Many people decide to get into floor refinishing on a whim. They peel back the carpet in a living room or bedroom, discover gorgeous wood and the dream begins. DIY refinishing of a floor can be a pretty big project, but it also is great practice for wood refinishing! Once you’ve finished an entire floor, you’ll be an expert.
First you need to start by removing any existing sealer, paint or stain. How you do this depends on what type of finish the floor already had. You may have to use a paint remover before sanding.
Make sure any nails are pounded in below the surface of the wood. You don’t want them ripping through your sander, so take the time to look over the entire floor. Floor refinishing can definitely be time consuming, but DIY refinishing is worth it. You’ll learn everything about wood refinishing from start to finish just on one floor.
Get a sander if you don’t have one. The orbital ones are easiest to use, but you should practice on scrap wood before you start in on the floor. Make sure you get a smooth, even finish by starting with a heavy grit and moving to a finer one for the final sanding. Eventually, you should get to 100 grit paper.
To stain, clear the floor first of any sanding dust. Then apply the stain in one corner where it won’t be noticed, to test. If you want a heavier stain, use a brush, for lighter applications, use rags instead.
Finally, apply a sealant to complete the floor. This should be applied with either a brush or a roller. Make sure you apply with the grain for a more even finish.
Wood refinishing might take a while, but when you’re finished, your DIY refinishing skills will be great and floor refinishing won’t pose a problem anymore.
