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Home Improvement Projects On A Budget
Every year thousands of home owners do major renovations on
their house in order to improve the value as well as enjoy their
improvements. Some home improvements are very costly and many do
not have a good return for the money spent. If you want...
Home Improvements That Increase Your Home's Resell Price
One of the best things you can do as a homeowner is to use some of your home equity dollars to finance home improvements. Not only will the additions make your home more attractive and pleasant to live in, but certain projects will bring a...
ReliableRemodeler.com
Summer Is Here! Consider Tackling Key Home Improvement Projects While The Weather Is Good! Summer time means barbeques, baseball, camping, and yes, Home Improvement Projects! As the weather gets nice and the days get longer so do lists of home...
The Container Vegetable Garden
If you live in an apartment or town home, you probably think you don’t have enough space to grow vegetables. Lack of space is no longer an excuse since many modern vegetable varieties are perfect for growing in containers on a sunny window ledge or...
Why Choose a Home Improvement Loan?
If you are looking to increase the value of your property by adding an extension, or double glazing, new conservatory, patio, heating system, or new kitchen a home improvement loan could be the easiest and cheapest way to make those improvements...
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Using A Hardwood Floor Sander
Refinishing your hardwood floors yourself can be time consuming and a bit scary at first but well worth it in the long run. It can cost a bundle to hire a professional to refinish your floors for you, but if you have the time, you can do it yourself. The most difficult part is learning to run the sander. Many people are afraid of ruining their floors, and you can really damage a floor if you do not take care in the sanding.
Sanding is fairly easy if you pay attention and the finish does not take as long to dry as you might have been led to believe. You can rent a sander from your local Home Depot or hardware supply store. You’ll need a drum sander, a belt sander or both. They will explain to you how to use the machine and tell you what kind of sand paper to purchase. They will also tell you what kind of stain and finish to get. Make sure you also pick up some dust masks because you will have saw dust everywhere.
The key to a good floor finish is the surface, so the most important thing when learning how to run the sander is getting a feel for the equipment. Sanders are not as hard to use as you think. They are loud and messy, but fairly easy to operate. Just keep the sander in motion at all times. Moving the sander in a constant motion will reduce the risk of damaging your floor. Equate it to using an iron on your clothes – if you stop in 1 spot too long you’ll burn a hole. The sander is similar since it creates a lot of heat, keeping it in 1 spot can burn or dent your floor.
The sander is a self propelling machine so it is easy to move, but you do need to keep in control of it at
all times. Retain a firm grip on it when you power it up and you will get the hang of it after a few passes. You might even think it’s fun!
Once you have removed to old finish by sanding, of course, you will need to apply the new finish. First you will apply a stain (if you want a stain – some folks like to leave their floors natural) and then the finish to protect the floor. There are basically two types of floor finishes: one is oil-based and the other is water-based polyurethane. Furthermore, oil is broken down into a semi-gloss, gloss or satin. Satin is a good choice for a hardwood floor because it hides small flaws and lets the natural beauty of the wood show without a bright shine. An oil based finish will give your floor a warm amber glow. A water based finish will dry quicker and keep from yellowing.
Make sure you let each coat thoroughly dry before applying the next. Follow the manufacturers instructions on the finish before you occupy the room again. Usually you can move your furniture back in after about 24 hours.
Don’t be overwhelmed. Just take it one step at a time and you’ll soon have a beautiful new hardwood floor.
About The Author:
Lee Dobbins is a contributing writer for home improvement resources such as http://www.refinishing-hardwood-floors.com. Visit our site and see how you can refinish your hardwood floor: http://www.refinishing-hardwood-floors.com/Sanding-A-Hardwood-Floor.html
Copyright Lee Dobbins - http://www.refinishing-hardwood-floors.com
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