Refinishing hardwood floors is a great way to give your home an updated and refreshed look. This project can be done by the homeowner, and with a little bit of know-how, it’s actually quite simple. The first step is to make sure your flooring is actually hardwood. Laminate flooring looks similar, but won’t respond the same way to refinishing treatments as real hardwood does. Once you’ve determined your flooring is in fact real hardwood (visit A Plus Hardwood Floors for the best hardwood flooring in Arlington Heights), you can begin preparing for the refinishing process.
Depending on the condition of your flooring, there are several steps you must take prior to refinishing. First, if there are any nails sticking out from between the planks of a wooden floor, these should be hammered back down into the wood. If these nails remain protruding from the surface, they may cause other damage during sanding or staining processes later on in this project. Additionally, if there are any pieces of furniture still in the room that need to be removed before beginning this project, now is when that should happen. Once all nails have been hammered back in place and furniture has been cleared out of the room, you can begin sanding your floors by starting with a medium grit paper and working up to finer grits until you reach your desired level of smoothness.
In order to add color or stain to your floors after they’ve been sanded down evenly across their surfaces, it’s important to apply a layer of sealant first using either an oil-based sealer or polyurethane finish depending on which kind you prefer and feel will work best for your particular situation. Once this sealant has dried completely (which usually takes about 24 hours), you can then choose a variety of stains that match whatever look you desire for your space — from light natural tones all the way through deep mahogany hues — and apply them according to directions provided by their respective manufacturers.
After allowing sufficient time for each coat applied during this process (usually around 8 hours) , make sure also check for any spots that may have gotten missed while staining and apply an additional coat wherever necessary. Lastly, once all coats have been applied evenly across surfaces and allowed ample time (usually 6-8 hours) for drying completely , its recommended that you contact a professional flooring contractor who can buff down your newly finished floors with high-quality machine buffers so that its final sheen compliments its desired appearance perfectly .
By following these steps methodically throughout each stage of this project , eventually homeowners will be able to enjoy their newly transformed hardwood floors every day ! Whether seeking a new classic look or modern vibes , refinishing one’s own hardwood floors provides opportunities for homeowners everywhere who wish create beautiful living spaces without having to break the bank.