Question:
After stripping out the carpet in the basement floor, we found out that the hardwood floor has a lot of stain and paint. My husband and I are planning to do it ourselves, how do we go about it, sanding and re-varnishing the hardwood floor.
Helen
Answer:
Dear Helen
PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE don’t sand the floor yourself. You are best advised to hire a professional for this sanding part of the operation. He will have the 200 pound, 220 volt drum sander that will do a smooth pleasing job on your expensive wood floor. And hopefully he will also have the years of experience behind him, so as not to hack and gouge your nice hardwood floor. His machines cost about 10,000 bucks, so expect to pay about a dollar a square foot for a sand only job.
The rental floor machines are TOYS, and leave nasty gouges and chatter marks across the floor. How does one expect to learn this rather delicate and skilled trade, on the job while you hack and hew at your own floors? This will diminish your enjoyment of your floor and lower your houses resale value. But it is always a good idea to finish the floor your self. This is often where the pro, in his hurry to complete his work and get paid, will slip up. I always recommend 3 coats of oil modified polyurethane, allowing a day between coats for drying, and always scuff sanding and cleaning between coat, for adhesion of the layers. Always BRUSH on the poly, never use a lamb’s wool applicator.
Be sure to read my article on hiring contractor available in the search box at the top of this web page and my article on the best way to apply this poly coating