How difficult is it to refinish hardwood floors?
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at
10:42 am
I pulled my carpet, and found old but still in good condition hardwood floors? I’m online prescription medications definitely a novice at best when it comes to home remodeling or repair. should i try to do it myself or pay a professional?
Don’t know how large of an area you have, but be prepared to spend at least a week (eight hours a day) to do this.
First you sand. If the floor is in pretty good condition you can start with 80 grit, then 120, then 180. I personally would go up to 220 but most people would stop at 180. You can rent a sanding machine at Home Depot but BEWARE! These big industrial sanders are not easy to use (weigh about 50-60 lbs). Any "runaway" can cause HUGE gouges that may not be removed. The traditional industrial sander has a round disk that spins. If you use this, you will also need an edger. There is a new industrial sander that uses a "roller" much like a planar. This is much easier to use but not all home centers have it. If you’re a novice, I would search for that sander. It will take 2-3 days to sand properly.
Then you apply the polyurethane. At least 2-3 coats. Allow it to dry thoroughly in between each application. Depending on your climate, this may take another 2-3 days.
My husband used to refinish floors professionally and he would never to back to that job.
hard and dusty! get quotes from a pro
If they just need waxing go ahead, if they need the finish removed by sanding, Pay
Just finished my floors this week. If they are in good shape and the finish is smooth,do it yourself.I lightly sanded my floors,applied a stain/polyeurethane, let it sit for 3 days and it looks great. Total cost for 2 reg. sized bedrooms..$60.00 and maybe 4 hrs of my time.Better than a $1000 from a contractor.Remember, you cant really screw up,you can always sand away ur mistakes.
if you do it yourself,i would check out a water based finish,it dries alot faster and doesnt have the fumes that oil base has,and is much easier to work with.although an oil based finish is probably more durable.if you have alot of traffic or large dogs in the house,that could be an issue.
vacuum the floor ,then wash scrub stubban mark then wax polish hard work but you can do it