Not exactly the most straightforward DIY job, sanding wooden floors with a belt sander isn’t exactly rocket science either. Before we jump into the actual steps of sanding wood floors with a belt sander, we need to go through the equipment you’ll need to increase the chances of doing a great job. The first step of our ‘how to sand wood floors with a belt sander’ guide is removing the old finish.
Sanding floor with hand belt sander isn’t the most straightforward DIY job, and may you might find it quite challenging. If dealing with a large floor area, you will need a belt sander to achieve an efficiently sanded floor. Sanding floor with hand belt sander is a lot easier than it is portrayed to be; it is also time-saving, especially if you are covering a large area.
Belt sander machines look similar to a traditional drum sander. Differences between a belt sander and drum sander Recognizing what grit to start with Proper grit sequences. First we have a belt sander that rental centers offer, but far and wide a traditional drum sander is the choice of most professionals as they tend to have more power or torque in getting much older finishes off the floor like this heavily waxed and shellacked example.
belt sander on hardwood floors Related Question:
Can I sand a floor with a belt sander?
The handheld belt sander can sand off old finish and sand out dents and scratches much more easily than the previous sanders. While it won’t keep up with the speed of a normal floor sander, the hand held belt sander will get the job moving forward with reasonable speed.
What kind of sander is best for 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.
How long does it take to sand a floor with a belt sander?
It can take 1-5 days for a professional and 2-15 days for a DIY enthusiast, depending on the size and condition of the floor. For planning purposes, it would take 1-day per room for a professional and 2 days per room for a homeowner doing DIY.
Can I sand my 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.
What is the difference between a drum sander and a belt sander?
Belt sanders simply allow one to slip sanding belts on and off without much effort. Drum machines take longer with abrasive sheets being wrapped around one single drum (photo above) and clamped into place by way of its own locking mechanism. What Kind Of Grit To Use? sanding grits to be used.
Can a drywall sander be used on floors?
Drywall sanders, although commonly used to sand down plaster and taping, as well as preparing a wall for painting. This type of sander can be used to sand off anything, this is including wood. Therefore, you can use this specific sander to sand wooden floors.
Is it hard to refinish hardwood floors?
The hardwood floor refinishing process is easier and less expensive than sanding down to bare wood and takes less time. In a few hours, your floors will look as good as new. The job requires using a buffer, which you can rent at a home center, and a vacuum to suck up dust.
How many times should you sand floors?
Hardwood flooring can be re-sanded up to 10 times, depending on how bad the floor is and how skilled the person doing the sanding is. It costs about $2.50 per square foot to refinish a floor, plus $50 an hour for patching and thresholds.
How many sanding sheets do you need to sand a floor?
How long does it take to sand a floor? It’s hard to say without knowing the size and condition of your flooring. But with the right tools (like a drum sander and edger), you should do three sanding passes in an average-sized living room or bedroom in a day.
Should I strip or sand hardwood floors?
For example if you have a painted finish on your wooden floor then stripping will likely be more effective, however if you want to remove a basic polyurethane finish and you need to do so during the colder months of the year then sanding will be more appropriate.
Which is better orbital or belt sander?
A belt sander is more effective for large materials, while the orbital sander is ideal for small spaces and pieces of furniture. A belt sander works effectively on flat surfaces, while an orbital sander can work with various angles.
How much wood is removed when sanding hardwood floors?
When sanding any floor, the amount of wood you remove depends on the coarseness of the paper you use. Flooring professionals can sand away as much as 1/16 inches of wood with the coarsest paper.
Can you refinish hardwood floors with an orbital sander?
Random orbital sanders are the best choice for do-it-yourself hardwood floor refinishing. They take longer to remove old finishes than drum sanders, but they do not require a lot of experience to use and are less likely to damage your wood floor.
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.
Can you refinish a wood floor without sanding?
Whether you have traditional hardwoods, prefinished wood, or laminated wood, restoring without sanding is a practical solution. Though you can sand your traditional hardwoods, it’s difficult or even impossible to sand prefinished or laminated wood floors.