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6 Golden Rules For Sanding


Floor sanding rules

Wood flooring is one of the best flooring choices available on the market and definitely one of the best features of every home. It is often the perfect solution because of many of its beneficial aspects. This natural product is very hygienic and ensures simple and effortless upkeep. Furthermore, real wood flooring brings natural elegance, style, beauty and charm in every place, creating an atmosphere of warmth and cosiness. A beautiful wooden floor, no matter its colour and texture, can easily turn into the statement piece and focal point of every room of the house.

Besides, it is highly preferred because of its durable and hard-wearing nature. With the modern durable sealants, it becomes truly a long-lasting and hard-wearing product that you will be able to enjoy for many decades and even pass to the next generations. In order to maintain its flawless condition, you will need a regular cleaning and maintenance routine. It does not have to be one that requires a serious investment of money, time, energy, and elbow grease, however, make sure it is effective and with a focus on the important aspects of the care and maintenance of your wooden floor. A key part of the good maintenance routine includes professional and in-depth wood floor sanding and restoration whenever the floor needs it.

Wood floor sanding is an important factor in the way how your wooden floor looks and feels. This beneficial service requires experience, but it's not so time-consuming and stressful as you would probably expect it and it's certainly a smart investment. You can expect really flawless results and a lasting effect after a professional wood floor sanding and refinishing service. The positive effects of the treatment are that it provides your wooden floor with more durability and longer-lasting power because it gets rid of many minor issues and imperfections on the surface of the floor that, otherwise, when left neglected can lead to major problems you definitely don't want to deal with. Furthermore, bare wood timber under the top finishing layer of the floor usually is in excellent condition, which means after the sealant is removed, the floor will look again just like it has been installed and brand-new. The whole refinishing process improves the overall condition and durability of the floor, beautifying its look and enhancing the prettiness of the natural colour, texture, and pattern of the wood.

Brief floor sanding explanation

Using belt sanding machine

Wood floor sanding is, essentially, the process of stripping off the top layer of the wooden surface, which normally includes the old finish and a thin layer of the bare wood timber if required and if there are some noticeable damages and issues there. This is achieved with the help of specially designed machines with sandpaper attached to them. There are a few different types of sanders, each one of them designed to do a different job and reach different areas of the floor. Essentially, the machine strips off the old and worn wood finish along with all small imperfections and fine scratches and stains that are affecting the look and the condition of the finish.

The whole process is preparing the wooden surface for the upcoming application of the fresh layers of finishing and staining products by opening the pores of the wood's structure, so the sealant can sink effectively into them and ensure the protection of the floor and preservation of its colour and texture not only on the surface but also from within.

One of the main drawbacks of sanding, as people would assume, is the mess and the hassle the service is usually associated with. However, gone are the days when wood floor sanding services used to be messy. Thanks to the progress and constant innovation in the flooring industry, sanding machines already come with vacuum and dust bags attached to them and are able to collect up to 99% of the wood dust. All this leaves you just a quick clean away from the sparkling clean and the dust-free room you will enjoy along with a wooden floor that looks simply flawless and sleek.

The 6 Golden Rules

Preparation

one of the most important steps of the whole project. Preparation before the service consists of removing all furniture pieces and heavy objects that may limit the free movement of the sanders into the room. Placing protective plastic sheets on the windows and doors is optional and if you want to limit the amount of sawdust transferring to other areas of the house. Even with the latest equipment, there will be small dust particles in the air that later will settle down. Besides, all skirting boards in the room, where sanding is planned, should be removed so every inch of the floor can be reached and treated. In case you are planning even more home improvement services in the room, including painting the walls, you should consider whether painting the walls should happen first, or you should have your floor refinished first.

Always sand with the grain

Sanding the wood boards against the grain is simply going to ruin them, so make sure that the boards are not treated against the grain, no matter if you are improving your flooring as a DIY project, or you are hiring a contractor.

It is not recommended as a DIY project

Such a type of renovation is still a serious job, although not rocket science, so it will be better if you leave it in the hands of a professional contractor with a lot of experience and enough knowledge. Still, if you feel confident enough that you can handle the job, make sure to take your time and do thorough research, learning everything you need to know before hiring the big belt sander and start erasing all the dents and scratches.

Use the right equipment

For every part of the process, you will need sandpaper at different levels of density. To achieve smooth and sleek results, you must use different floor sanding machines and sanding paper with different levels of density if you want to achieve perfect results and a sleek flooring surface. The required equipment includes a Belt or drum sander to remove the old finish and complete the hard job. You will also need an edger that will allow you to reach the corners of the room and treat them properly. A buffing machine will provide sleek and uniform results by smoothing away all swirls and marks left by the heavy-duty machines.

Clean between stages of sanding

Treating your floor with sanding paper is a process, of a few stages. You should make sure that your floor is perfectly cleaned and thoroughly vacuumed in between all stages, otherwise, you risk the sawdust scratching the freshly treated surface of the floorboards.

Choose the best professional for the task

As we have already mentioned, is better left in the hands of an experienced and knowledgeable contractor. One thing that does not have to lead you in the decision-making process is the price of the service. Normally, wood floor sanding could be an investment and you would like to spend less money, if possible. However, the suspiciously low price is probably not going to end up good and you won't get the perfect results you are going for. There are many of the calls we get for. or your sanding project could happen to be a subject of hidden and unexpected costs.

In conclusion, making sure you are following these six golden rules listed above will help you enjoy a significantly less stressful and more smooth-running wood floor sanding service. You will also be able to enjoy the flawless results you are expecting and rest assure you have made the best choices for your favourite wooden floor.

When wood floor sanding and renovation are done properly and by experienced and knowledgeable professionals, the floor is not simply better-looking and the risk of major issues and problems significantly decreased. Proper and efficient treatment can ensure that your wooden floor will last for significantly longer, which means even more decades added to its lifecycle. The floor will also be additionally protected by the high-quality wood floor finish that will help it withstand almost everything and be less vulnerable and prone to damages, including scratches, dents, marks, stains, water damage, contraction and expanding of the floorboards, etc. 




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