Hardwood floors are extremely durable but over time the wear and tear of everyday use can leave them scuffed and scratched. When this happens you can completely replace the floors, or you can simply opt to refinish them. Should you decide to go the refinishing route, DIY refinishing is pretty simple. Today we’ll provide you with an overview of what is needed to refinish your hardwood floor, and help you decide whether this is a DIY project you’d like to take on. Let’s not waste another minute:
General steps involved in refinishing hardwood floors:
Step 1: Remove the shoe base moulding (the moulding you find where the floor meets the wall) using a pry bar.. You can opt to keep the moulding on, but be sure that you are extremely careful when sanding around it. Should you choose to remove it, make sure you label each piece so that you know where to return it once you are finished your project.
Step 2: Check the flooring. Before you begin sanding, you’ll want to make any necessary repairs. Check your floorboards for squeaks and loose nails, and repair these before moving forward with sanding.
Step 3: Sand your floors. You’ll want to use a professional drum sander to do this – trust us, it will make life a lot simpler. Work your sander back and forth with the grain to smooth out the floorboards and to remove any scratches. Depending on the size of your floor, you may need to replace the belt a few times. The average belt lasts for 250 square feet of flooring. You may also have to sand your floors a few times before you achieve the smoothness that you want.
You can use an edger to sand the corners, edges, and small areas of your floors.
Step 4: Clean up. You should sweep and vacuum your floors between each sanding. Any dirt or debris left behind can actually scratch your flooring further, so be sure that you clean thoroughly before you start your next round of sanding.
Step 5: Buff your floors. Once you are finished sanding, the next step is buffing. A floor buffer with fitted screening pad can help you to do this. Some people choose to skip this step as it is not a necessity, but buffing can help to level out any remaining unevenness left on your surfaces. When finished, make sure to give another thorough sweeping and vacuuming to clean up leftover dirt or debris.
Step 6: Apply your stain. When doing so, always work in small areas and stain in the same direction as the grain. Remove any excess stain with paper towel or a clean cotton cloth. Wait for stain to dry before moving on to step 7.
Step 7: Apply your finish and wait for it to dry. Most people apply 3-4 coats of finish.
Step 8: Lightly re-sand your floor with a 220-grit paper and then vacuum up any dirt, debris, or dust.
So there you have it – sounds simple right? DIY refinishing projects are definitely do-able, but if you aren’t confident in your refinishing abilities, you also have the option of hiring a contractor. Here are some of the benefits of both:
Benefits of the DIY option:
- It will save you money.
- You will have 100% control over the project.
- Completing the project on your own will be extremely satisfying
Benefits of hiring a contractor:
- They are professional and have the knowledge and experience to get the job done right.
- They will save you time.
- They already have all of the necessary tools on hand, so you won’t have to purchase anything.
- They provide beautiful results in a short time frame.
So which is the right option for you? Well, we don’t have the answer. If you are confident in your refinishing abilities, go ahead! Give it a try. It will be extremely gratifying to see your hard work come to life in the end. But if you’d prefer to leave the hard work to someone else, call a contractor. Contractors can get the job done quickly, efficiently, and have the knowledge and experience to turn your floors into perfection.
Contact Zack Hardwood Flooring today to get your floor done professionally at affordable price. We provide hardwood refinishing in Ballantyne, Waxhaw, Huntersville, Charlotte, Mooresville, Fort Mill and all surrounding areas. We have the experience and skills to refinish your hardwood flooring beautifully and and will last many years to come.