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Are you ready for some tips on flooring directly from a professional in the industry? This article is packed full of tips from someone who knows the business. Refinishing hardwood floors can be a tricky process. If you do not know exactly what you are doing, there are many things that can go awry. It takes a little forethought, research and planning as well as some patience and dexterity to create a professional looking finished surface on your flooring. However if you take the time to get all your ducks in a row from the start, it can be done by most any average homeowner with little to no experience in refinishing hardwood floors. And we all know that doing it yourself can save you a bundle of money.
The average cost to refinish a hardwood surface can run over five dollars per square foot. Considering the average sized job is between five hundred to a thousand or more square foot, it really adds up quick. Do it yourself and your only costs are the equipment rental, some wallpaper, a lamb's wool applicator and of course some stain and polyurethane. The stain being optional dependent upon the look you are going for. These items will run you a couple hundred dollars as opposed to the several thousand you would spend paying a contractor to do it for you.
The trickiest part of doing this job is the sanding. We've all seen improperly finished floors with waves, dull spots and uneven sheen. Allot of these problems stem from improper sanding technique. Those big drum sanders can be intimidating and they should be. If you do not keep them moving along the floor in a fluid motion, you will end up with pits or deep sanding marks. You may not even notice some of them right away, but after the finish dries you will get the classic wave syndrome. The trick is just to keep it moving and never apply pressure to the sander. Its own weight is sufficient to get an even sanded surface. Keep the contact with the floors direct and even and you will have a nice smooth surface.
Another area people commonly have difficulties in when trying to refinish their first floor is applying the finish evenly. They end up with dull spots in some areas as well as pooling or high spots in the finish. This is from improper brushing technique. Once again it is important to always work in a fluid motion. If you go over and area with more than two strokes you have done too much. Always work in one direction even covering the surface. It usually takes a solid three coats before it is going to look right so do not get nervous after the first one or two. Do not forget to sand in between applications, after it's dry of course, with a one hundred and twenty grit paper.
Follow these basic directions, study up before hand and you will end up with a pro style hardwood floor job for pennies on the dollar. The final tip I will give you is this: The important thing to remember is to never skimp on materials. You're saving enough money in labor to go ahead and buy the good stuff.
