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Home & Garden Articles
Tips on Sanding Hardwood Floor
Fri 02 Feb 2007 - 13:04
Tips on Sanding Hardwood Floor
By Rob Buenaventura
If you have just purchased the home of your dreams, I'm sure you will find that there are a few not so dreamy moments in the process. One of those moments often arises when you pull up the carpet to see the condition of the hardwood floors that lie beneath. If you decide to restore or refinish the hardwood floors yourself you are likely to find that sanding is the biggest job involved in the process.
Preparing for Sanding
Before you begin to sand your hardwood floors it is a good idea to fill in any cracks or gaps that may exist in your floors. Deciding which of these cracks and gaps to fill is completely up to you as the homeowner however. You should also keep in mind that floors will expand and contract as a result of humidity so you need to leave room for this to occur.
You should also make sure that you seal off the room in which you will be sanding in order to prevent the dust that will be stirred from settling throughout your home. If the rooms in which you will be working do not have doors you should hang plastic sheeting over the doors in order to contain the dust.
Which Type of Sander Should be Used?
There are essentially two types of sanders that can be used for this particular job: oscillating or drum sanders. Choosing the right sander for the job is very important. An oscillating sander is ideal if you only need to remove the surface layer of finish. This type of sander will not work if you have deep scratches that go well below the surface that needs to be removed.
A drum sander goes below the surface finish in order eliminate more serious problems that may exist with your hardwood floors. With this particular sander you should avoid staying in one position too long as this can create a pattern, swirl, or indentation in your flooring that you do not want.
Planning Your Sanding
It is quite possible to sand your floors as a weekend project but you must plan ahead in order to accomplish the. You should make sure that you have removed all furniture from the room before you begin sanding. You should make sure your furniture is well out of the way as it may be a week or longer before you are ready to move the furniture back into the room you are sanding. You should also be absolutely certain that you have rented the sander for the time you have scheduled to do the work. It is a good idea to check with your local rental store ahead of time in order to make sure that they either have plenty of units available or that you have one reserved for the time you will be needing it. Sanding your hardwood floors may require a great deal of work but the rewards are well worth it in the end.
Rob Buenaventura has worked in the home improvement industry for several years. Learn more about hardwood floor refinishing, distressed hardwood floors and other DIY home improvement tips at HomeImprovementTouch.com
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