This knocks down any high spots on the disk that can dig too deeply into the finish when the polisher first starts up. If the wood darkens along the scratch, it has penetrated completely and you must apply more polyurethane. Again, bag the sawdust and leave it outside, away from anything flammable. Remove everything from the room you canespecially items that collect dust, such as furniture, carpets and paintings.

Use the same preparations for screening, though you might want to create a double airlock (plastic on both sides of a door) to keep the dust confined it really flies with a drum sander. Indicate that water has gotten beneath the finish and into the wood, a difficult problem to fix. If the stain remains, remove all the wax on and around the stain with floor-wax remover and clean with No. 1 steel wool moistened with soap and water. The disks for the drum sander typically cost $3 each; for the edger the disks run $2 each. A burn mark that has gone through the finish must wait for a full-floor drum sanding, and it must be sanded out by hand. Whether youre looking for a heavy-duty weed eater or just something to get basic jobs done, weve reviewed some of the best weed eaters on the market. 1 (medium grade) steel wool, being careful not to rub through the wax. Some stains are so deep you may have to replace the flooring. For corners and edges, use a palm sander or sanding pad fitted with sandpaper. Scrape up chewing gum, crayon or candle wax after you freeze the material by placing ice in a double plastic bag on top of it. These primarily solvent-borne finishes, including old-fashioned sealants like linseed oil, soak deeply into the wood pores. However, because it dries quickly, you must work fast to maintain a "wet edge" during application or you'll end up with visible lap marks where wet polyurethane was applied over dried or partially dried finish. The alternative is to screen and recoat the entire floor. However, expect the patch to be a different color and sheen than the surrounding area. The products included in this article are available at various home improvement stores, local home centers, and online retailers like Amazon. In this review, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the five best weed killers on Amazon to help you find the product thats right for you. Tour This Renovated 220-Year-Old Farmhouse, With a wraparound porch and oversize windows that frame the views, an updated rear addition embraces its pastoral settingand readies a well-loved, almost 220-year-old farmhouse for another century of family life. Try No. You'll know your floor has a polyurethane finish if it looks as though it's covered with a plastic film and you can't scrape up any gummy residue. Screening is done with a 16-inch floor polisher, which works like a giant oscillating sander. Another advantage of waterborne polyurethane is how quickly it dries you can apply two coats in three hours and walk on the floor in your socks after seven hours. As you apply the finish, move the applicator with the grain of the wood from wall to wall, angling it slightly. A waxed floor also gets a hazy look when wet. You'll be screening most of the floor with the floor polisher and screens. Many of these floors are then waxed. Only screen when the finish is worn, scratched or dull but the wood beneath is not stained or damaged. Use 00 (very fine) steel wool and cotton rags to pick up the old wax. After the floor dries, apply more wax and buff to a high sheen. Only screen a polyurethane finish, a non-penetrating plastic coating that sits on top of the floor. Water-based polyurethane runs about $40 per gallon, enough to cover 600 square feet of floor space. You may also want to think twice about doing this work yourself, particularly if it's a large open area where any unevenness in the floor will be evident in the finish. Copyright 2022 This Old House Ventures, LLC.

Before applying any finish, vacuum twice and use a tack rag on the entire floor. And you can't go back and work waterborne polyurethane, even when it's wet, or you'll leave marks in the finish. First, try a hardwood-floor cleaner (about $4) and buff with a clean cotton rag. You can sand and spot-apply polyurethane, though you risk an obvious patch. Screening is a process that takes off the top layer of polyurethane but doesnt remove any wood. Try a hardwood-floor cleaner or mineral spirits, but you'll probably have to sand the floor. By submitting your email, you agree to our. If you cant find the time to do the work yourself or dont want to be around that much dust, hire a professional floor refinisher. An effective herbicide can get rid of a variety of weeds that have invaded your lawn. Temporarily remove the quarter-round or base-shoe molding along the baseboard and countersink any flooring nails that stick up. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our expertsstraight to your inbox. Wax buildup can look cloudy, so remove it with wax remover or mineral spirits (the fumes are flammable, so extinguish all open flames such as a pilot light). Today, most floors are finished with polyurethane, a durable, moisture-resistant oil-based or waterborne plastic coating. Scrape it up with an extremely sharp chisel or scraper. For a truly smooth finish, sand lightly between coats with a pole sander using 100-grit sandpaper. Armstrong World IndustriesBox 3001LancasterPA 17604Armstrong 800-233-3823, Armstrong-Bruce-Hartco-Robbins Floors16803 Dallas PkwyDallas, TX 75248Armstrong-Bruce Floors800-722-4647, US Plank Flooring9597 State Rte 125W. It wont take off on you like a drum sander and doesnt require a lot of strength. Before you put down any finish on a wax-only floor, the wax has to be removed. (For a red-oak floor or a stained floor, use either type of finish.). With or without a fan in place, wear a respirator. If you are going to do the work yourself, watch a how-to video (try a rental store or the local library) before you start. To be thorough, use four screening grits, from rough to smooth (60-, 80-, 100- and 120-grit). Bag the sawdust and leave it outside, away from anything flammable (sawdust can spontaneously combust). Portsmouth, OH 45663888-472-3261, Leslie Bros. Lumber Co.Box 609Cowen, WV 26206304-226-3844, Memphis Hardwood Flooring Co.1551 N. Thomas St.Memphis, TN 38107901-526-7306, Missouri Hardwood Flooring15455 Conway Road, Ste 320Chesterfield, MO 63017636-519-0400, Minwax101 Prospect AveCleveland OH 44115Minwax800-523-9299, National Oak Flooring Manufacturers AssnBox 3009Memphis, TN 38173-0009NOFMA 901-526-5016, National Wood Flooring Assn1688 Westwoods Business ParkEllisville, MO 63021-4522, Stuart Flooring Corp655 Dobyns RoadStuart, VA 24171Stuart Flooring276-694-4547, Zickgraf Hardwood FlooringBox 1149Franklin, NC 28744Zickgraf Flooring 800-243-1277. You can spot-sand down to bare wood with 100-grit sandpaper, and spot-recoat with polyurethane matched to the gloss of the existing finish (use an oil-based polyurethane to patch an existing oil-based finish, and a water-based poly to patch an existing water-based finish). Don't drop the sanding drum down on the floor too quickly after picking it up to make a turn, or you'll gouge the floor. Pet strains are tough to remove from a hardwood floor, especially if the stain is old. This relatively inexpensive technique gives you the option of doing the work yourself with little risk and saves you the cleanup and hassle associated with floor sanding. Refinishing Wood Floors: Screening, Sanding, and Finishes. Then dry with a clean cotton rag. All rights reserved. You can rent a drum sander, which does the main floor, and edger for around $55 a day. Screening removes the floor finish without cutting into the wood itself, so you should: Pro2Pro Tip: You cant screen a polyurethane floor that has been waxed. Neither device reaches into corners fully, so youll have to scrape these areas with a razor-sharp floor scraper. Some floors require this level of work, but many others can be revitalized by screening. Buff to a high sheen. Then reapply the wax with a solvent-based wax. Move at a steady, even pace to take off a uniform amount. Some floors have wax as the only finish, or the wax is applied over polyurethane or a penetrating sealer. 1 steel wool and mineral spirits. The products included in this article are available at various home improvement stores, local home centers, and online retailers like Amazon. Wading in the water in a backyard meant having a massive swimming pool or settling for a scant hot tub. Sand floors down to bare wood if there's a wax finish on top of the polyurethane, if the finish has worn through or if the floor has been stained or damaged. Seal the used cloths in a metal can and dispose. If you want to preserve the creamy-white look of maple, for instance, use waterborne polyurethane. A solar generator gives you backup energy from the sun should your electricity fail. It also emits noxious fumes. The 5 Best Laminate Floor Cleaners (2022 Review), Tile Setting 101: Best Practices from an Expert. Try trisodium phosphate (TSP). For more information on these finishes, go to nofma.org. On a polyurethane floor, wipe the stain with mineral spirits. Buff the wax with a clean cotton rag. If the stain remains, remove all the wax on and around the stain with floor-wax remover and clean the spot with No. These finishes are typically not compatible with a topcoat of polyurethane and have to be treated with the original finish or stripped completely. A gallon of oil-based poly costs around $25, enough for 400 square feet. To ensure a more even floor, keep the following tips in mind: Pro2Pro Tip: Skip 20- and 36-grit disks unless youre stripping paint off the floor.).

Using the drum sander and working with the grain of the wood, make at least two passes in each direction with 60-, 80- and 100-grit sanding disks. Consider screening the entire floor or a discrete section. To get rid of heel marks and scuffs on a waxed floor, polish the mark with 000 (extra fine) steel wool and hardwood-floor cleaner. This will cost 90 cents to $1.50 per square foot, depending on how much screening needs to be done and whether the floor needs one or two coats of finish. Once you have completely finished, sweep down walls and vacuum dust from all surfaces. Don't sand the final coat just appreciate how it reflects the light and know that you have a finish that will last for years. If the stain remains, you'll have to sand off the polyurethane and perhaps sand the wood itself.

If you can scrape up a gummy, waxy residue, especially in corners, your floor has a wax finish. Each type has its strengths, and neither is a poor choice. Bringing a dull, worn-out hardwood floor finish back to life is easier than you think. It's important to know which you have because not all finishes are compatible. Any burn that has gone through to the wood needs to be sanded out by hand when the floor gets drum sanded. Wipe the floor dry and rewax. 1 steel wool, being careful not to rub through the wax. With an oil-based finish, use a china-bristle brush for edges and corners and a lamb's-wool applicator for open floor. The weight of the floor polisher and a synthetic-wool pad hold the screen in place. The 60- to 120-grit disks used with this unit cost $6 to $10 each. There are two types of polyurethane finish: oil-based (solvent borne) and water-based (waterborne). Oil-based polyurethane dries slowly, which means you can't walk on the finished area for 24 hours or more after coating. The products included in this article are available at various home improvement stores, local home centers, and online retailers like Amazon. Start by rubbing the wax lightly with No. Rub the wax lightly with No. Seal off all doorways with plastic sheeting and masking tape, seal off duct registers with plastic and tape around all cabinet doors. If the old and new finish don't mix, you'll have to sand down to bare wood before refinishing. As for durability, Lance Hemsarth, technical director for Minwax, a leading maker of polyurethane, maintains that oil-based polyurethane is still the standard for performance, especially for high-traffic areas. Then reapply the wax with a solvent-based wax. Screens are clog-resistant sanding disks. But plunge pools fill the middle ground, give a splash of fun, and offer relaxation in smaller yards. Polyurethane is the most popular finish for floors. For edges and corners, use a painting pad to apply a water-based finish; on open floor, use a synthetic-wool applicator. Weather permitting, open the windows and place a fan in one to blow dust out. A drum sander can dig into the floor very quickly and leave unsightly gouges when operated by an inexperienced person. Then pick up remaining floor dust with a tack cloth, which is a 4-sq.-ft. treated cheesecloth ($2). Before attaching the screen, take the edge off it with 100-grit sandpaper loaded onto a palm sander. 1 steel wool and mineral spirits. In this review, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the five best solar generators on Amazon to help you find the product thats right for you and your home. Oil-based polyurethane will turn a light amber color with age whereas water-based stays clear.

If you're not sure, get advice other surface finishes like shellac, lacquer and varnish resemble polyurethane but require special treatment. Then let the floor dry and apply more wax. There are three general types of floor finish: polyurethane, penetrating oils and sealers, and waxes. In the past that meant sanding down to bare wooda dust-producing, time-consuming process thats risky if you dont have experience or expensive if you hire a pro. Then apply a dollop of oil-based polyurethane. Often are just on the wax surface. The 5 Best Solar Generators (2022 Review). But it can be worked when wet, which means you can go back and correct mistakes a crucial advantage for the beginner. Let the floor dry thoroughly and rewax. In either case, follow the manufacturer's application instructions carefully. Water stains, scratches, dullness and whole areas worn bare by household traffic are signs that its time to refinish the floor. Then use the vacuum and tack rag again with care before adding another coat of finish. Keep the sander moving; stalling it in one place will result in a noticeable swale. Most hardwood floors are made of oak, but despite the durable nature of this wood, it only looks as good as the surface finish. If you want to do it yourself, renting one costs around $25 per day. A professional will charge $1.50 to $3 per square foot, including finish application and cleanup. It's tough enough to handle constant traffic and is resistant to almost everything. See if the scratch has penetrated the finish by wetting it with your finger.

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