Hardwood Flooring Designs

Hardwood Flooring Patterns

With proper planning and preparation any diy (do it yourself) home handyman can easily rejuvenate any hardwood floor and bring back it's warm, rich and very inviting ambience.  Although hardwoods floor have a special value in a home, over time they become scratched, marred and scuffed.  The finish becomes warn to the point where it is non-existent and no longer provides any protection to the surface.

Planning involves deciding on colors and gloss factors in finishes.  There are a vast number of stain types, colors and finishes that are now available.  Your local paint or home improvement retailer will have samples of the products on display.  Hardwood floor coloring is a combination of the species of wood; its grain and the density of the fibers and the color of the stain.  A oak stain applied to a bare pine floor will produce a completely different color than an oak stain applied to a bare oak floor.  If at all possible test the stain on a piece of the flooring to make sure that the outcome is satisfactory.

Once you have decided on your color and finish you need to proceed with the room preparation:

Remove everything from the room:

Everything must be removed from the room including drapes, window treatments and if possible light fixtures and chandeliers.  If you can't remove the light fixtures, remove the bulbs and cover them with plastic.  Although most power sanders come equipped with integral vacuums to such up the dust, they will not get it all and there will be a layer of fine dust throughout the room.  If you are going to replace the baseboard molding, it is best to remove it before you commence sanding.

Prepare the room for dust containment:

You must use dust containment methods to keep the dust within the room that you are refinishing.  The dust from sanding will permeate your entire home as it will stick to shoes and clothes, it will nest in your hair and it remains airborne for extended periods of time.  Make sure that you cover all return air ducts with plastic to avoid having the HVAC system send the dust throughout the home.

Remove any wax and dirt:

In order to get the smoothest floor possible you must remove any wax and dirt that is currently there.  If pieces of wax or dirt imbed themselves in the sandpaper it will create scratch marks on the surface of the hardwood.  Wax and dirt can be removed with a good quality floor wax remover and the dirt can be removed with soap and water.

Sand the floor:

If you are doing any reasonable size area it is wise to use a floor sander.  Hand held belt and pad sanders will leave track marks and will take an exceptionally long time to complete the project.  Floor sanders are readily available at most equipment rental stores.  Sanding a large area such as a floor is no different than sanding a small piece of wood.  You start with a course grit and then use finer grits in stages.  Power floor sanders will not get into the corners or tight up against edges.  To sand those areas you will need a random orbital sander using the same system as before - starting with a course grit and moving to finer grits in stages.

Remove the dust:

Once you have completed all the sanding you must clean the room of all latent dust.  The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a vacuum with a HEPA grade filter.  Following vacuuming use a tack rag to wipe down the floor and walls.  Pay special attention to dust accumulation above windows and door frames.

Stain the floor:

Apply the stain, if you are changing the natural color of the hardwood.  Follow the manufacturer's instructions closely.  Make sure the area is properly ventilated.

Apply the clear finish coats:

The finish coat should be a high quality polyurethane made for hardwood floors.  In most cases you will require at minimum a second coat and it is best if you can allow the floor to dry overnight before attempting the second application.  In high traffic areas you should consider a third coat.  Some finishing products require sanding between coats.  Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

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