How to Sand a Wooden Floor in 10 Steps

If you want to make the most of your wood floors the best way is by getting stuck in with some sanding action. It will take a bit of determination and hard work but, done properly, you could transform your home.

But doing the job properly is important, which is why we thought a simple guide to sanding wooden floors would be helpful, especially for you budding home improvers who haven’t done it before. So here we go…

Step 1: Clear your space

First of all you need to clear the space that you want to sand. This means furniture, curtains, pictures on walls and anything that could get damaged or get in the way.

Step 2: Deal with protruders

It is essential before you get sanding to check your floor for any protruding nails or staples. They will rip sandpaper if left prominent above surface level, so knock them down or remove where suitable.

Step 3: Start sanding

To sand a floor you will need a mechanical sander, so buy or hire one and make sure you read the manual before you begin. Once you are confident that you know what you’re doing switch it on and get to work.

Step 4: Keep it moving

It is essential to keep your sander moving so that you evenly sand your floor, and to prevent any marks being left on the surface. Slow and steady is the secret to this job.

Step 5: Gradually reduce sandpaper grit

If you are renovating a floor you will probably start with quite a thick sandpaper with a lot of grit. You should repeat the sanding process, gradually moving to finer papers in order to achieve a beautiful, smooth finish.

Step 6: Tidy up the edges

A large drum sander, which is suitable for floor sanding, will not be able to reach every corner, nook and cranny. Because of that you will need to use an edge sander to tidy up any rough areas the drum sander couldn’t get to.

Step 7: Varnish

To protect your new, smooth and attractive floor you should varnish it after a quick vacuum and sweep to get rid of the dust you have created. There are clear varnishes or various tones to choose from, depending on what finish you want.

Step 8: Repeat varnish

The perfect finish is achieved through repeating the varnishing process. This way the varnish really gets into your wood, giving it the look you want and protecting the timber for years to come.

Step 9: Ventilate the room

This is vital if you have painted varnish all over your new floor, as it is quite pungent and is not good for your health to inhale. Open windows and leave to dry for as long as you can before re-entering.

Step 10: Leave for 72 hours

If possible leave your floor for 72 hours before using it again. This way the finish can dry completely and you won’t risk leaving any unwanted marks on it.

But if all this sounds a bit too much like hard work you can call Floor Sanding Experts who can do the job for you and guarantee a great finish.