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.
how to use belt sander on hardwood floors Related Question:
Can I sand a hardwood floor with a belt sander?
A belt sander for finishing a wood floor should be a hand-held one so you can move the tool around on the surface of the floor. Belt sanders will do a good job of leveling out the floor and preparing it for a finer sand.
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.
How do you sand uneven hardwood floors?
Coarse sanding (cont’d) Start to the left of the room and sand in the direction of the wood. If the floor is very uneven, we recommend to sand diagonally. Walk slowly forward and lift the drum gently as you reach the wall. Lower the drum again and return in the same path that you sanded.
What grit sandpaper do you use to sand hardwood floors?
Start with 36-grit sandpaper for a floor that hasn’t been sanded in a long time or that has a lot of heavy finish on it. Floors that have been painted may even require you to go tougher and use 24 or 16-grit paper. Maple floors are so hard that they often require 36-grit sandpaper as well.
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.
How deep can you sand hardwood floors?
Flooring professionals can sand away as much as 1/16 inches of wood with the coarsest paper. However, some engineered floors cannot sustain more than one heavy-duty sanding, as they may have a surface veneer of only twice that thickness. Refinishing these floors more than once poses a risk of wear-through.
What do you put on newly sanded floorboards?
You can use a clear or tinted varnish to seal sanded floorboards. Put on three coats to get a really hard-wearing finish and make sure your brush is completely clean before you start.
Can I stay in my house while floors are refinished?
The house is not inhabitable for a minimum of 2 days after the job is completed, and better to stay out for at least 5 as the fumes/off-gassing is not advisable to breathe in, even if there are other rooms to sleep in.
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 a drywall sander be used on wood 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.
How hard is it to use a floor sander?
There’s really no getting around it – sanding your floors is hard work and physically tiring. When you first start sanding you’ll almost instantly see a huge difference in your floor but once you’ve removed most of the varnish and dirt progress will seem so much slower.
Can you use a hand sander on hardwood floors?
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.
Do you push or pull a drum sander?
You will be pulling your drum floor sander, not pushing. This means that you are moving the sander in the opposite of the drum motion. Do not attempt to get close to trim, baseboards, doors, walls, and other elements that will not be sanded.
Can you sand hardwood floors too much?
Too much sanding can wear them down until they’re too thin. When you refinish hardwood too many times, it becomes less structurally sound and more likely to crack. After a few refinishes, it’s probably time to get a full replacement.