Redoing hard wood floors

sarahmbuc

Hi,
I will be redoing some old hardwood floors that have been covered with carpet for about 30 years. The carpet and staples, etc are up and out, but there is a thin layer of paint or sealer someone put down. I need to sand and stain - so here are my questions:

- What kind of sander should I use? I have heard scary stories about drum sanders but I know they are fast. I have never used one before, should I give it a try or use something a little less dangerous?
- Stain – water or oil based? I hear water dries too fast but oil base can look kind of yellow.

Thanks!!
Sarah

Big Dave

For a DIYer I would recommend a 12"x18" orbital that can be had at rental stores. You will need to start with a course sandpaper and work up through the grits to at least a 100 grit. It will be much slower than a belt sander but you can't screw it up. Go slow with it too and let it do the work. You will need to use a ROS sander for along the edges. Stay away from Water based stains. Oil based stains will not yellow but oil based finishes will. You can use a Oil based stain and water based finish but be sure to let the stain dry for 24 hours before coating with a water based finish.

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