Need suggestion for hardwood resurface

yaemish · 10-09-2011, 05:14 PM

My floors were installed in 1936 and they are in pretty good shape. The previous owner indicated that he had "refinished" all the floors five years ago. I suspect that refinish should be used lightly. I think that he just put some Lowes Varathane oil based down and called it a day. My two dogs are killing the floor and I need to put something down.

After doing some research I decided that I would be putting down some Streetshoe 275. I'm just unsure of what my preparation steps need to be. I also want to keep the color as is and I don't think that I need to go down and stain them. I have some grey areas as well, will sanding these areas a bit allow them to blend back in when I sand? Will I need to seal the floor before finishing with Streetshoe?

This shows some of the grey and scratches.

A closer shot.

**oh'mike** · 10-09-2011, 06:06 PM

Sorry,but that floor needs sanding---no more 'good on top of bad'--

In the early days of hardwood the floors frequently were mopped with hot wax and buffed---

No finish will bond to that---I suspect that is why your floors look so bad from the dogs--

His 'refinish' was a top coat that didn't bond to the old finish---so full sanding will be required--

---Mike----

yaemish · 10-09-2011, 06:54 PM

I was assuming that I would be hearing that. So for the full sanding. What grit and how deep do I go? Are my floors stained or is that a natural color that I will see when I put the finish on it?

**oh'mike** · 10-09-2011, 07:21 PM

That is a natural color---however, it will take some time to ever get that again.

Oil based poly will add a nice amber tint---and time will add the deeper color you have now.

As to the sanding---I really don't know--it's been 23 years since the last floor I actually finished ---

Someone here will know---stay tuned----Mike---

yaemish · 10-09-2011, 07:54 PM

I did read about screening and refinishing. The stuff there now is oil based and I will be using a water based later. For anyone that follows up, could I simply screen and re-coat with the Streetshoe 275?

Floor Doc · 10-10-2011, 08:49 AM

No . You have to sand it down to the bare wood .

yaemish · 10-10-2011, 08:06 PM

can anyone tell me what the wood is? Is it Merbau? I'm nervous about sanding and not having the color even be close to that.

**oh'mike** · 10-10-2011, 08:12 PM

Looks like red oak--the most common wood used in flooring---

Floor Doc · 10-10-2011, 09:28 PM

That would be my guess also .

yaemish · 10-10-2011, 09:58 PM

I need to take some more pictures in the morning when I have some day light. The guide linked below made me think that it was merbau because of how dark some of the water stained spots got.

http://www.woodfloordoctor.com/_prod...pe/index.shtml

**oh'mike** · 10-11-2011, 07:06 AM

Red oak contains tannic acid-- when exposed to water the wood will turn gray----

As a finish wears ---and the wood is exposed to water---those gray patches will appear---

That is another 'tell' that the flooring is red oak.

bob22 · 10-11-2011, 10:56 AM

I doubt merbau was being imported for flooring in the 1930s.

yaemish · 10-12-2011, 10:17 PM

Thanks for all the help thus far. Here is a shot of where my two rooms meet. The photo shows how the two differ. The photo color isn't perfect but the far room was the one I posted earlier in the thread and the closer floor in the other room. This floor is going to be redone at the same time and right now it is a bit yellow.

First thing, are the woods the same or does one appear to be white oak? I am going to guess that the closer room had a polly coat laid down because the finish is much thicker than the other room. The color isn't as dark. Maybe the first room was never refinished and that is just how the wood looks.

The floors don't need to match, but I would like the room that was earlier identified as red oak to be as close to the same color as possible when I refinish. I don't really want to go messing with stains. I know I won't get the warmth out of the water based finish, but from those of you with experience.... will my color be anywhere near what it is now?