[biddlecom]

Hello,
I am redoing my hardwood floors. I will be sanding them down and then staining with Wood Finish Golden Oak Oil-Based Interior Stain link below and then poly with Semi-Gloss Super Fast-Drying Polyurethane for Floors link below.
I been researching online how to redo hardwood floors and everyone does it different. So my question is how do I do them so they are nice and smooth?
In my head I will sand with 60, 80, 100 (orbital), then 1 coat stain, then 1 coat poly - light sanding, then 1 more coat of poly?
Are there sealers I should use or others things im forgetting? I do have little dime size gaps through some of the boards that I will just fill in with the 100 grit dust and some squeaks that I will nail down. any help would be appreciated.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-1...olyurethane-for-Floors-2-Pack-13024/202062678
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-1...l-Based-Interior-Stain-2-Pack-71071/202062711

 

[Daniel Holzman]

I am not trying to discourage you, but I will relate our personal experience. My wife and I have tried to refinish several hardwood floors over the years, using rented orbital sanding equipment. We found that the equipment was difficult to use well. It is easy to have the equipment run away on you, then you oversand the floor. Or you don't get a perfectly flat surface. Or you don't sand enough. There are a surprisingly large number of things that can go wrong, and I have gained great respect for professional floor mechanics who have the expertise and knowledge to do a floor refinishing project correctly. The finishing is also not as easy as it seems, especially if you plan to stain. Easy to get blotchy finish with stain, especially on certain types of wood like oak.

My conclusion is that there are certain projects like floor refinishing and drywall that look pretty easy, but turn out to be hard to get right, and the money you save may be less than you think, when you add in the cost of rental, transport of the unit back and forth, and the divorce that results when the final product fails to meet the specifications of the significant other. At least get a few bids from reputable local floor finishers, then decide.

 

[joecaption]

Could not agee more.
Even I hire this one out, they can do it faster, less mess, and come out better.

 

[biddlecom]

Well, I have to do it on my own. So any help with the process would be great.

 

[ddawg16]

I've done one floor....getting ready to do a lot more.

I pulled up flooring from where the kitchen is going to be expanded (tile will go in it's place) and I'm putting it down in my pub. Right after Xmas I'm going to do the pub, one bedroom, hallway and the dining room.



I've had good luck using the square pad sander.

There are two types of sanders....pad and belt. The belt is a lot quicker but if you are not careful, it will take off more than you want.

I just use the pad....start off with course and work my way up to fine.

It's one of those things you can't rush.

One of the most important parts....keeping it clean. After I vacuum...I take the leave blower or compressed air and blow it out...then vac again...then go over it with a tack cloth.

I use a hand DA sander for the hard to reach places and touch-ups.

Once the stain is down, you can locate any spots you missed....sand and re-stain.

When it comes time for the varnish....I can't stress how important it is to be clean. When you think you have it clean....clean again.

I'll be sending the family (and dog) over to the in-laws for a few days while I'm dong the floors. I'm going to be doing about 600 sq ft so I have my work cut out for me.

Side note....once I have it sanded, I wear a cheap pair of white socks. They pick up any dirt and if I have 'any' missed nails or splinters...they will find them.

 

[biddlecom]

I've done one floor....getting ready to do a lot more.

I pulled up flooring from where the kitchen is going to be expanded (tile will go in it's place) and I'm putting it down in my pub. Right after Xmas I'm going to do the pub, one bedroom, hallway and the dining room.



I've had good luck using the square pad sander.

There are two types of sanders....pad and belt. The belt is a lot quicker but if you are not careful, it will take off more than you want.

I just use the pad....start off with course and work my way up to fine.

It's one of those things you can't rush.

One of the most important parts....keeping it clean. After I vacuum...I take the leave blower or compressed air and blow it out...then vac again...then go over it with a tack cloth.

I use a hand DA sander for the hard to reach places and touch-ups.

Once the stain is down, you can locate any spots you missed....sand and re-stain.

When it comes time for the varnish....I can't stress how important it is to be clean. When you think you have it clean....clean again.

I'll be sending the family (and dog) over to the in-laws for a few days while I'm dong the floors. I'm going to be doing about 600 sq ft so I have my work cut out for me.

Side note....once I have it sanded, I wear a cheap pair of white socks. They pick up any dirt and if I have 'any' missed nails or splinters...they will find them.

So the process is sand, stain, poly, light sand, poly?

 

[RegeSullivan]

I agree with the guys who answered your post essentially suggesting this is not a DIY friendly project especially if you are living in the house. If you just have to DIY here are a couple of thing I learned from the experience.

Remove everything from the room or rooms that ain't nailed down. Take out any trim touching the floor, you will probably ruin it anyway. Rent a orbital or even better square pad sander, NOT a belt sander. Buy or rent a hand held sander to get the edges and corners even it you think the square pad sander will do it all.

Start with 60 grit, stay away from 40-50 grit, it's to aggressive for a beginner. Then 80, 100, 120. I know some would go to 140 but I feel 120 is fine enough. This is important - thoroughly clean all the dust and grit before moving onto the next finer grit. Vacuum, blow, vacuum, vacuum again just to be sure. Every little piece of grit left behind will create scratches. Extra cleaning pays off every time. I use a HEPA filter on a shop vac which helps later in the process. They are about $40 and well worth the money and most of them are washable.

Sealer? Maybe. It depends on how the wood takes the stain. I figure it can't hurt but I did not use one so I really can help you much on that one. Stain as evenly as you can and correct any problem areas before moving on to the finish coat. Finish will not hide any problem they will make them standout, keep that in mind.

If you think you are all cleaned up and ready to apply the finish, clean again. Figure out a way to stop the dust, blocking registers and returns, plastic on entryways turn off the furnace, run a couple of air filters for a day before you apply the finish. What ever you can do to eliminate dust. With a high gloss finish dust is your enemy. Consider a satin or at least semi-gloss. It is a little forgiving and help hide some of the "character" your floor will develop with use.

Things to consider before you put all the work into it. A pro will be finished in a few days, it might take you a few weeks. I only saved about half of what it would cost to have a pro do it and about the same as what a new DIY pre-finished floor would have cost. When all said and done I felt it was not worth it. You will have places that are not perfect so be sure you can live with that, even the pros are not perfect but somehow it's easier to live with. Keep in mind, your family and friends will walk on this floor and not understand how much work you put into it so make peace with that before cousin Eddie drops his pocket knife on it or your son's hot girlfriend drives a divot in it with her heels.

Please post pictures of your progress if you go ahead with it. Whatever you decide good luck.

 

[ddawg16]

I concur with the above....

But me being the ultimate DIY'r....I'll do it myself.

As noted, unless you are doing 1 bedroom that can be closed off to the rest of the house, then plan on not living there while you are doing it. That is why my family is going to grannies....

 

[biddlecom]

So I don't want to rent a buffer to do the light sand. Can I just use an orbital floor sander with 220 grit instead of a screen on a buffer?

 

[ddawg16]

So I don't want to rent a buffer to do the light sand. Can I just use an orbital floor sander with 220 grit instead of a screen on a buffer?

Depends on how large the area is. That could take a long time.

I'd rent the sander from HD. The time saved is worth the money.

 

[biddlecom]

Depends on how large the area is. That could take a long time.

I'd rent the sander from HD. The time saved is worth the money.

Well I have a 3 disc orbital floor sander im renting for a week. Could I just put 3 sheets of 220 grit sand paper on that and do that as the screen buff?

 

[RegeSullivan]

I thought you only screened a floor if you were trying to save the old finish and wanted to re-coat an existing finish?

Anything you need to smooth or buff out after you sanded and completely refinished the floor you should be able to do by hand. I can imagine needing to buff a freshly finished floor.

 

[biddlecom]

I thought you only screened a floor if you were trying to save the old finish and wanted to re-coat an existing finish?

Anything you need to smooth or buff out after you sanded and completely refinished the floor you should be able to do by hand. I can imagine needing to buff a freshly finished floor.

So i cant get 220 grit for the 3 disk orbital sander. The finest I can get is 100. When I coat with poly can i just use the 100 grit quickly to texture the floor?

 

[1acre]

you'll most likely need multiple coats of poly. and you'll quickly learn why poly is rarely used by any professionals who finish wood outside of flooring. poly is very slow to dry, and to make it "fast drying," they reduce solvent, making the solids content go up. hopefully, your very patient in letting the coats cure.

imo, 100 grit is too corse between coats of finish, but it is only dependent on the eye of those who are scrutinizing.

finally, a warning that oak is a terribly difficult wood to finish. I'd stick with a gel stain or a pure dye stain which has no pigment.

 

[Jmayspaint]

In between coat sanding can be done with a drywall sander like this one

The old style rectangle kind will work too, they're just not as easy to use. Put some 220 on there and sand in the direction of the grain. The three orbital floor sander you'll be using is overkill and too aggressive for the in between coat sand

You could also do it with a regular 5 inch random orbital sander.


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[LanterDan]

I refinished some hardwood stairs, a landing and a very small office recently. Between coats I used a drywall sander similar to what Jmayspaint showed (and just a sanding block on the stairs themselves). I believe all you are really trying to accomplish here is to knock down the dust nubs. All I gave it was a very light sanding.

I'll also warn you that I've not generally heard good things about Miniwax products from those who know more about finishing than myself. I also don't believe in staining wood, but that is a personal choice. (FWIW I used Bona Traffic over Drifast sealer, but I'm sure there are many options that would work well here).

I found a lot of helpful advice on the website of a place called Pete's Hardwood Floors.

I'll also warn you to be careful. I hurt my back from all the bending over, ended up a missing close to a week of work, and am still having issue two months later but am getting better. Be sure to get up and stretch regularly.

-Dan

 

[biddlecom]

you'll most likely need multiple coats of poly. and you'll quickly learn why poly is rarely used by any professionals who finish wood outside of flooring. poly is very slow to dry, and to make it "fast drying," they reduce solvent, making the solids content go up. hopefully, your very patient in letting the coats cure.

imo, 100 grit is too corse between coats of finish, but it is only dependent on the eye of those who are scrutinizing.

finally, a warning that oak is a terribly difficult wood to finish. I'd stick with a gel stain or a pure dye stain which has no pigment.

what benefit would the gel stain have over the liquid stain?

 

[RegeSullivan]

I did not find it necessary to sand between coats. I believe sometimes you will have the fibers in the wood lift and sanding is required only after the first coat. If I did need to sand I would not use 100. As Jmayspaint suggests a pole sander and 220 is probably the way to go. Do not use a power sander for sanding between coats.

If you minimize the dust and re-coat within the recommended time you should be O.K. If you have days between coats you may need to sand for proper adhesion.

 

[danpik]

I assume by the questions you are asking, you either have the old finish removed or are comfortable in doing so. If so you have the tough, tricky work out of the way. When you remove the old finish, do not just fill the gaps with sawdust. You are asking for failure down the road. There are products on the market for filling gaps in hardwood floors that will hold up just fine. (don't recall the names of them at the moment) The finishing advice you have gotten so far has been good. Personally, I would give the floor a coat of sanding sealer first if staining to prevent the blotchiness look you will get from the stain. Three coats of finish with a light sanding between the last two coats should work fine.

 

[Jmayspaint]

Yeah, I don't know about the sawdust idea either. If your thinking it will take stain similarity to the wood, it won't. It will absorb much more stain and be darker. Mixed with wood filler can be better, but I'm not a fan of that method myself.

The sanding sealer suggestion is a good one, just do a test to make sure it'll give you the color you want. Generally, such coatings used as a pre-stain are reduced to some extent depending on the depth of color you're trying to achieve.


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