How to Refinish a Hardwood Floor

Hardwood floors will need refinishing with the wear and tear of everyday use. Before you call a refinishing service, consider learning to refinish a hardwood floor effectively and save hundreds.

Hiring someone to refinish your hardwood floors can cost $2,500, averaging $3-$8 per square foot. Refinishing your floors is estimated to cost $500-$1000, saving you a lot more money and rewarding you with the proper skills and knowledge for the future. Following the steps below, you can learn to refinish your hardwood floors, making them look better efficiently.

Tools and Materials Needed

Before you begin sanding and refinishing your floors, make sure you have the proper equipment:

• Dust mask
• Hearing protection
• Safety glasses
• Safety gloves
• Plastic sheets
• Vacuum
• Pry bar
• Trowel filler
• Putty knife
• Drum sander or belt sander
• Hand sander
• 40, 60, 80, & 120-grit sandpaper
• Floor buffer
• Oil-base stain (color of your choice)
• Staining sponge or bristle brush
• Sealer
• Sponge roller

How to Sand & Stain Wood Floors

1. Prepare Your Home for Refinishing 

Before refinishing your wood floors, ensure the area is thoroughly cleaned. Remove any furniture or rugs in the room, and use a pry bar to remove any shoe or base moldings. Next, you will want to use your plastic sheets to seal vents, lights, doorways, windows, and electrical boxes to prevent dust exposure.

Now that you’re about to begin make sure to put on your safety equipment, such as dust masks, earplugs, and eye protection, to avoid any possible injuries or exposure to debris.

2. Patch Holes and Cracks

Once you have cleaned everything up, check for any holes or cracks in the floor. Use a trowel filler to repair damaged areas and spread it out using a putty knife to cover the holes and cracks. Now that the filler has been applied let it dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

3. Rough Sand the Floor

Grab a drum or belt sander after everything has been cleaned and patched. You will also use a hand sander to sand up against the wall for the room’s edges. You will then use the drum or belt sander along the length of the boards, moving back and forth at a steady pace. When starting a new strip, overlap the previous strip by at least a third of the belt width or one board length to remove any scratches. The sandpaper is good for about twenty square feet, so check if it needs replacement frequently.

You will begin with the 40-grit sandpaper on your drum sander on the entire floor; this paper is very coarse and will remove any scratches. Once you have finished with this grit, vacuum the floor with a brush attachment before moving on. Then you will continue this process with the 60-grit, then the eighty, and lastly, the 120-grit if the floor is still feeling a bit rough.

• Using each type of sandpaper, you will slowly see a smoother surface.

4. Screen Sand With a Floor Buffer

After sanding, you will now use a floor buffer. A floor buffer with a fine-grit screening pad will help level minor unevenness and help achieve a more professional, smooth look. With a 120-grit sanding screen, you will move the buffer back and forth along each board.

5. Preparing to Stain (Optional)

If you plan to stain your hardwood floor, another necessary step is to clean the area again with a vacuum to prepare your floor for the best finish. Errant dust and sand may still be there, and leaving it will cause imperfections in your staining.

Next, wipe down your walls to avoid any debris from falling. Once this step is complete, wait 24 hours for the floor to fully dry before the stain.

6. Stain the Floor (Optional)

If you want to change the color of the wood, follow the steps below on how to apply the stain properly. If not, skip to the next step. You will also want to ensure the area is ventilated while performing this step, as the stain can release harmful vapors.

First, pick the color of an oil-based stain of your choice. Then, grab a staining sponge or a bristle brush, dip it into the stain, and squeeze out the extra liquid. Your starting point should be the furthest corner away from the exit so you will not step on the stain as you work towards it. When applying the stain, brush against the direction of the grain to help fill in deeper pores and avoid letting any extra stain dry on the floor by wiping it away. Once you have stained the floor, let it dry for 24 hours. After it has dried, you may have to do a second coat (or more) for the right color.

7. Apply the Wood Finish

The last step for your new hardwood floor is applying the sealer. Doing so will protect your floor and make it more durable. It will also add an excellent gloss to your hardwood floor.

One of the more commonly used types is polyurethane. Polyurethane can be water-based or oil-based. Since it lays on top of the hardwood, it provides excellent protection from water and other damage caused by impact.

Once again, ensure your room is ventilated and the floor clean before starting. Then, apply your sealer using a sponge roller along and across the grain, overlapping each previous pass. You may want to use your bristle brush along the edges for the best finish. Once you finish that, you must wait about 3 hours before applying another coat by repeating the same steps.

Now that you have finished your new hardwood floor it is essential to wait about one day before walking on the floor and three days before putting your furniture back.

Other D.I.Y. Flooring Guides

Need to get rid of your carpet before working on your hardwood floors? Check out our previous blog on How to Remove Carpet Safely to get your carpet removed quickly and efficiently.