Sanding  of Existing Floors

While some hardwood flooring can be purchased pre-finished, the majority must be sanded and finished once installation is completed. Newly installed hardwood floor that requires finishing allows more room for you to apply your personal preference, specially when it comes to the stain or type of finish that you would want to be used.

When Finishing a hardwood floor, sanding should be done first. This process gives the floor a fine finish, removes imperfections and preps the wood floor for the application of stain and/or polyurethane finish. Drum type sander is used for heavy sanding operation. A floor polisher with a floor sanding abrasive disc is used. The experience and sanding technique of the hardwood flooring technician determines the quality of the outcome of the finish. If the wrong grit is used for the type of wood species you have, the finishing process could get affected. 

There are properties and method of application that needs to be considered when finishing hardwood floors. Determine first the type of finish appropriate for the type of wood specie you have. Most finish are applied with a high quality brush or lambs wool applicator. A sealer is applied first. Some seals produce satisfactory results with one coat but most manufacturers recommend two coats or one coat plus a special top dressing. Surface finishes are then applied. There are different types of polyurethane finish. The oil modified polyurethanes and moisture cured polyurethane. Make sure that the sealer and top coat finish being used on your hardwood floor are compatible. Consult your hardwood floor contractor for further details.