Enter Sandman: Why Sanding Unfinished Hardwood Floors is Important

Let’s face it: sanding is not much fun for most people. It can demand a lot of effort, and result in a lot noise and mess. It often seems like a real trial to homeowners, building managers and office building tenants, knowing that the beauty and strength of custom hardwood floors is some distance away from being realized when still at the sanding stage. However, it is an extremely important stage in the process of installing a custom hardwood floors solution that is meant to last for as long as the property will. As such, it deserves attention, and a certain level of dedication on the part of the installer.

Why bother sanding?

One of the best means of getting down to any job and doing it well is to know the reasons why it is so important to the whole project. As far as sanding custom hardwood floors, there are a number of reasons why it is vital to the success of your overall project, some of which have to do with your specific situation. Overall, sanding is a way to make sure that the surface you will be transforming is free of any materials that will disallow proper absorption of stain or finish. This is true both of custom hardwood floors that are being re-finished, or custom hardwood floors that are to be finished for the first time.

Protection

Since stains and/or finishes serve as a protective barrier for custom hardwood floors and are an integral part of maintaining the lifelong health of the floor, making sure that it is absorbed correctly is imperative. Elements like dirt, old paint layers, or even the remnants of old stain or finish can hinder this goal. Therefore, sanding is absolutely necessary to a custom hardwood floor’s installation and its ultimate value to the property.