Restore Your Hardwood Floors to Their Original Beauty

Hardwood floors are absolutely beautiful fixtures in any house and many people largely prefer this look to any other type of flooring. Like any type of wood, however, hardwood floors tend to accumulate a dull look over the years as they age and endure frequent use and abuse. Fortunately, refinishing these floors is not as difficult as many are led to believe. This article will lead you through easy to follow steps that will undoubtedly restore any hardwood floor’s original shine and luster.

The most important part of restoring hardwood floors is in the preparation. First, all furniture and other furnishings need to be removed from the room. Next, carefully remove the shoe moldings from the baseboards and set them aside in a safe location. These will be put back on the baseboards when the project is completed. Make certain that any loose floorboards are securely nailed down and remove protruding nails in the floor either by pulling them out or sinking them below the surface. Also remove any tacks or other objects that might tear or damage sandpaper.

This project requires a drum sander as well as a disk sander. Fortunately, you will not need to purchase these either of these tools as many local stores will rent them to you at a fair price. The drum sander will handle the major part of the floor restoration. The disk sander will be used for the tighter and more difficult to reach spots such as along baseboards, inside closets, or stair treads. If you need to know how to operate either of these machines, the renter will be able to demonstrate for you before the equipment is taken home.

The initial drum sanding should be performed using a coarse sandpaper belt. The first pass across the entire room with the drum sander should be made with the grain of the floorboards until the bare wood is exposed. Overlap with the area that was just sanded when the drum is moved to an unsanded area. Several passes may be needed to fully expose the wood. A full pass should then be made across the floor using a finer grit sandpaper. All difficult to reach areas and the floor along the baseboards should be sanded using the disk sander. After all the sanding work has been completed, the floor should be thoroughly cleaned using a vacuum cleaner and attachment.

A good sealant will provide your floors with a durable surface that is resistant to scratches and is moisture-proof. You have the choice between varnish, sellac, lacquer, or a polyurethane sealant to protect the floors. Whatever sealant you choose should now be applied to the floor in two coats and allowed at least three full days to completely dry.

The final step involves applying a polishing wax specifically designed for hardwood floors. This wax should be buffed into the wood using a soft cloth by hand or renting an electric buffer that can essentially do the work for you. Allow this coat to dry and then apply and buff again. After both coats have been applied and the floor is dry, the shoe molding can be reattached. The floors in your house will now look as beautiful as they decades ago!