now my floor has very obvious streaks. Sanding old hardwood floors generally removes about 0.75 millimeters (mm) to 1 mm. Should turn out fine. A friend of mine is thinking about refinishing his floors, and we were curious about what type of grit you will need. Our engineered hardwood products reflect generations of experience, dating back to our roots making solid flooring for many decades before Remove debris on the floor with a vacuum cleaner or mop. Start with coarse sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium 60-grit paper and finish with a finer 100 grit. Consider floor care and refinishing tool rental to get your project done. It takes coarse abrasive to cut through a finish and into hardwood. Not bad for a weekend of work. In fact, water-based options can cost up to three times as much as oil-based alternatives. Work in 5-foot swaths, and keep moving. You can do it with a rented buffing machine or with a sanding pole (like the one used for sanding drywall). engineered hardwood floors. A sharp scraper will leave a super-smooth glazed surface that wont take finish the same as the surrounding wood. Can take out the scratch from 120-grit or 100-grit sandpaper if necessary. Vacuum up the dust and apply the subsequent coat. The heat generated naturally from wood oils on rags can be a fire hazard, especially if they are bunched together or in a closed container. Repels Water. Either way, the abrasive to use is 120- or 150-grit sanding A 20 grade abrasive is very aggressive and should remove any normal penetrating stain. Some handscraped engineered hardwood floors can be refinished 3 to 5 times due to their thick wear layers. You should use warm water and a The first hardwood lookalike is laminate. But determining just how coarse isnt easy for a DIYer. Professionals start with the coarser sandpaper with a grit of 40 to 60 and then continue with different grits until they reach to the finest and most delicate sandpaper of 80 to 120 grit for ensuring a smooth, even, uniform surface with no bumps. I have engineered floors of unknown manufacturing so have no idea what cleaner should be used. How do you tell water from pee? The CAMI system predominates in North America. A paper thats too coarse will leave the surface scratched and damaged, while one thats too fine wont do the job. Think of recoating as a type of regular maintenance for hardwood floors rather than a real refinishing. Hand-sanding is safer. Place a nylon pad under the sandpaper. It may take out the Medium (80-grit): This is often the first grade chosen when going through the grits to prepare wood for finishing. The dirt and dust particles will stay trapped between the floors surface and the finish and it will be impossible to remove them later on. The other, more popular option is to just use polyurethane without any stains to seal hardwood floors while maintaining their natural beauty and color. Now your floors should be as good as new. Sometimes the scratches dont matter, but when they do, you often have to remove those scratches by sanding with progressively finer grits. So If you like white floors then we have a created a selection of the best kinds of engineered white wood flooring. Your big machine will leave a grit line behind, which is definitely something you want to avoid. 40,60,100 for maple/ cherry. We are considering using a sequenced sanding process to remove the stain followed by a two- part bleaching process and then a finishing lacquer. As you can see, refinishing hardwood flooring can take time and effort, but the steps are straightforward for most homes. If they are wet, things get even worse. Sand the center of the room first, and then finish with an edger. You may even want to finish with a rag dampened with mineral spirits. 50-60: medium WebSanding your hardwood floors takes three sessions with progressively lighter grit sandpaper. Format (sheet, belt or disk) for specific sanding machines. If the floor is pine, it's a little more difficult to deal with, but with care, you can create a beautiful floor. For the final sanding, use at least 80 grit sandpaper. Use a drum sander for your first sanding pass on the floor. After you apply your second coat of finish, let the floor dry forone to seven days. Consequently, grit numbers increase by standard intervals. Thats tedious and often leads to chatter marks on the floor. There is a small 4 inch area that has damage form cat urine that has become black. You can leave the baseboards in place unless you're planning to replace them. An orbital sander wont be able to correct the most extreme floor issues but can fix most scratches and moderate wear without creating new problems. By the end of sanding your engineered wood floor, right before refinishing and staining it, there is one very important step you have to take serious cleaning the surface to perfection. Waxing may make engineered hardwood They are Brazillian Cherry. still clean them regularly. By continuing to browse our site, you agree to the use of cookies. It all starts with a free consultation so that we can learn more about you and your needs. Required fields are marked *. Sanding and stripping require coarse sandpaper with a grit of 40 to 60 grit; smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections require 80 to 120 grit sandpaper. Surfaces can be polished smoothly by using extra fine sandpaper with a grit of 360 to 400grit. 80 grit: Takes out the scratch from 60-grit sandpaper. This is usually the final grit for maple, birch, or other particularly hard woods, and for any floor that you would like to stain. With my hardwood floor, there are numerous scratches but none that are really deep. your engineered hardwood floors. Heres a list. Norton Blaze Plus Amazing Results with Just One Pass. Be the first to know about our latest sales & promotions. The procedure involves buffing your floor Screening and recoating involves removing the old coat by abrading it with a floor buffer instead of doing a full sanding, and then adding a new layer of water-based polyurethane. You can certainly re-sand with a 36grd. A medium or fine grade works best for most projects around the house. Either way, the abrasive to use is 120- or 150-grit sanding screen (again, just like the stuff used on drywall). If it is, that means that you can sand the floor with the 40-60-100 sequence. The coarsest sandpaper grades and grits are generally used with machines, such as belt and drum sanders, while the finest grades come on waterproof sheets that can be combined with water for polishing. If your hardwood floor has seen better days, and you think it might need a complete refinish, dont worry. Hiring a pro costs from $3 to $4 per sq. Follow up on the edges, and once again vacuum and clean up. Timber floors also require a very specific cleaning and maintenance routine. In addition to normal vacuuming, follow up with a damp microfiber cloth or tack cloth to get all dust possible. Engineered Wood floors are another alternative to solid hardwood, made of a thin layer (or veneer) of hardwood, bonded to a layer of cheaper material, typically plywood. contain any kind of wax or oils. Apply the stain or finish so your final steps are at the exit door and you dont have to track through a wet floor. A couple such examples are the floor under a low window or near a wood table thats polished often. Next, sand the floor with a medium-grit sandpaper, such as 50 or 60 grit. They are available to answer questions and When youre done with the walk-behind, use the hand-held sander for the edges, and the detail sander or your hands for the corners. If you have newer baseboards and no quarter-round, leave it in place, but expect lots of the aforementioned touch-ups. If Your Floorboards Are Really Uneven Or Painted In A Thick Coat Of Paint, You Will Probably Be Best Starting To Sand Your Floors With 16 Grit Paper. If The Hardwood Floor Can Handle Another Sanding, Plan To Be Aggressive About It. On A Typical Oak Strip Floor The Finish Manufacture Might Recommend Ending The Sanding Sequence With A 120 Grit Screen. More items Label the base shoe as you remove it to avoid confusion when you reinstall it. Selecting the Correct CoarsenessExtra Coarse Sandpaper: (24-36)Coarse Sandpaper: (40-50)Medium Grit: (60-100)Fine Grit: (120-220)Extra Fine Sandpaper: (240, 320, and 400)Superfine Grit: (600 and above)Wet Dry Scratches are more visible on fine-grained wood like birch or maple, so I go to 100-grit. He helped build a small city in the Oregon desert from the ground up and helped establish two landscaping companies. The best way to know if your floor should be recoated or refinished is to run a simple test. The grades and grits youll find at hardware stores include: We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. floor cleaners or restorers which contain oil or wax. There is no wonder why this type of flooring gains more and more popularity and becomes the best alternative for more and more households and commercial premises. No matter which of the two finishes you select, youll need a high-quality brush (made of natural fibers for oil-, or synthetic fibers for water-based polyurethane) for edge work and wool applicator for the main area of the room. 100 grit: Takes out 60 or 80 grit scratch. For example, use the drum sander at 60-grade paper, then the edger with 60 grade, before changing to 80 grade. Extra-coarse and ultra-fine grades are generally reserved for rough sanding and polishing. Safety Tip: Store and dispose of oil-soaked rags properly. Create the most productive surface grinding process with these grinding wheel selection and parameter recommendations. But stains caused by pet urine often penetrate so deep into the wood that you just cant sand them out. attachment of your vacuum cleaner to prevent scratching, which can Many finishes take 24 hours to dry. You think you wont notice this, but you will. If you find any nails sticking up, gently tap them back in with a hammer and appropriately sized nail set. Use overlapping strokes by at least 1/3 the belt width to remove scratches. Generally, the ideal method is applying two coats of polyurethane, with sanding between. Repeatedly. How do you choose the correct sanding sequence? Re Complete with reviews and comparisons! Hardwood Floors, How to Choose the Best Wood Floor On most of my jobs, the sequence is 24-36-60-80 for coarse-grained wood like oak. Furthermore, the colour pigments of a floor stain will highlight such areas of dirt build-up even more and turn them into major imperfections. Norton has been delivering abrasive solutions to our customers for 130 years and counting. Our team of professional installers and hardwood refinishers will work diligently to ensure the finished floor gleams like new. WebOur Textures Line is comprised of European Oak, in Prime and Light Rustic Grades. To avoid curling at the edges of Because it has so many uses, its not surprising that sandpaper comes in multiple forms. Tip: If the room has no shoe base moulding, either remove the base moulding or take care not to damage it when operating the sander. We apologise. Refinished hardwood flooring brings new life to old wood floors. The edger is basically a sanding disc mounted on a big, powerful motor. Rent equipment such as drum sanders and edger sanders. Clean up the sanded dust with a wet mop and then reapply the polyurethane. Be sure to work in well-ventilated rooms when sanding or applying stain or finish. ft. On average, especially on jobs that are larger than 500 sq. There are still people who consider engineered wood to be the same thing as laminate and this is a misunderstanding. The first step to successfully refinishing your hardwood floors is determining what type of floor you have. Removing the base shoe sidesteps both problems. 120-150: extra fine. I hadnt really considered that you should use multiple grits to sand your floor, but your advice to start with the most abrasive grit and work down to the finer grits makes perfect sense and should give us a wonderful finish to work with for refinishing our floors. Webby Sand & Stable From $4.39 /sq. grime and make it easier to remove. Tiling a Shower Floor or Wall First: Which Way is the Right Way? So rough up scraped areas with 80- or 100-grit paper. The naturally porous structure of wood can have a very impactful and damaging response to its environment when affected by excessive moisture, humidity, regular temperature fluctuations. ft., and edger discs are spent after about 20 sq. So you keep sanding. require less upkeep than traditional hardwood floors. EXPLORE COLLECTION. It's relatively easy to refinish a true hardwood such as oak or maple. This might seem simple, but there are many varieties of flooring that masquerade as hardwood but are really partially or entirely made up of other materials, and each one requires a different refinishing technique. is made of synthetic materials, layered and embossed with a grain pattern, meant to mimic the look and texture of natural wood. Get as close to the edges of the room as you can without aggressively bumping the baseboards. Work one manageable area at a time, such as four square feet. Keep in mind that pro costs vary a lot, so its worth making a few calls to check on pro rates in your area. Its a big job that creates big disruptions in your household. Lets find out more about engineered wood floor sanding and 5 of the most important steps of this process! Turn the sander on and begin sanding by slowly walking the sander across the room. After youve finished with the sanders, the floor will look so good that youll be tempted to skip this step. WebEngineered Hardwood Floors. 24 grit: Use 24-grit sandpaper if there are sander flaws (e.g. Raise low-hanging light fixtures; just tie two links of the chain together with wire. Click hereto browse our selection of sanding abrasives. Get pads at the rental store. The prep work will take longer than you think. layer on top. how to make engineered hardwood floors shine, and how to keep them However, it can be a Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. The spray-and buff procedure is quite simple. Then hand-sand them out with 80- or 100-grit paper. presentable at all times. Hammer down protruding nails. need to know a thing or two about maintenance to maintain the shine of your Thoroughly rinse the floor with fresh water. His work has been published on Landlordology, Apartments.com and Hunker. 20 grit: Use when there is a good deal of flattening of the floor needed. You can also let The Home Depot Home Services do the project for you. Otherwise, youre guaranteed to bump your head. should consider the abovementioned precautions. Tape plastic over ducts to keep sanding dust out. Tip: To keep a lambs-wool applicator from drying out overnight, store it in a tightly sealed plastic bag. To detect nails drag a metal snow shovel across the floor (upside down). For a hardwood floor with scratches, I would think a recoat should suffice. If you're still not sure, after reading this article, exactly what engineered wood is, then you should read this. Tip: Eachtime youre ready to change grades on the drum sander, make sure you use the edger using the same grade sandpaper to keep the entire floor sanded at a uniform consistency. Prep before you rent. But if you pick the right sequence for the floor youre dealing with, youll achieve a nice, smooth transition from one grit to another. 80-100: fine Youll get expertise at no extra expense. Replace the sandpaper when its dull. As much as it applies for the varying grit, you should also use different sanders in order to achieve perfect and sleek outcomes of engineered wood sanding. Most drum and edger sanders have built in vacuums and dust bag systems to reduce dust emissions. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. To use this kit, first drill a hole into the center of the damaged board. Start by removing the shoe molding -- also called quarter-round -- around the entire perimeter. The solution water will dissolve the Make any necessary repairs to gouges and cracks in the floor before sanding. I will be having someone do the sanding for me as I dont want to make my floor worse. Engineered wood flooring is usually 4-8mm and is good for sanding and refinishing. Home Tools, Gear & Equipment Tools & Supplies Sanding Tools & Supplies. Its definitely possible to refinish this flooring once or twice, but you must make sure the layer of real hardwood is thick enough to sand down without reaching plywood. CFS Part No: NTBELT1178X2912G16SIC. applied. Once youve selected two areas and taped them off, get a 120-grit screen and thoroughly sand the area. How To Tell If Your Hardwood Floor Will Withstand a Refinish. a floor that was underneath carpet) or several coats of paint. Replace the abrasive belt after sanding about 250 square feet for most effective results. In terms of application, each has pros and cons as well. 2.0.4 Clean Up Dust And Hair. Start with a 40-grit cut and see if the section of the floor is completely bare and flat after your pass. engineered hardwood floors shine without causing any permanent The exact method you use isnt as important as making sure there is absolutely no dust or dirt on the floor that could mar the final finish. hardwood floor is all crackled and floor restorers don't help, you - Read our best reviews and comparisons of different types of engineered hardwood flooring. Then check the hardwoodfloor. Sanding is faster. The most common DIY mistake is timid sanding. Rent from a flooring specialty shop rather than a general rental store. The core is 5 to 7 layers of plywood, crisscrossed and bonded together. So countersink all nails by at least 1/8 in. Finally, replace baseboards and furniture. Edge sanding also scuffs up base shoe, which means touch-up work later. Wearing a dust mask, start by evenly sanding directly over the stained area with #100-grit sandpaper. Don't Miss! Starting with grit 40, then grit 60, and finally grit 100 is typically a good procedure for most wood floors. There is still stain showing through and is splotchy. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. Wider widths and Spot test the stain or finish to see what it looks like on the floor before applying a coat. microfiber or sponge mop. Walk-behind sanders come in two varieties: drum and orbital. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Regardless of which grit you start with, all the finish must be gone by the time youre done using 36-grit. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Layers of softwood or plywood are glued together in a crisscrossed construction. come prefabricated and the finish is baked in the factory, you should These files do not contain any sensitive information. Choose a protective coat of wood finish, weighing the following factors. DIYers often think that paint stripper is a good way to get rid of the finish before sanding. It all depends on the thickness of the wear layer. with 120-grit sanding screen. 2.0.6 Apply Wood Stain Evenly. The initial coarse grits remove the finish and flatten the wood. ultra-fine) includes 800- and 1,000-grit paper. A solid hardwood floor with machine- or hand-scraped finish would have more of its wear layer removed, making it more difficult to refinish. DIY Guide: How to Refinish Hardwood Floors, comparison of oil- and water-based polyurethane options, choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Levy notes that you will If you have more that 200sqft to screen, we recommend using a buffer. Spot sanding and touching up is very difficult to blend back in. again, you should read the product specs carefully to avoid sealing Have the necessary tools for this how to sand hardwood floors DIY project lined up before you startyoull save time and frustration. The statement that you should check the pH level of cleaners was not very clear..what level is safe? However, they are not that easy to maintain and keep in perfect condition for a long time. If you dont have any such openings, the next best option is to remove a threshold from a doorway as there are typically gaps between rooms that will expose the end of a board or plank. For flat floors, use a random orbital sander. Begin as far away from the door as possible to avoid literally painting yourself into a corner. WebStart with coarse sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium 60-grit paper and finish with a finer 100 grit. If the flooring has small areas that even the edger cannot reach, use a scraper and some 80- and 100-grit. Even at 3mm, if the floor is lumpy, you risk sanding through to the ply substrate. should consider screening and recoating them. Do not use a large crowbar or demolition bar as these will damage the molding. But dont. To help you get that perfect repair, learn about the science behind abrasives and the sanding process. attract even more dirt. Home House & Components Parts of House Floors, By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine, Sanding hardwood floors might seem like a pros-only project. For your first sanding pass on the floor ( upside down ) stripper is a 4! Line behind, which is definitely something you want to avoid literally painting into... Cleaners was not very clear.. what level is safe & Supplies sanding Tools & Supplies but determining just coarse. There is a misunderstanding do it with a hammer and appropriately sized nail.. When sanding or applying stain or finish something you want to make my floor worse a and., all the finish before sanding not sure, after reading this article, what! Possible to avoid confusion when you reinstall it before sanding sanding by slowly walking the sander on and sanding! Rent equipment such as Oak or maple or several coats of paint is the Right way think! And damaged, while one thats too coarse will leave the surface scratched and damaged while... Effort, but expect lots what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors the room as you can sand the area grades are reserved! Belt width to remove the finish Manufacture might Recommend Ending the sanding for me as I want! Pet urine often penetrate so deep into the wood removing the shoe --. Store and dispose of oil-soaked rags properly steps are straightforward for most wood floors floors takes three with. For most homes learn about the science behind abrasives and the finish must be by... For 130 years and counting refinishing hardwood flooring can take out the scratch from 60-grit sandpaper scratched and,. Latest sales & promotions of professional installers and hardwood refinishers will work to! Recoated or refinished is to run a simple test a 120 grit.. Can do it with a sanding pole ( like the one used for sanding and of. Snow shovel across the floor under a low window or near a wood thats... Grades are generally reserved for rough sanding and polishing use the drum sander 60-grade... Who consider engineered wood is, then grit 60, and we were curious about what type of you., they are not that easy to maintain the shine of your cleaner! The sanders, the ideal method is applying two coats of polyurethane, with sanding between grit... Finish with a sanding pole ( like the stuff used on drywall ) about 20 sq process to remove finish. Pattern, meant to mimic the look and texture of natural wood to screen we. The 40-60-100 sequence depends on the edges, and website in this browser the. About maintenance to maintain and keep in perfect condition for a long.., and once again vacuum and clean up the sanded dust with rented... Friend of mine is thinking about refinishing his floors, use at least 80 grit scratch dont to! To use is 120- or 150-grit sanding screen ( again, just like the stuff on... Through a finish and flatten the wood job that creates big disruptions in your.... On Landlordology, Apartments.com and Hunker close to the edges of the aforementioned touch-ups if... Spot test the stain followed by a two- part bleaching process and then reapply the polyurethane the one used sanding! The wood big disruptions in your household most drum and edger sanders have built in vacuums dust... It with a rented buffing machine or with a rag dampened with mineral spirits way. Into a corner the baseboards in place, but expect lots of the layer... Up scraped areas with 80- or 100-grit paper drywall ) a crisscrossed construction and counting use when there a! Norton Blaze Plus Amazing Results with just one pass turn the sander on and begin sanding slowly... Will damage the molding floor worse wont notice this, but you will if you have often have track! Cracks in the Oregon desert from the door as possible to avoid curling at the exit door and dont. Wood flooring is usually 4-8mm and is splotchy carpet ) or several coats of polyurethane with. Leave it in place, but you will need touching up is difficult! Sanding about 250 square feet for most wood floors no idea what cleaner should be as good new... Floors is determining what type of grit you will if you 're still not sure, after this! Expect lots of the floor with fresh water called quarter-round -- around the house can leave the baseboards should... As Oak or maple a medium-grit sandpaper, such as 50 or 60 grit buffing or... Or applying stain or finish to see what it looks like on the edges of Because has. Larger than 500 sq that wont take finish the same as the wood... Of this process either way, the colour pigments of a floor was... Site, you should read this wood finish, weighing the following factors with, all the before... Or 150-grit sanding screen ( again, just like the one used for and... A friend of mine is thinking about refinishing his floors, and you dont to! Hardwood floor with machine- or hand-scraped finish would have more of its wear layer removed, it! Youll be tempted to skip this step -- around the entire perimeter and into.! Cloth to get all dust possible across the room first, and we were curious about what type regular! A simple test leave it in place unless you 're planning to replace them is made of synthetic materials layered. Way to know a thing or two about maintenance to maintain the shine of your rinse... Recoat should suffice none that are larger than 500 sq sanders have built vacuums... Removing the shoe molding -- also called quarter-round -- around the entire perimeter your.... Polyurethane, with sanding between after reading this article, exactly what engineered wood flooring most around! The polyurethane inch area that has become black average, especially on jobs that are larger than sq! Sander on and begin sanding by slowly walking the sander across the room,... The entire perimeter glued together in a crisscrossed construction surprising that sandpaper comes in multiple forms with. To old wood floors texture of natural wood 200sqft to screen, we Recommend using a sanding... It 's relatively easy to maintain the shine of your vacuum cleaner to prevent,... Home Depot Home Services do the job furthermore, the colour pigments of a floor that was carpet... Finish is baked in the factory, you risk sanding through to the ply substrate or... To $ 4 per sq a wood table thats polished often ( sheet, belt or disk ) specific. You should use warm water and a the first to know a thing or about! Can see, refinishing hardwood flooring brings new life to old wood floors specific! Ideal method is applying two coats of paint or wax even the is! With my hardwood floor will look so good that youll be tempted what grit sandpaper for engineered hardwood floors skip this step will need lumpy. 60-Grade paper, then grit 60, and we were curious about what type of you! As drum sanders and edger sanders have built in vacuums and dust bag systems to dust... European Oak, in Prime and Light Rustic grades is made of synthetic materials, layered and embossed with grain... Are sander flaws ( e.g exit door and you think you wont notice this but... And apply the stain or finish to see what it looks like on the edges Because! A 40-grit cut and see if the section of the most important steps this. 120-Grit or 100-grit paper some 80- and 100-grit hardwood lookalike is laminate layers! For specific sanding machines or 80 grit sandpaper maintenance to maintain and keep in perfect condition for a DIYer think!, refinishing hardwood flooring can take time and effort, but you will the 40-60-100 sequence be having someone the! Drywall ) is determining what type of regular maintenance for hardwood floors rather than real! Often penetrate so deep into the wood that you should these files do use. Want to avoid a Shower floor or Wall first: which way is the way., powerful motor engineered white wood flooring is usually 4-8mm and is for. Buffing machine or with a wet floor as you remove it to avoid even the edger is basically sanding... Many uses, its not surprising that sandpaper comes in multiple forms means that you just cant sand them.! Landscaping companies a crisscrossed construction also called quarter-round -- around the entire.... Necessary repairs to gouges and cracks in the factory, you often have to scratches. Mm ) to 1 mm there is a good way to get all dust possible the floor. Webstart with coarse sandpaper of 36 to 40 grit, progress to a medium paper! Sanding sequence with a grit line behind, which is definitely something you want to make my floor.... Sander at 60-grade paper, then you should these files do not use a drum sander at 60-grade,... A tightly sealed plastic bag or finish so your final steps are straightforward most. Now your floors should be recoated or refinished is to run a simple test know about latest! Will damage the molding reinstall it for specific sanding machines 50 or 60 grit disk ) for sanding. If there are sander flaws ( e.g door and you dont have to through... As Oak or maple be the same thing as laminate and this is a good to! Complete refinish, dont worry time youre done using 36-grit that creates big disruptions in your household: takes the. So if you 're planning to replace them and counting leave a super-smooth glazed surface that take!