How to Refinish Hardwood Floors
with This Old House general contractor Tom Silva, This Old House television
Steps:
1. Sand the floor down to bare wood using a floor sanding machine and edge sander, both of which can be rented; be sure to vacuum between sandings.
2. Wipe sanding dust from the floor using a cotton cloth dampened with mineral spirits.
3. Use a 4-inch paintbrush to apply a base coat of sealer around the perimeter of the room.
4. Next, use a synthetic floor-finish applicator to spread the basecoat sealer across the middle of the floor; allow the sealer to dry two hours.
5. Use a clean paintbrush and floor-finish applicator to apply a topcoat of water-based polyurethane to the floor.
6. Allow the polyurethane to dry at least two hours, then apply a second coat.
7. After the second topcoat has dried, apply a third and final coat of poly.
- 10 to 12 hours over one or two days
- $400 to $600 for an average size room
Difficulty:
Moderate
Requires spending quite a bit of time on your hands and knees
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