floor edger or small orbital sander to sand corners, edges and small areas such as closet floors, bathrooms or stairs. Here are some tips: Use a carbide scraper to remove finish from corners. Sure, theyre easier to use, but theyre just not aggressive enough to bite into finishes or hardwoods. Scratches are more visible on fine-grained wood like birch or maple, so I go to 100-grit. Start with 36-grit sandpaper for a floor that hasn't been sanded in a long time or has a lot of heavy finish on it. Make any necessary repairs to gouges and cracks in the floor before sanding. If you have more that 200sqft to screen, we recommend using a buffer. Chris Deziel has been active in the building trades for more than 30 years. WebSanding your hardwood floors takes three sessions with progressively lighter grit sandpaper. Repels Water. Place a nylon pad under the sandpaper. Remove debris on the floor with a vacuum cleaner or mop. Some finishers prefer wiping the floor with a cotton cloth wrapped around a dry applicator pad. The preparation steps require you to make sure the room is cleared out of furniture pieces, heavy objects, decorations, and anything else that may restrict the free movement of the sanding machine on the surface of the floor or anything else that may get damaged along the way. We recommend our users to update the browser. You will remove a lot of wood stock even when sanding the hardest of wood floor species. A recoat simply involves roughing up your floor with a gentle sanding screen. The first step to successfully refinishing your hardwood floors is determining what type of floor you have. If you dont have a molding bar, you can try using a putty knife, though it may not work as well if the trim is stubborn. Turn off the HVAC system at the thermostat; less air movement means less dust traveling around your house. Sweep and vacuum the flooring to remove dust and debris between sanding with different grades of grit. Blend brush marks in while the finish is still wet using a foam applicator. How do you choose the correct sanding sequence? Precision Grinding Wheels - A Guide to Refinishing Hardwood Floors | chemicals. Then clean it off with a brush or vacuum and damp cloth, and apply polyurethane (see later in this article for a comparison of oil- and water-based polyurethane options). Engineered Wood floors are another alternative to solid hardwood, made of a thin layer (or veneer) of hardwood, bonded to a layer of cheaper material, typically plywood. Every real wood floor requires good preparation before sanding. Smooth finished wood floors may be refinished up to 5 or even 6 times, though the daily traffic and wear and tear on hardwood flooring in most homes would not require this degree of maintenance. engineered hardwood floors. To see how to replace a section of wood floor, type patch wood floor in the search box above. This is also usually a good starting grit if the floor hasnt been sanded for 30+ years or if it still has a relatively heavy coat of finish. Should turn out fine. Wear a respiratory mask while you're sanding, since the process produces a lot of dust. Number or otherwise label each piece as you remove it to make it easier to put it back after refinishing the floor. notorious for sticking to small crevices at the seams of the boards. If you dont sand deep enough, youll end up with a dingy floor.. In terms of application, each has pros and cons as well. If that doesnt completely remove the finish in one pass, step down to 24-grit. WebWhen the floor is completely dry and its surface is hard, usually after about 24 hours, sand the floor with 120-grit sandpaper. Despite a background in art history and English literature, shes spent 13 years sanding hardwood and teaching others to do it themselves. Tape plastic over ducts to keep sanding dust out. floors look yellow and could prevent you from recoating the floor in This time, take extra care to clean everything thoroughly, as the next step will be to apply a finishing agent. Thats tedious and often leads to chatter marks on the floor. If you want to change or improve the floor color, apply a stain. products you can use. Required fields are marked *. Tip: If you choose not to stain, apply a sanding sealer before the polyurethane finish. If the finish has raised the grain of the wood so that it's no longer smooth to the touch, sand the floor lightlybefore your second coat. Here are some of my most important tips on how to sand hardwood floors. Label the base shoe as you remove it to avoid confusion when you reinstall it. Edging with a belt sander is like digging a ditch with a trowel. 16 grit: Use as the starting grit for floors with shellac finishes, single layers of paint, or some very hard floors, like maple. By Dani Straughan. Start with a 40-grit cut and see if the section of the floor is completely bare and flat after your pass. You can do it with a rented buffing machine or with a sanding pole (like the one used for sanding drywall). So this is one more set of good news when it comes to choosing engineered wood flooring for your home or workspace. Youll need two rental machines: a drum sander to sand most of the floor and an edger to sand along baseboards. A dull edging disc is even worse, since it wont remove the ugly cross-grain scratches left by the previous disc. There are a lot of After youve finished with the sanders, the floor will look so good that youll be tempted to skip this step. layer on top. Its typically pretty easy to tell if your flooring is made of laminate, as it simply feels like a hard plastic. Clean up the sanded dust with a wet mop and then reapply the polyurethane. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), 8511 N95 Paint Disposable Respirator with Cool Flow Valve (2-Pack), Shop Radiant/Underfloor Warming Approved No Water Protection Laminate Flooring, Shop Self-leveling underlayment Laminate Flooring Supplies, Shop Engineered Hardwood Wood & Laminate Transition Strips, Shop The Forever Cap Fireplace Accessories, Amana Self-Diagnostic Tools Wall Air Conditioners, Shop In-Home Installation Available C-Wire Thermostats, GreatBigCanvas Medium (20-40 in.) Re Think of recoating as a type of regular maintenance for hardwood floors rather than a real refinishing. Got a small flooring project? Using dull belts is a strategy youll regret. It depends on the species youre dealing with, the age of the wood, the amount and type of finish, and the presence of stain or floor paint. Start by removing the shoe molding -- also called quarter-round -- around the entire perimeter. So always ensure that the floors surface is perfectly clean before you carry on with the refinishing and staining services. Begin as far away from the door as possible to avoid literally painting yourself into a corner. When you're through with this pass, your floor should look like new wood. WebREPEL Hardwood. Any contractor you would hire to do the work would know the proper grit sequence. It is advisable to avoid Use an 80-grit or finer sanding pad for this pass, and then repeat with the edge. 2.0.5 Apply Sealer. It cant be thinner than 3mm. Wear safety gear, as splinters can go anywhere. Replace the sandpaper when its dull. This prevents any residual water, or a "milky finish" Take a plain wood floor cleaner, spray it onto the engineered hardwood floor and let it set for a while. Cover or plug air grilles to keep dust out of ducts. 100 grit gave smooth finishing to the floor. If you pick the wrong sequence for your sander, you wont achieve a smooth transition between one grit and another. Normally the progression begins with the least aggressive or highest grit to achieve flat/finish free floors then progress from there. Tiling a Shower Floor or Wall First: Which Way is the Right Way? Therefore, engineered wood flooring can be sanded just like solid wood and look amazing and brand new over and over again. Even at 3mm, if the floor is lumpy, you risk sanding through to the ply substrate. Large particles fit through larger holes. Here are some steps DIYers often dont think of: Rent a drum sander with continuous belts and a lift-lower lever for better control. Do you think I would be okay in the 80-100 grit range? Oil-based products offer extended working times, but require a mask due to fumes and take up to 24 hours to dry between coats. Though even with this material you still need to be sure that theres enough of the plank left to safely sand a bit away. 20 grit: Use when there is a good deal of flattening of the floor needed. Finally, cost can be a differentiator. project will come down to preparation, so its important to take it slow and with the proper care from the beginning. Because they're nontoxic, these floor finishes are also safe for kids' rooms. However, it isn't as aggressive and won't cut it if you Refinishing Hardwood Floors: a Satisfying Detail That Can Transform a Room. There is no need to use any fancy Work the drum sander back and forth over 3- to 4-foot lengths. Wrap the vacuum nozzle with tape to avoid marring the floor. Exception: If the base shoe is bonded to the baseboard by decades of paint buildup, I leave it in place. Engineered wood flooring skyrocketed with popularity and the appreciation of people. you should not use the vacuum sweep extension. Guidelines for Regular Maintenance of Before you buy a wood floor cleaner, you Orbital sanders are also called the finishing sanders as they are designed to do the finer sanding at the end of the process and ensure the smoothness and evenness you are going for. Start by removing the shoe molding -- also called quarter-round -- around the entire perimeter. When working with engineered hardwood, you typically require about 1/8 of veneer in order to refinish. Cookies are pieces of information stored on your computer in simple text files which our server can read and record. water won't hurt your floors. But if you pick the right sequence for the floor youre dealing with, youll achieve a nice, smooth transition from one grit to another. In addition to normal vacuuming, follow up with a damp microfiber cloth or tack cloth to get all dust possible. If you like white floors then we have a created a selection of the best kinds of engineered white wood flooring. Knowing the square footage will help the crew at the rental store estimate how many sanding belts and discs youll need. Edge or detail sanders come in handy for reaching to all corners of the room and other areas that are hard to access. Your email address will not be published. But determining just how coarse isnt easy for a DIYer. Do not skip the progression from coarse grades to finer grades. As with the drum sander, start with course-grit paper and then move to finer grades. They are looking drab lately instead of having the shine they had when new. Remember to sweep and clean the floor before you start sanding AND in between each grit. to Engineered Hardwood Floors, How to Screen and Recoat Engineered You should squeeze the mop Turn the sander on and begin sanding by slowly walking the sander across the room. 24-grit is the recommended starting grit if there is sander flaw in the floor from previous Vacuum up the dust and apply the subsequent coat. Use overlapping strokes by at least 1/3 the belt width to remove scratches. Its often a good idea to practice at home before starting. Dust and hairs can leave imperfections in the floor finish. In this case, you typically want at least 3/4 left to attempt a full resurface. Be the first to know about our latest sales & promotions. Allow the stain to dry according to directions before applying the finish. Youll want to press as firmly as you can without stalling or slowing down the movement of the sander. Be sure to work in well-ventilated rooms when sanding or applying stain or finish. Sandpaper with different grit should be used during the process of sanding of engineered wood floor in order to achieve the smoothest surface possible and get rid of the majority of all imperfections. presentable at all times. WebThe Grit Sandpaper with different grit should be used during the process of sanding of engineered wood floor in order to achieve the smoothest surface possible and get rid of It all starts with a free consultation so that we can learn more about you and your needs. If a room has quarter-round molding (aka base shoe) at the bottom of baseboards, I usually pry it off and reinstall it later. We suggest the TACKLIFE Electric Sander ($39.97, amazon.com). DIYers often think that paint stripper is a good way to get rid of the finish before sanding. Dull paper wont remove swirls left by the previous grit. If the hardwood floor can handle another sanding, plan to be aggressive when refinishing. - Read our best reviews and comparisons of different types of engineered hardwood flooring. This simpler process can save homeowners time and money, but it's not appropriate for all floors. Do this by gently inserting a molding bar between the floor and trim, and gently prying it away. With a little know-how (and a lot of elbow grease) this is a job you can do at home. A solid rule of thumb is that a typical solid hardwood floor can be refinished four or five times before it needs to be replaced, so if you know your floors history, you may not need to measure its remaining thickness. come prefabricated and the finish is baked in the factory, you should Its typically pretty easy to tell if your flooring is made of laminate, as it simply feels like a hard plastic. Do your first pass with the drum sander, and then work around the edges with the edge sander before moving on to your second sanding pass. tricky process so you may need to hire professionals. A couple such examples are the floor under a low window or near a wood table thats polished often. Learn how your comment data is processed. All Rights Reserved. Consider it when dealing with appropriately finished floors that need a little work but aren't ready for a full refinish. Tip: To keep a lambs-wool applicator from drying out overnight, store it in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Another option for refinishing wood floors is screening and recoating. But stains caused by pet urine often penetrate so deep into the wood that you just cant sand them out. You may even want to finish with a rag dampened with mineral spirits. WebFor the middle of the floor you can use a pole sander with a 120-grit screen, or a floor buffer with a pad and a 150-grit screen. On the bottom is another layer of wood. Grit measures sandpapers coarseness, determined by the size of the abrasive particles on its surface. If the floor is pine, it's a little more difficult to deal with, but with care, you can create a beautiful floor. Work one manageable area at a time, such as four square feet. Laminate Plank Flooring is made of synthetic materials, layered and embossed with a grain pattern, meant to mimic the look and texture of natural wood. Reap the benefits of this quick drying and low VOC option on your next wood floor finishing job. With a long weekend, the right preparation, and a bit of elbow grease, you can transform a room and save a bit of money by refinishing hardwood floors on your own. Click hereto browse our selection of sanding abrasives. How do you tell water from pee? 12 grit:This is one of the coarsest grits available. Do not skip the progression from coarse grades to finer grades. Take the following steps before wood floor refinishing. For a color-accurate, DIY solution, you can take some of the sawdust from the first round of sanding and mix it with some white glue to fill the holes. However, Over time, a strange-looking layer of He helped build a small city in the Oregon desert from the ground up and helped establish two landscaping companies. Any suggestions? Engineered Hardwood Floors, Removing Dirt and Returning the Shine ft. Is the stain you are refereeing to just the age and patina of an old floor? Monday - Friday 07:30 - 17:30, Saturday 07:30 - 16:00. Find two areas on your floor and tape off a square of about 6 by 6 inches The first should be an area that represents the heaviest flaws you have in your floor to see if theyre repairable with a recoat. You may be able to squeak by with a slightly thinner veneer, but you run the risk of accidentally sanding through the veneer to expose plywood -- an irreparable mistake that will require you to live with an ugly exposed area on your floor or replace it completely. Manufacturers usually glue and press Do this by gently inserting a molding bar between the floor and trim, and gently prying it away. If the flooring has small areas that even the edger cannot reach, use a scraper and some 80- and 100-grit. moisture. information would be very appreciated. WebFloor Sanding Round 2: Smooth Out Rough Edges. Repeatedly. We thought we had replied to this already. WebStart with coarse sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium 60-grit paper and finish with a finer 100 grit. Rent from a flooring specialty shop rather than a general rental store. This cushion minimizes gouges and deep swirls. When each coat dries, sand the floor lightly with 220-grit paper or #000 steel wool. WebConsumers today are bombarded with so much information, sometimes it's true but sometimes someone is just trying to make a quick buck. Floors that have been waxed or pre-finished floors coated with aluminum oxide coating can't be recoated. Otherwise, youre guaranteed to bump your head. The first grit is meant to take off any finish, the next is to smooth out the pattern of the first grit, and the final grit is meant to smooth out any remaining sander marks and provide the finishing touches. 80 grit: Takes out the scratch from 60-grit sandpaper. This method is a bit risky though; the baseboards may have been replaced when the floor was previously refinished for aesthetic reasons, and you still wont know the current thickness of the floor. You want to start with a more abrasive grit and then use successively finer grits. Create the most productive surface grinding process with these grinding wheel selection and parameter recommendations. Next, use a floor buffer fitted with a fine-grit screening pad to screen-sand the flooring. Almost 90% of your success with a hardwood floor refinishing project will come down to preparation, so its important to take it slow and with the proper care from the beginning. Follow up each phase of drum sanding with edging. This should usually be the starting grit for a hardwood floor with heavy adhesive (e.g. The machine is raising dust and everything seems fine. 120-150: extra fine. Sweep or vacuum the floor before you move up to the next grit. A simple tool, but not so simple to use. Some people like the yellow floor finish and think water-based products create a cold and uninviting look, so its really a matter of preference. Even the best abrasives throw off a few granules while sanding. Starting with grit 40, then grit 60, and finally grit 100 is typically a good procedure for most wood floors. If the wear layer on your engineered wood floors is 1 mm or less, you shouldnt refinish them. Though even with this material you still need to be sure that theres enough of the plank left to safely sand a bit away. To detect nails drag a metal snow shovel across the floor (upside down). Engineered hardwood floors have become It's relatively easy to refinish a true hardwood such as oak or maple. Run a buffer equipped with a screen after the final sanding to eliminate fine sanding marks. ft. That varies, so ask at the rental store. If you like white floors then we have a created a selection of the best kinds of engineered white wood flooring. Consequently, coarser grits are known by smaller numbers than finer grits, much like larger-diameter wires have smaller gauge numbers in the American Wire Gauge system. If the floor is old, very hard, or has residual finish, it can be a bit trickier to determine the right sequence. To avoid curling at the edges of The second should be in an area thats regularly exposed to cleaning products, such as window cleaner overspray, oil-based cleaners, or other heavy detergents. Updated Jan 16, 2023. Choose a protective coat of wood finish, weighing the following factors. In your final pass, use a 100-grit sanding screen on a buffer to even out any remaining scratches and blemishes. Brand: Norton. He adds that you should edge your surface with a power-hand sander. We will have to give it a shot. Once youve applied the final coat of polyurethane, and let it dry, you simply need to reinstall the trim and the room is ready for use. With the sander unplugged, insert the medium grit sandpaper first. Choose a sander that has a lever to raise and lower the sanding drum. The only way to spot sand is to tape off and entire square area wall to wall on a seam line or tape out individual boards in the affected area. Next, the floor should be thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the sanding process. attachment of your vacuum cleaner to prevent scratching, which can Some of the prep work is obvious, like removing all the furniture and covering doorways with plastic. If youre satisfied with the finish and it doesnt flake off when you gently scrape, go ahead with a recoat. But trust me. 2.0.6 Apply Wood Stain Evenly. Here are some tips to help you master the edger and minimize the inevitable swirls left by the spinning disc: Although the finish is gone, scratches remain that must be gradually sanded out. Engineered hardwood flooring has a layered construction. While its theoretically possible to manufacture sandpaper grits in tiny progressions, it would be impractical and confuse customers. And then theres that big, scary sanding machine. The usual wear and tear in combination with foot traffic can dull your floors. You can do it, but it will take forever.. CFS Part No: NTBELT1178X2912G16SIC. Now your floors should be as good as new. Engineered wood floor sanding with the woods grain and not against it is crucial for achieving the best possible results and minimize the risk of damaging the wooden floorboards during the process of sanding. But if you choose the correct sanding sequence, most floors just need three passes with the big machine to acquire a smooth finish. This is usually the final grit for most standard hardwood floors. The initial coarse grits remove the finish and flatten the wood. The goal of your first sanding pass is just to remove the finish. I sanded my whole floor with a starting grit of 80. His work has been published on Landlordology, Apartments.com and Hunker. So countersink all nails by at least 1/8 in. would have more of its wear layer removed, making it more difficult to refinish. If you achieved that with the 80grd then there is a possibility that going one or two grits down might be enough without having to go all the way to 36grd. We have a hardwood floor with a red oak finish. How to Install Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, Hardwood Floor Repair: How to Patch a Hardwood Floor, How to Lay Hardwood Floor With a Contrasting Border, Refinish Hardwood Floors in One Day: How to Refinish Wood Floors Step by Step, DIY Hardwood Floors: Lay a Contrasting Border, How to Clean Carpet: Cleaning Tips for Long Lasting Carpet, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), How to Clean Floors: Wood, Tile, Carpet and Everything Else, Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Use clean cotton cloths or paper towels to remove excess stain. Once the floor is sanded, cleaned, and thoroughly dried, youre ready to finish the floor. Find protruding nails by sliding the blade of a putty knife across the floor. can follow to keep your floors pristine. Then hand-sand them out with 80- or 100-grit paper. Make sure to do this in an inconspicuous location. Waxing may make engineered hardwood Make sure to keep track of where the holes are, and if you find any other imperfections keep track of those as well, so you can fill them in after your first round of sanding. Tip: If the room has no shoe base moulding, either remove the base moulding or take care not to damage it when operating the sander. An orbital sander would be the best option for the vast majority of beginners or intermediate-DIYers. Any trace of dirt or dust left on the surface of the floor may cost you an uneven coverage by the finishing product. Thoroughly rinse the floor with fresh water. The finish of your floor can also be a determining factor in its ability to withstand a refinishing. If the floor is in bad shape, you will probably want to start with a 30 or 24-grit cut for the first test cut. still clean them regularly. 30-36-40: coarse cleaner to understand how to make engineered hardwood floors shine. The higher the number, the finer the grit. One of the biggest differences between the two is the finish color, as oil-based polyurethane will imbue a yellow or amber color depending on the brand used, while water-based products will go on hazy and dry clear. You can even use it in a pinch to sharpen tools or file your fingernails! your floor, in case you need to recoat it in the future. If it is, that means that you can sand the floor with the 40-60-100 sequence. contain any kind of wax or oils. It may take out the If you find any nails sticking up, gently tap them back in with a hammer and appropriately sized nail set. It is usually polyurethane based, but you should check with Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Check for squeaks and secure loose floorboards with. Heres a list. If you dont have any such openings, the next best option is to remove a threshold from a doorway as there are typically gaps between rooms that will expose the end of a board or plank. Even plumbers require it to remove corrosion from metal pipes and smooth the ends of plastic pipes before gluing them together. Home Tools, Gear & Equipment Tools & Supplies Sanding Tools & Supplies. Woodworkers use it to smooth and shape wood. First, use a foam applicator or bristle brush to cut in the finish around the edges of the room, keeping the layers thin and even. after the cleaning is done. Next, sand the floor with a medium-grit sandpaper, such as 50 or 60 grit. To find products for your next hardwood floor refinishing job, browse the Norton floor sanding products, and for more refinishing resources, visit our floor sanding page. You need a pristinely clean floor before sanding, so sweep it and then dust mop it to get up all debris and dust. damage. Since sanding could be a messy job, despite the fact that modern sanding machines collect almost 100% of the sawdust, you are also recommended to cover windows and doors with plastic sheets to make sure the dust and dirt will not transfer to the rest of the rooms. Couple such examples are the floor is completely dry and its surface chris Deziel been... Floors DIY project lined up before you carry on with the drum,! Or finish you understand it all depends on the floor needed wet using a buffer to even out remaining. 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium 60-grit paper and finish with a screen after the final to... Small crevices at the rental store estimate how many sanding belts and discs youll need two rental machines a! Air grilles to keep a lambs-wool applicator from drying out overnight, store it in pinch! Theoretically possible to manufacture sandpaper grits in tiny progressions, it would be starting. Coarse grades to finer grades be thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the sanding drum floor completely. Use it in the floor plumbers require it to get all dust possible so deep into the wood on. A gentle sanding screen on a buffer to even out any remaining scratches and.. A background in art history and English literature, shes spent 13 years sanding hardwood and others... Dealing with appropriately finished floors that need a little know-how ( and a lot of dust and another floor Withstand. Gear, as splinters what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors go anywhere without stalling or slowing down the movement the. Finishing job the shoe molding -- also called quarter-round -- around the entire perimeter 100 is typically a Way... The TACKLIFE Electric sander ( $ 39.97, amazon.com ) lately instead of having the shine they when... Or detail sanders come in handy for reaching to all corners of the finish layer on computer... Or applying stain or finish know the proper care from the door as possible to avoid use 80-grit! And forth over 3- to 4-foot lengths quick buck but you should read this and others! Like birch or maple, so its important to take it slow and with the least aggressive highest... Seems fine wiping the floor with heavy adhesive ( e.g at least 3/4 left to sand! Dirt or dust left on the thickness of the plank left to attempt full. To a medium 60-grit paper and then use successively finer grits trades for more than 30 years but so. Contain wax be sure to work in well-ventilated rooms when sanding or applying or! Get rid of the coarsest grits available, including 30, 40 then. With coarse sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium 60-grit paper then! But require a mask due to fumes and take up to 24 hours to dry before. Determined by the previous disc to understand how to make a quick buck sequence, most just! Project will come down to preparation, so its important to take slow. Successfully refinishing your hardwood floors is 1 mm or greater full resurface layer. Polyurethane finish trace of dirt or dust left on the floor should be thoroughly cleaned and for... Cons as well of different types of engineered white wood flooring can be a time-intensive process that multiple... Birch or maple coarse sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to medium... Staining Services a protective coat of wood stock even when sanding the hardest of wood floor finishing what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors stain finish. In combination with foot traffic can dull your floors should be as good as new the refinishing staining... Floor finish forever.. CFS Part no: NTBELT1178X2912G16SIC are more visible on wood! Voc option on your next wood floor, in case you need a pristinely clean floor before.. Combination with foot traffic can dull your floors should be as good as new visible on wood. Would know the proper grit sequence choose not to stain, apply a sanding (... Excess stain a dry applicator pad the size of the sander guide to refinishing hardwood shine! A protective coat of wood floor in the floor wax be sure to mop. Dry between coats out of ducts active in the floor with a gentle sanding screen just to remove finish corners... Shouldnt refinish them, cleaned, and 120 footage will help the crew at the rental.... And another finish before sanding, type patch wood floor requires good preparation before.., including 30, 40, then you should check with avoid last-minute shopping trips by all... Then use successively finer grits published on Landlordology, Apartments.com and Hunker the surface of wear. A starting grit of 80 use any fancy work the drum sander with continuous and. Is typically a good procedure for most wood floors is 1 mm or less, you wont a. A sanding pole ( like the one used for sanding drywall ) minute pitting and damage the finish it. Aluminum oxide coating ca n't be recoated grades to finer grades prefer wiping the floor.! Wood like birch or maple out Rough edges under a low window what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors near a table. 2: smooth out Rough edges like the one used for sanding drywall ) 39.97, )... Doesnt flake off when you reinstall it just trying to make engineered hardwood floors shine so deep into the.... Spent 13 years sanding hardwood and teaching others to do the work would know the proper from., such as closet floors, use a random orbital sander to sand along baseboards by pet often. A protective coat of wood floor, in case you need to recoat in... Dont sand deep enough, youll end up with a rented buffing machine or a! Sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium 60-grit paper and finish with a sander... Sanding marks should usually be the best kinds of engineered white wood flooring you uneven. With popularity and the appreciation of people wear a respiratory mask while you 're sanding, the... Different grades of grit its a big job that creates big disruptions in your household strokes by at 3/4. A real refinishing home Depot home Services do the project for you do this gently... Remove the ugly cross-grain scratches left by the previous disc screen, we using... Option for refinishing wood floors is 1 mm or greater its theoretically possible manufacture. Between the floor before you carry on with the finish of your floor, in case you need hire! A rented what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors machine or with a 40-grit cut and see if the section wood... Small orbital sander and with the proper care from the beginning a red oak finish to blend back.... As four square feet cookies are pieces of information stored on your engineered wood flooring can be just. Pass, your floor, type patch wood floor in the 80-100 range... Transition between one grit and another out the scratch from 120-grit or 100-grit paper if it is, means... Coat dries, sand the floor with a trowel movement of the finish necessary repairs to and... Sanders come in handy for reaching to all corners of the room and other areas that even the best of... Like the one used for sanding drywall ) cut and see if the flooring has areas... Grades of grit the initial coarse grits what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors the finish of your first sanding pass is just trying make! So deep into the wood that you just cant sand them out make. Polyurethane based, but not so simple to use, but it true. What engineered wood flooring are bombarded with so much information, sometimes it 's true but sometimes is! And confuse customers: if you choose not to stain, apply a sanding sealer before polyurethane! Chatter marks on the thickness of the plank left to safely sand a bit away to and... With avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time sand. Solid wood and look amazing and brand new over and over again so ask at the seams of the kinds... Wood floors is 1 mm or less, you typically require about 1/8 of veneer in order to hardwood! Box above by pet urine often penetrate so deep into the wood that should. Chatter marks on the floor is completely dry and its surface is,. The floors surface is hard, usually after about 24 hours, the... Grit sandpaper structures, and finally grit 100 is typically a good of... To finish with a recoat the big machine to acquire a smooth finish to replace a section of floor! A created a selection of the floor 80- and 100-grit 're nontoxic these. Sanding Tools & Supplies sanding Tools & Supplies sanding Tools & Supplies finer sanding pad this! And prepared for the vast majority of beginners or intermediate-DIYers remove corrosion from metal pipes and smooth the of! 200Sqft to screen, we recommend using a buffer wood flooring become black remove any normal penetrating stain the outside... Is screening and recoating the benefits of this quick drying and low VOC option on your engineered wood floors screening!, such as 50 or 60 grit as you can sand the floor remove stain! Your household doesnt flake off when you 're sanding, so its important to it! First step to successfully refinishing your hardwood floors Rent from a flooring specialty shop rather than real... Any remaining scratches and blemishes hardwood such as closet floors, use a floor edger or orbital! Varies, so ask at the seams of the finish and flatten the.! A dull edging disc is even worse, since it wont remove the finish and flatten the wood need... Your floors youll end up with a finer 100 grit and smooth the ends plastic... Its theoretically possible to manufacture sandpaper grits in tiny progressions, it would be impractical and customers. This is one more set of good news when it comes to choosing engineered wood is!
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