How To Finish Hardwood Floors

You should keep in mind that finishing hardwood floors is not an easy task, even for professionals. Of course, knowing what to do is half the battle.

In order to help you out, we provide you with the information below assuming that you already installed your floor.

Introduction

There are certain safety guidelines to consider and follow throughout the duration of the project:

• Wear safety goggles,
• When making adjustments, unplug any power tools.
• All power tools have to be grounded.
• The power cord shouldn’t get in the way of using the tool.
• Protect your ears by wearing ear plugs.
• Keep hair, jewelry, and other loose objects out of the way of all tools.
• Use a face mask while using any chemicals.
• Make sure all areas are properly ventilated.
• Keep heat away from adhesives.
• Use rubber gloves.
• Use the right tool for the job.
• Don’t use a tool for something other than its intended purpose.
• Keep all edges sharp, because dull blades may cause the use of too much force which in turn may cause them to slip and result in injury.
• Seal off all vents and electrical outlets for the duration of the project.
• Be careful when storing oily cloths because these may spontaneously combust.
• Never skimp on safety to cut the budget or time it takes to finish a project.

Checklist

There is a list of tools and materials you need to have for all hardwood jobs like:

• Carpenter’s Pencil
• Circular Saw
• Hammer
• Utility Knife
• Protective Eyewear
• Ear Plugs
• Face Mask (if necessary)
• Carpenter’s Square
• Shop Vac
• Pry Bar and Wood
• Wedge
• Extension Cord(s)
• Fan(s)
• Nail Belt

The following items will be needed for hardwood repair jobs:

• Power Drill with Multiple Speeds
• Drill Bits
• Drill Bit Stop
• Nail Set
• Chisel
• Putty
• Caulking Gun
• Pry Bar
• Screwdriver
• Graphite Powder (used to silence squeaks)
• Adhesive (for replacing damaged boards)
• Finishing Nails
• Wood Screws
• Cloth Rags
• Flooring Strips
• Wood Putty/Filler
• Wood Plank for Bridging

The following items will be needed for refinishing jobs:

• Wood putty/filler
• Putty knife
• Paint Tray
• Paint Roller
• Drum Sander
• Edge Sander
• Orbital Sander
• Paint Scraper
• Nail Set (if your floor has been installed face nailed)
• Mop (Lamb’s Wool)
• Sheets of Plastic
• Duct Tape
• Wood Stain, if not going with a natural finish
• Tack Cloth
• Discs and Pads for Sanders
• Coarse Grit Sandpaper
• Medium Grit Sandpaper
• Fine Grit Sandpaper
• Steel Wool (#2)
• Paint Stick
• Wood Sealer
• Polyurethane

Preparation

There are a few things to take into consideration before starting to get your floor ready. For example, permits may be needed depending on the home’s location and the total amount of the repairs or upgrades.

You also have to make sure to have enough time on your hands. We must agree on the fact that the larger the room, the longer the job is going to take. You should keep a clear schedule to keep on track everything you have to do.

The following will be required:

• Hammer and Nail Set
• Cloth Rags
• Tack Cloths
• Mop (Lamb’s Wool)
• Mask
• Paint Tray
• Fan(s)
• Power Saw (for Repairs)
• Drill (for Repairs)
• Tape (for Repairs)
• Chisel (for Repairs)

A few more tools may be required:

• Shop Vac
• Drum Sander
• Edge Sander

Remember that the drum sander has be used for the most of the floor while the edge sander will take care of the edges of the floor and the vacuum will get rid of dust.

Don’t cover your bad shaped floor with carpets. Keep in mind that even after many years of use a hardwood floor can be restored to its first day beauty.

Preparing to Finish the Floors

The next thing you have to do is take the stock of the floor and take steps to get it ready. Now find the damaged boards and replace them. Keep an eye for any nail heads that may be above the flooring. Now set them and fill the holes with wood putty. Furthermore, remove any molding around the floor at the wall. If this is executed carefully, the molding can be reused once the floors are installed.

Now you have to repair squeaky boards. There are a few distinct ways to do this. For example, you could insert a shim from below the floor, between the squeaky spot and the floor joist. If this doesn’t work, try wrapping a 2 x 4 board with a towel and tapping it with a hammer over the squeaky spot. If this doesn’t work, try a lubricant such as talcum powder or graphite powder between the squeaky floor boards.

If the entire floor is warped because of excessive moisture exposure, rather than repairing each individual board, sand the entire floor down until it is level.

If there are damaged boards, cut them out and replace each one of them. Don’t harm any of boards next to the damaged one, because this will create more work.

We recommend you using a hammer, chisel, and pry bar in order to remove the damaged board. Measure the length of the missing piece and cut a new board to match it. Remove the tongue so it may fit into the space. Remove the tongue from the other board that is sticking out. Apply subfloor adhesive to the new board and install it. Use a drill to make pilot holes in the new board to nail it to the subfloor with finishing nails.

Preparing to Sand the Floors

Before sanding should begin, a few more steps should be completed. You have to prepare the floor for sanding because not taking care of these measures will present problems later on.

You have to take all furniture out. Furthermore, remove all curtains from the windows. An alternative to curtain removal is to fold and hang them from the curtain rod, and then seal them with plastic to prevent any chemicals or dust from getting on them.

The next step is removing any floor registers and sealing off the air ducts with plastic. You have to turn off any pilot lights and any appliances as the dust produced from sanding is flammable.

Now seal off all electrical outlets with plastic. Seal the room off from the rest of the home to avoid spreading dust problems, but remember to keep windows accessible so they can open. It is very important to keep the room well ventilated.

Carefully remove baseboards from around the base where the floor and wall meet. Complete this job by using a pry bar and wedge to prevent damage to the boards. Remember to number the boards to make it easy to remember where they were to put them back after the floor is finished. Using a putty knife and wood dough, seal any cracks and holes. The wood putty should match the color of the natural hardwood and should be given plenty of time to dry before sanding. Now you just have to sweep the floor and vacuum with the shop vac.

Sanding

Sanding is the most difficult part of the process. The person sanding the floor must not allow the sander to gouge the floor because the floor may get damaged beyond repair. Give yourself enough time to learn the proper sanding techniques.

You need a little practice in order to get this done. Practice on a couple pieces of plywood with fine grit paper before starting on the real room. If there is any doubt of doing this on your own, get someone to do it for you.

Each type of sand paper will have a use in getting the floor ready to stain. It is very important to have enough of each kind of paper in order to finish. Most jobs should plan to have at least 10 sheets of each kind of paper on hand. There will be more than one sanding “pass” required to get through all the old finish and stain. The exact number of passes required will be determined by how much old material there is to get through.

Start sanding with a rough grit paper to remove the bulk to the material and to help level the floor out. Sand 2/3 of the floor in one direction and the remaining 1/3 in the other direction. Never reposition the sander with the drum on the floor. Always tilt it backward when moving the sander. Overlap all back and forth passes to ensure the sanding is evenly done.

Use an edge sander with a rough grit paper. Now check the floor for nails, cracks, and gouges again. Countersink any nails and fill in the cracks accordingly.

Staining

This is optional. There are people who decide to go straight to the protective finish because they like the color of their floor.

If you want to go with a stain, take a look at several samples applied on extra floor boards. Keep in mind the fact that it looks different on the can than it does once it is on a floor.

The sooner the stain is applied to the floor after sanding, the better. We recommend you starting to apply the stain the same day after the floor is sanded. This method protects it from moisture and other damage that could create an uneven floor surface, diminishing the quality of the finished floor.

The floor needs to be completely free of dust and debris, before the staining can begin. Sweep and vacuum the floor and vacuum. Furthermore, go over the entire floor with a tack cloth.

It may be a good idea to use a wood seal before staining the wood. This will not serve as the protective finish for the floor. Some stains do, however, have both the stain and the finish in one. It is important to take it slow when applying the stain, to ensure the coat is evenly applied.

Pour all the needed stain into a container and mix accordingly.

Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully! Apply with brushes, rollers, or cloth rags. Now you have to apply a good amount in a small area and wait for about 10 minutes to ensure the desired color results. Wipe off the excess finish with cloths frequently.

Finishing

A lot of different types of finish are available though surface finishes have typically replaced penetrating finishes since they make the floors easier to clean and maintain.

Finish is available in at least three different gloss types:

-low-gloss/matte

-semi-gloss

-high-gloss

While high gloss is shinier, it shows dust easier than the low gloss. As the gloss level has nothing to do with the durability of the floor, the gloss level of the finish is nothing more than a personal preference.

We want to remind you again to make sure you follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully!

You now need to evenly apply the finish by moving in the direction of the grain, stirring it properly as directed to keep hardeners in place.

Sand with a fine grain between each coat, and apply at least two or three coats for the ultimate protection. Use a slower drying air cured finish. Use a vacuum after each sanding. Tack cloth to get rid of all the dust.

Replace the baseboards after the final coat of finish has dried. Next move the furniture back into the room, remove the plastic bags from the curtains or re-hang them in the room.