Putting a beautiful finish on your tired old floor can rejuvenate your home – all you need is patience and a steady wrist, says Hotproperty.
There are two types of hardwood floor - solid hardwood and wood with a veneer top. You can't sand the latter, as the surface is too thin, but solid hardwood floors can be sanded up to three times. If you don't know the history of your floor, you need to check that there is enough left to sand. Do this by lifting a section and checking that there is at least one-eighth of an inch of flooring left above the tongue.
Solid hardwood
A good power sander will remove most blemishes from floors. Hire a belt sanding machine - they're lighter and easier to control than other power sanders. Ask the rental shop how many belts they would recommend for your size of floor; you will be able to return any that are unused. As with all sandpapers, the belts come in a variety of grits - 24, 36, 80 and 100 - the lower the number the coarser the belt.
A good finish
This is all about patience. You will also need an edge sander and interchangeable discs, plus a floor buffer, ear plugs, dust mask and some vacuum bags for the rest of the job. To start, remove everything from the room, including the curtains. Cover all doorways and vents. Remove any protruding nails. Remove the existing varnish from the floor. Move the sander forward and at the end of the room retrace the same path back. Don't let the machine rest in one spot or you'll over-sand it.
The second round of sanding will remove the scratches made by the coarse grit belt. This time start sanding at the opposite end of the room. This will prevent grooving at the spot where you started last time. Use the edge sander for awkward corners. Vacuum the floor in between rounds. Repeat these steps and finish with a fine grit belt.
Now comes the fun part - buffing the floor. Move the buffer head slowly back and forth in an irregular pattern and allow a generous overlap. This action will bring up the grain and even out the finish. Keep a tight hold on the buffer as it can be hard to control. Apply tape to the bottom rim of your vacuum cleaner – when you vacuum up the dust you don't want to scratch the floor.
Elegant buffing
This brings out wood's true beauty. Vacuum the room from the top down, starting with the tops of the windows and door ledges. When you think you have finished, change the vacuum bag and do it all over again - at this stage any missed dust could end up in the finish of the floor.
The two most popular finishes for hardwood floors are oil-based and water-based polyurethanes. Both are tough, durable, and resistant to water, alcohol and most household cleaners. Oil-based polyurethane provides a traditional warm, rich tawny shade that enhances the natural grain. It comes in a satin, semigloss or gloss finish, although it will yellow with time. When you apply the finish to your floor, be prepared to exercise patience. Most manufacturers recommend six to ten hours drying time with an extra four hours before you can walk on your floor. You'll need to lightly sand after the first layer and apply two to three coats in total. Oil-based polyurethane gives off strong fumes and is highly flammable but be careful about opening the window in the room you are treating because of the risk of dust and dirt. It's preferable to use a solvent respirator.
If this sounds like too much palaver, then water-based polyurethane is for you. It dries in one hour and can be walked on after three hours. Water-based polyurethane has the added advantage of being low in odour, clear-drying and resistant to yellowing. Apply the finish starting in a corner and running along the wall in the direction of the grain. Apply a small amount at a time so the edges of each section are wet and easy to blend the next application.
Get the finish right
As soon as you have finished the first application, wrap your brush or applicator in cling film until you can apply the next coat. After the first coat has soaked in and dried, the second coat will go on much easier. Repeat your application technique but watch out for air bubbles.
The finish will take about one week to fully harden so keep room use to a minimum and don't move any rugs or heavy furniture back in until the finish is completely set.