DIY Wood Floor Finishing

Q: I need to refinish the hardwood floors in an older home I’m moving to, and I need a quick review of the steps in the process. What needs to happen?

A: First you must get down to bare wood with a walk-behind floor sander spinning coarse, medium and fine abrasives in an overlapping pattern. Next comes a hand-held sander used along the walls before vacuuming then applying stain and a sealer. Try to rent a belt-type floor sander if you can find one. These are more forgiving than drum-style machines, which have a tendency to gouge the floor if you pause in one spot. Also, as a final step before finishing, go over the whole floor with a hand-held random orbit sander spinning 120, then 180-grit abrasives. This does a great job repairing imperfections left behind by the big sander. Also, be sure to sand lightly with a palm-style sander after each coat has dried (using 240-grit paper/ before vacuuming up all dust. Sanding between coats like this is essential for the smoothest possible finish. I recommend four coats of satin urethane on floors.