Engineered hardwood floors make an excellent candidate for restoration without sanding due to their veneer layer of real wood being much thinner than its solid hardwood counterparts.
Before beginning this process, the floors must first be thoroughly cleaned using either special wood floor cleaners or chemical etching methods.
Sanding
Refinishing wood floors without sanding requires careful preparation of the surface. This means removing all furniture, cleaning it with a broom, vacuum, or slightly damp mop and checking for protruding nails to hammer down before taping off any outlets, cracks or other areas where dust may enter during refinishing process.
Once the floor is clean, sanding should begin using either a drum or orbital sander at first using coarse grit 36-40 and gradually working towards finer grit 80-12 to create an even surface ready for stain or finish application.
Refinishing kits often include chemical etching products to help the new finish adhere to the existing one and de-gloss or remove surface scratches on hardwood flooring, though proper application of this process must be undertaken for best results.
Wood Stain or Paint
There are various methods you can use to change the color of your wood floors without resorting to sanding, one being wood stain. Stains penetrate deep into the grain of the wood rather than sitting atop like sealants do.
If you decide to stain your floor, be sure to use only top quality products made especially for flooring applications. Keep in mind that staining requires additional drying time before clear sealant application can take place – something paint does not do.
Before applying a stain or wood finish such as polyurethane, make sure the floor is absolutely clean by removing wax, grease, and cleaning product residue. Any dents, scratches, wear patterns or cupping in hardwood may necessitate recoating rather than recoating; this is particularly relevant if the flooring in an area where there is heavy traffic flow such as home or office environments.
Filling in Deeper Scratches
At first glance, sanding may appear to be the only solution to revitalizing old hardwood floors, but this may not always be necessary. By taking some extra steps with care and patience you can often fill deeper scratches without resorting to full refinishing or risking your back.
Before starting, ensure the floor is thoroughly cleaned of wax and dirt to allow the new finish to adhere more securely to the wood surface. In addition, it’s a good idea to vacuum all over, paying special attention to hard-to-reach corners or areas that may prove difficult for regular vacuums to reach.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying water-based polyurethane, particularly regarding neutralizing and rinsing procedures, or else residue chemicals will remain on the wood, leading to discoloration. When working with oil-based products, take care to apply each coat in small sections so each can dry before moving onto another.
Buffing
Renewing hardwood floors by buffing and recoating with new layers of finish can cover minor scratches, scuff marks and other flaws in their surface. The process resembles that of sanding but doesn’t involve renting an expensive drum floor sander – something most homeowners cannot afford or find impractical to rent; buffing instead uses floor buffers that are available for rent from home improvement stores.
Refinishing requires some preparation, such as cleaning the floor and filling in cracks or holes in boards. Furthermore, selecting an appropriate finish type that complements existing flooring will also be crucial to success.
If the wood has become coated with wax or chemicals from cleaning products, it must be buffed and etched to prepare it for its new finish. A chemical etching product typically included in hardwood floor refinishing kits provides the ideal method of accomplishing this step.