How to Sand a Floor for Beginners

Some people may assume that floor sanding is a simple and straightforward task. Floor sanding refers to removing the top surface of a particular flooring with abrasive materials. Some materials that can be sanded are timber, cork and parquet. If an individual is unwilling to employ the services of a carpenter or a general handyman, they will be able to do it on their own provided they prep well and adhere to the following steps.

Use machines

First things first, one should never attempt to sand the entire floor space of their home manually. This will be extremely tedious and will probably result in unfixable mistakes that will require the attention of a professional, ultimately costing the homeowner more money than it would have had they hired the carpenter from the get. The only way to properly sand a floor is to use machines. For example, either the belt or drum floor sanders. Furthermore, the right sand paper grit has to be used in order to fully remove the previous finish of the floor.

Use the right grit of sand paper

Using less abrasive sand paper will be completely ineffective in removing the previous finish on the floors.  If the flooring shows the usual marks of wear and tear, then the 36 grit sand paper will be the most effective.

Protect yourself

Sanding is a very dusty job and those particles should be kept from entering the individual's body. Wear protective gear such as googles and a respiratory mask. Prevent the dust from spreading through the entire house by using masking tape to seal the edges of the door. Keep the windows in the room open to allow for proper ventilation.

Check the floor

Prep the floor by nailing down any loose floorboards. Make sure that there are no protruding nails of any kind.

Get to work

Start sanding! To make the job look professional, you should use three different sanders: a drum sander, an edging sander and a corner sander. Make sure these machines are heavy-duty, this will help speed along the process. Remember to sand at a 45 degree angle as sanding at a 90 degree angle can damage the grain of the floor.

Clean the floor

Use a vacuum and wet sponge to clean the debris. If you find any bumps while cleaning, sand them by hand. Contact local flooring specialists if you need further floor sanding tips or assistance.