But even if your floors need a complete makeover refinishing hardwood is a very manageable and rewarding do it yourself job that can save a lot of money.
Equipment needed to refinish hardwood floors.
When you sand your hardwood floors you use coarse sanding equipment to remove all of the finish and stain from your floors as well as smooth out the wood underneath those layers of stain and sealer.
You need a walk behind floor sander which you can rent.
Since the sanding process can remove a lot of surface your floor needs to be at least 3 4 thick.
Here are some helpful tips about how to refinish hardwood floors.
Choose diy friendly sanding equipment unless you plan to sand many floors in your lifetime random orbital sanders are the best.
If you decide to refinish your wood floors the fun part is picking a new stain color like rich mahogany or dark oak which are both very popular right now.
To refinish a hardwood floor the first thing you need to do is sand off the old finish.
The problem is while you may think darker colors would hide dirt they make dust particles more noticeable.
If the floor is warped deeply stained squeaky or otherwise damaged you ll need to make repairs first then refinish.
You ll also need a floor buffer buffing pad sanding screens finish applicator pad a respirator for organic vapors and a window fan for the hardwood floor finishing job.
Situations differ but you may not be able to refinish your hardwood floor more than 10 times.
This can prove to be very expensive not to mention stressful so just like you take a car for a service to keep it running well you should likewise maintain your wooden floors on a fairly regular basis.
Store and dispose of oil soaked rags properly.
Required materials for this project.
If you choose to refinish keep these things in mind.
Flooring experts estimate that hardwood floors can be sanded for refinishing up to 10 times depending on the thoroughness of the sanding and the level of wear and tear on the floor.
You also want to rent a handheld power edge sander for sanding tight against walls and in corners and doorways.
Both units have a vacuum and dust bag system to minimize the amount of sanding dust left.
If your floor is thinner than 3 4 you may want hire a pro to avoid.
This is an intensive process that strips everything from the floor by grinding it down to the natural wood underneath all that shine.
If you ignored the need to refinish you could end up with hardwood floors that are very damaged which might even require replacement planks.