Do you have to sand new unfinished hardwood floors?

Sanding a new unfinished floor is a necessary chore. Not sanding a freshly laid hardwood floor and finishing it as is, makes the installation less messy and time-consuming, but it would be a mistake. Sanding levels the edges of the floorboards, which can vary from one another by as much as 1/4 inch.

How do you sand unfinished hardwood floors?

Sand the floor with a drum sander and 36-grit sandpaper. Run the machine diagonally across the boards to cut down the surfaces quickly and level them, then run the machine parallel to the boards with the same grit sandpaper. Sand the edges with a flooring edger and a 36-grit disk. Vacuum the floor when you’re done.

What is the difference between unfinished and prefinished hardwood?

Prefinished floors are finished before installation, while unfinished floors must be finished after installation. On the other hand, unfinished floors are raw hardwood that has been cut into planks, but must first be installed and then sanded and refinished on site.

Is it hard to sand hardwood floors?

Sanding hardwood floors might seem like a pros-only project. And then there’s that big, scary sanding machine… But it’s really not that difficult. I’ve helped hundreds of homeowners—some of them complete DIY novices—successfully prep their floors for a new finish.

Can I sand hardwood floors with a hand sander?

The palm sander is definitely the most common tool for sanding a wooden floor by hand. Palm sanders also oscillate, however, unlike orbital random sanders, the pad of the palm sander is fixed straight.

How much does it cost to finish unfinished hardwood floors?

Refinishing hardwood floors costs $1,773 on average with a typical range between $1,075 and $2,492. You can expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $8 per square foot. For large and complex jobs, you might spend up to $4,000.

Can prefinished hardwood floors be sanded?

Pre-finished hardwoods can be sanded and refinished. Thus, reduces the number of times that your floor can be refinished throughout the lifetime of your pre-finished hardwoods. If you choose to leave the bevel in the floor then you will still have the opportunity to refinish your floors many more times afterwards.

Is it OK to leave hardwood floors unfinished?

You do not have to finish your hardwood floor. It’s not as common as it used to be, but you can leave the floor unfinished. These are often called raw floors or bare floors. Stains and finishes keep out dirt and moisture, though.

How long does it take to sand a floor with a floor sander?

So how long does it take to sand a floor? If you’re using both the electric sander and the edger in 140 square-foot floor space, it will take you roughly 5 hours to do three sanding passes. Another thing you must take into account is how old your house is.

What kind of sander do you use on hardwood floors?

The drum sander is the real workhorse of hardwood floor sanding. It is a massive piece of equipment, too heavy for most people to lift—two people are required to carry it.

What is the cheapest way to refinish hardwood floors?

Applying a revitalizer gloss is the simplest and cheapest way to refinish hardwood floors. This approach works best on floors that only have surface-level scratches and other minor wear and tear issues. You can get the job done without the need for equipment rentals or hard-to-find materials.

What is sanding and finishing of hardwood floors?

Sanding and finishing is the most challenging element of a hardwood floor installation project. An expert hand is needed to use the specialized sanding equipment. The process must not be rushed or any details overlooked otherwise the end result will be disappointing at best.

What happens if you sand the floor with more than one grade?

Skipping more than one grade of sandpaper will leave the floor with scratches. This is due to only the very top on the peaks of the scratches would be removed. The deep valley of the scratch would remain. The wood floor finish would not fill these valleys and the floor will wear prematurely.

Why do installers sand the floor diagonally?

Because of the likelihood for new unfinished flooring boards to be uneven, installers sometimes resort to a drastic sanding technique. They make the first pass with the floor sander diagonally across the boards, instead of going parallel to them.

Are there different sanding and finishing recommendations for different species of wood?

The contents of this article pertinent to all floors but each species of wood have different sanding and finishing nuances. The wood and finish manufactures recommendation must be followed for each species. The new strip floor has been installed and given a little more time to acclimate to the house environment.