Wood Floor Refinish?
Question:I have wood flooring in my dining/living room ( they flow toegther) hall and three bedrooms. I would like to refinish the floors. I know I will need to putty the holes from cable installs, sand, stain and poly them. The probelm I have is that the only bathroom in the house is only accessable from the hall floor. I hear that I cannot do the floor in sections because it will discolor. I also hear that I have to let each coat of poly dry for 8 hours between coats. So, how can I refinish the floors? Is there something I can use to seal the floor after I sand and stain that doesn't need so much dry time and is still durable? Could I just do sections of the floor without noticible differences in the color/finish? Any help at all, links too, is greatly appreciated.
I am also not a think in the box type.if there is some off the wall product that is safe and will get the job done, thats fine with me:) Like the stuff used to seal outdoor decks??
Answers:
Have you sanded hardwood floors before? it is a do-able project for a first timer, but if you think you are going to get all of the sanding done in 1 day by yourself, probly won't happen.
If your alternative is carpet, you can hire a pro for around 2$ SQFT to sand,fill and finish the floors, which is usally much cheaper than carpet. If you do decide to DIY you will need to go to your local rental shop, and get a Drum sander, Edger, Scraper and a buffer. You will want to sand the entire floor with 60 grit first(unless you have some realy bad spots IE glue, warping, cupping) after that is all done you will want to fill the entire floor, just get a troul and start spreading it out on the floor, very thin. Then sand that off with 80 grit , Clean it vacume, wipe it down with a wet towel to get all of the dust up.
then Buff it with 100 Grit and then 120 grit screen. clean it again, this time you will want to get everything up because you are going to poly it next and everything will be sealed in (until the next time you take on this project) Work your way out of rooms so that you don't end up spending the next 8 hours in the corner by yourself. but as far as sealing the floor in sections, I would not, you will be able to se a very distinct difference at those trasition places. as well as the odor that comes from the poly, you will not want to be sleeping in the house intil it has dried. I would let it cure for 8-12 hours before putting on the next coat, putting on at least 2 coats.
possibly plan this project for some time in the summer, and camp outside if you have no relatives or friends to stay with, or see if the kids could stay with one of thier friends for a couple nights.
You are going to have to use floor polyuretane, or it wont look right...if you have a transition moulding into each room, you could do each room first, and then do the hall.
If y ou dont have transisitons send the family with mom in law after the floors are sanded
I worked for several years as furniture finisher and I can't think of anything that has that quick of a dry-time. Your best bet is to spend a night or two at a hotel while it is drying.
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