Tips For Successfully Refinishing Your Own Hardwood Floors
If you've decided that your hardwood floors need to be refinished, you're probably thinking about doing the work yourself. Refinishing your floors can be rewarding, but it's also labor-intensive. It's important that you understand some of the key tips for ensuring a successful finish of your refinishing project. Here are some of the things that you should keep in mind along the way.
Start And Stop In The Same Place
When you start stripping the existing finish and applying the new one, be consistent about where you start and stop. Choose a spot along the wall where you will start your work, and work your way completely to the same final spot every time. This gives you consistent lines in your work so that you don't disrupt the appearance with odd streaks or lines. Consistency is important for a professional finish.
Vacuum Between Sanding Passes
Each time you finish a full sanding pass, even if you're not done removing the finish, take time to vacuum the entire floor before you proceed. That way, each sanding cycle starts fresh on a clean surface and you don't have to worry about residue from the prior sanding interfering with the contact between the sander and the floor surface.
Sand With The Grain
It's easy to get distracted by the amount of space you're dealing with and just start sanding, but this can leave you sanding against the grain of the wood, which is less visually appealing and can actually be problematic for the final finish application. Instead, before you start sanding, make sure that the path you choose to work in flows with the wood grain. This gives you the smoothest, best flow for your refinishing work.
Clean The Floors Well Before Applying The New Finish
Before you apply your new finish to the floors, make sure you vacuum several times. You can even go over the flooring surface with a tack cloth a few times to be sure that you remove all of the residual debris from sanding. Then, wipe the floors down with mineral spirits before you actually apply the finish. That way, you start with a completely clean surface that's ready to absorb the new finish.
These are some of the most important things to think about if you're refinishing your own floors. You may find it easier to reach out to a local floor refinishing contractor instead to have the work professionally done.
Contact a company like Matuta Hardwood Flooring LLC to learn more.