Hardwood Floor Refinishing

[bhatmasterson]

Does anyone have experience they can share about having their hardwood floors refinished either by a hired company or doing it yourself?

I'm trying to determine the best option. I could do it myself if I knew where to rent the proper equipment, for the right price or I would hire someone to do it for the right price.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

[Pond Life]

I did a Teak (not hardwood) floor myself, I have no faith in any local workers to do nice finishing work.

I used TOA T-4000 hight gloss exterior polyurothane varnish, its tough & it last well indoors (not so good outdoors).

Buy yourself a half sheet size orbital sander.

Use 80 or 100 grade paper to rip back the old varnish, but don't take it down to the wood unless you have to.

Sand again with 120 grade.

Varnish following the mixing instructions on the can.

Use the white paint brushes with soft bristles, they don't look like a traditional farang paint brush.

Dry for 2 days then sand quickly & lightly with 120 again.

Varnish.

Dry for 2 days then sand with #1 flint paper.

Varnish, stand back & admire it, should be good for at least 5 years if it doesnt get much sun.

[bhatmasterson]

I did a Teak (not hardwood) floor myself, I have no faith in any local workers to do nice finishing work.

I used TOA T-4000 hight gloss exterior polyurothane varnish, its tough & it last well indoors (not so good outdoors).

Buy yourself a half sheet size orbital sander.

Use 80 or 100 grade paper to rip back the old varnish, but don't take it down to the wood unless you have to.

Sand again with 120 grade.

Varnish following the mixing instructions on the can.

Use the white paint brushes with soft bristles, they don't look like a traditional farang paint brush.

Dry for 2 days then sand quickly & lightly with 120 again.

Varnish.

Dry for 2 days then sand with #1 flint paper.

Varnish, stand back & admire it, should be good for at least 5 years if it doesnt get much sun.

Thanks for the advice.

How do you get right up against the wall/base board? Does the half sheet size orbital sander allow you to work that close or would a smaller sander be needed also?

[hellodolly]

I did a Teak (not hardwood) floor myself, I have no faith in any local workers to do nice finishing work.

I used TOA T-4000 hight gloss exterior polyurothane varnish, its tough & it last well indoors (not so good outdoors).

Buy yourself a half sheet size orbital sander.

Use 80 or 100 grade paper to rip back the old varnish, but don't take it down to the wood unless you have to.

Sand again with 120 grade.

Varnish following the mixing instructions on the can.

Use the white paint brushes with soft bristles, they don't look like a traditional farang paint brush.

Dry for 2 days then sand quickly & lightly with 120 again.

Varnish.

Dry for 2 days then sand with #1 flint paper.

Varnish, stand back & admire it, should be good for at least 5 years if it doesnt get much sun.

Thanks for the advice.

How do you get right up against the wall/base board? Does the half sheet size orbital sander allow you to work that close or would a smaller sander be needed also?

The only one I ever did was a new floor and I used a big walk behind sander to get the floor level had to go length ways sideways and corner to corner to insure level. For around the edges a big disc sander. That is the tricky part. Haven't a clue what we put on it as that was a long time ago and it was a oak floor. Besides I am sure they have better products now.

Also can't remember the grade of sand paper I believe the first one was fairly course and the second one medium with a real fine one for the final coat. Not sure it might have been two sizes used in between the initial and the final sanding. That was 55 years ago.

[Jobo]

A great summary but it must be painfully slow using an orbital sander?

I did a Teak (not hardwood) floor myself, I have no faith in any local workers to do nice finishing work.

I used TOA T-4000 hight gloss exterior polyurothane varnish, its tough & it last well indoors (not so good outdoors).

Buy yourself a half sheet size orbital sander.

Use 80 or 100 grade paper to rip back the old varnish, but don't take it down to the wood unless you have to.

Sand again with 120 grade.

Varnish following the mixing instructions on the can.

Use the white paint brushes with soft bristles, they don't look like a traditional farang paint brush.

Dry for 2 days then sand quickly & lightly with 120 again.

Varnish.

Dry for 2 days then sand with #1 flint paper.

Varnish, stand back & admire it, should be good for at least 5 years if it doesnt get much sun.

[Pond Life]

"Thanks for the advice.

How do you get right up against the wall/base board? Does the half sheet size orbital sander allow you to work that close or would a smaller sander be needed also? "

You can pretty much get right up to the wall, but you will probably need to repaint the bottom of the wall after.

Maybe a bit of hand sanding right at the last cm, wrap the paper round a wood block with an angled edge.

"That's a great how to but must be painfully slow using an orbital sander!"

Not to bad if you are re-doing a previously varnished floor, you only need to take it back until you've got all the gloss off & give the new varnish something to get a grip on.

If its a new or very uneven floor you need a belt sander, but make sure the boards are thick enough as you will be ripping off a lot of wood.

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[bhatmasterson]

"Thanks for the advice.

How do you get right up against the wall/base board? Does the half sheet size orbital sander allow you to work that close or would a smaller sander be needed also? "

You can pretty much get right up to the wall, but you will probably need to repaint the bottom of the wall after.

Maybe a bit of hand sanding right at the last cm, wrap the paper round a wood block with an angled edge.

"That's a great how to but must be painfully slow using an orbital sander!"

Not to bad if you are re-doing a previously varnished floor, you only need to take it back until you've got all the gloss off & give the new varnish something to get a grip on.

If its a new or very uneven floor you need a belt sander, but make sure the boards are thick enough as you will be ripping off a lot of wood.

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My back hurts just thinking about it. Maybe I'll buy a nice area rug.

[MrBrad]

Oh, and you're not finished until you've cleaned up all the fine dust that will find its way onto every surface--horizontal and vertical and everything in between. Cover everything well with plastic to contain the dust as best you can. In my estimation the dust is the worst part of the whole project.

[hellodolly]

Oh, and you're not finished until you've cleaned up all the fine dust that will find its way onto every surface--horizontal and vertical and everything in between. Cover everything well with plastic to contain the dust as best you can. In my estimation the dust is the worst part of the whole project.

Agreed

Even with a walk behind sander with a dust bag it was every where.

[Dean1953]

I've installed and re-finished hardwood floors since 1979 and still do it, although in the U.S. I have a teak house near Bosang, with teak floors on the second floor and teak steps. I wasn't on site while they were being done but I couldn't recommend the persons that did it. If you are re-finishing a floor, make sure that there is enough floor left to sand first. Then, if you are not going to stain the floor, sand with 36 or 50 grit paper, depending on the condition of the floor. Besides using a drum sander, also use an edger sander, which gets next to the walls where the drum sander can't. Buy a small can of lacquer or lacquer sanding sealer and mix enough of the dust from your edger (because it is a finer dust) with the lacquer to make a paste to use as a filler for any gaps or holes in the floor. Sand again with 80 grit paper and then buff the floor with a 100 grit screen mesh (under the buffer and pad). Either hand sand the corners of the floor or buy a wood scraper to scrape the corners level with the sanded portion of the floor. Vacuum and apply finish, preferably 3 coats (going by the instructions on can for applying and time between coats. The time between coats should be long enough to use a used screen mesh under the buffer. Try not to buff so much in one spot to hit bare wood. Again, vacuum between coats and wipe down with clean, wet rags. The type of brush you want to use is a white, china bristle brush. If you are staining the floor (I wouldn't recommend this for the novice sander; the stain will show every mistake), after sanding with 80 grit, go to 120 grit for both the drum and edger sanders. As far as the sheen of the finish goes, put gloss on the first and second coats. If you see a lot of "mistakes" (divots in the floor from the drum sander or gouges from the edger), go with satin for the final coat. Remember, with a surface finish like polyurethane, the day you are done is the day that the floor will look its best. Fortunately, the floor can be top coated when needed (every 2-3 years, maybe), as long as you don't use any wax or oil on the floors to clean them. Try to use one cup of white vinegar to one gallon of lukewarm water and do not over saturate floors, as that will warp the floors with time. On a day to day basis, use a broom or dust mop.

[Dean1953]

Also, buy several paper masks (the one's that fit over the mouth and nose) unless you like to breath dust.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

I've installed and re-finished hardwood floors since 1979 and still do it, although in the U.S. I have a teak house near Bosang, with teak floors on the second floor and teak steps. I wasn't on site while they were being done but I couldn't recommend the persons that did it. If you are re-finishing a floor, make sure that there is enough floor left to sand first. Then, if you are not going to stain the floor, sand with 36 or 50 grit paper, depending on the condition of the floor. Besides using a drum sander, also use an edger sander, which gets next to the walls where the drum sander can't. Buy a small can of lacquer or lacquer sanding sealer and mix enough of the dust from your edger (because it is a finer dust) with the lacquer to make a paste to use as a filler for any gaps or holes in the floor. Sand again with 80 grit paper and then buff the floor with a 100 grit screen mesh (under the buffer and pad). Either hand sand the corners of the floor or buy a wood scraper to scrape the corners level with the sanded portion of the floor. Vacuum and apply finish, preferably 3 coats (going by the instructions on can for applying and time between coats. The time between coats should be long enough to use a used screen mesh under the buffer. Try not to buff so much in one spot to hit bare wood. Again, vacuum between coats and wipe down with clean, wet rags. The type of brush you want to use is a white, china bristle brush. If you are staining the floor (I wouldn't recommend this for the novice sander; the stain will show every mistake), after sanding with 80 grit, go to 120 grit for both the drum and edger sanders. As far as the sheen of the finish goes, put gloss on the first and second coats. If you see a lot of "mistakes" (divots in the floor from the drum sander or gouges from the edger), go with satin for the final coat. Remember, with a surface finish like polyurethane, the day you are done is the day that the floor will look its best. Fortunately, the floor can be top coated when needed (every 2-3 years, maybe), as long as you don't use any wax or oil on the floors to clean them. Try to use one cup of white vinegar to one gallon of lukewarm water and do not over saturate floors, as that will warp the floors with time. On a day to day basis, use a broom or dust mop.

Good avice if one was in America. Edges are not avalable here and drum sander aren't the same, There they are very balky and use a honda Gas engine to run them., just like your lawn mower, And what I would not give for some good floor finish. But just try to find some, or even Satin as you say, Just not avalable.

[Sydneycraig]

Out of interest how much per sqm might a new hardwood oak or white oak flooring cost in Thailand ?

[Dean1953]

Since we are talking about Thailand, it wouldn't surprise me if they finished wood floors the old fashioned way (as done 100 years ago), by using an extremely large scraper; http://www.gustavcaillebotte.org/The-Floor-Scrapers-1875.html What you are saying doesn't surprise me, as the drum sanders that I use in the U.S. cost $6,500, and would, because of the import taxes, cost considerably more in thailand. In place of an edger, you could use a disk sander, which would require a somewhat delicate touch and be extremely dusty. I've re-finished some teak furniture while in Thailand with one. The funny thing is, my drum sander runs on 220V and could be easily run in Thailand. I wonder how hard it would be to include it as "household item" in a container when I move back to Chiang Mai?

[cheeryble]

1. There are perfectly good floor sanding men available

2. Nice tip Dean about using gloss first coat to check for dents...though to my mind a gloss finishing coat is not desirable matt or satin for me.

3. You can use 2part bleach when the floor is sanded and bare.....several coats....for a real update look.

4. Be careful the men don't restain the floor after bleaching! ....though soft yellow (not the old fashioned dark red) looks rather Swedish and good. They make up a dry mix which gets rubbed across and which also does the grouting....this can be coloured to choose.

5. If you have loose wood tiles I recommend drilling holes and injecting polyester resin (fibreglass) with a large syringe, no needle. It not only sets the tile it will also seep into any crumbling substrate and set it too. (never seen before but it worked with great success, saved ripping up a whole floor with a some hours of effort.)

6. I used expensive 2part epoxy varnish the first time I did this thinking I'm buying something which will last forever. Bad idea. Very hard and durable, but if you DO scratch it you can't just sand out the scratches in a normal way. Am guessing a rubdown prior to revarnish would be a real labour too. Just use regular.

Good luck

"Since we are talking about Thailand, it wouldn't surprise me if they finished wood floors the old fashioned way (as done 100 years ago), by using an extremely large scraper; http://www.gustavcaillebotte.org/The-Floor-Scrapers-1875.html "

Wow what a great old picture!

I used something like that tool for scraping varnish on my old wooden yacht. Excellent if you keep the angle right and keep it sharp!

[hellodolly]

Out of interest how much per sqm might a new hardwood oak or white oak flooring cost in Thailand ?

Do they not make hardwood floors out of bamboo? I was told that it was harder than oak

[cheeryble]

Out of interest how much per sqm might a new hardwood oak or white oak flooring cost in Thailand ?

Agree, love oak.......but isn't that a bit like going to Italy and looking for Chinese marble? No doubt you are a very wealthy man if you want oak here :-)

What you can do is alter the normal look of the tiles as I said by bleaching and or staining. You can also make some interesting effects such as a 3D Escher type look made out of lots of diamond shaped tiles grouped in threes each a different shade.

I'd look it up if I wasn't on a lousy iPad.

[jackr]

Had pretty good success using teak oil as opposed to poly. Looks really nice in the bedroom and is smooth under foot. Have done the sanding and the heat gun method for removing poly. Heat gun and then light sanding seemed quicker, easier and less mess. Thought it might warp the wood or upset the glue, but worked out fine and still looking good two years on. Just hold the gun back a few inches (keeping it moving) and use a good scraper, making sure not to gouge (or burn) the wood. Stain on with a squeegy pole (three coats) and wiped on teak oil with a couple rags... soaks right in there. Will no doubt wear down quicker and is open to scratches than using poly, but we're all bare-footed here and all the wood is upstairs, plus it sure is nice to feel the actual wood.

Like the above tips for using the dust for filling in and screen mesh.

[DaamNaam]

http://www.woodworldcm.com/contact.php

This place does top notch teak floors. They also have teams that will refinish old floors so i believe. Their showroom has an awesome display of flooring options.

[Sydneycraig]

So how much would a rich man have to pay for oak?!

[JeffreyMcCollum]

4000 + per sq.m. Plus installation

So how much would a rich man have to pay for oak?!

[JeffreyMcCollum]

http://www.woodworldcm.com/contact.php

This place does top notch teak floors. They also have teams that will refinish old floors so i believe. Their showroom has an awesome display of flooring options.

They have wonderful doors and floors but they sell materails and do not install

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Out of interest how much per sqm might a new hardwood oak or white oak flooring cost in Thailand ?

Do they not make hardwood floors out of bamboo? I was told that it was harder than oak

Bamboo makes wonderfu flooring, very beautiful

Yes it is hard

More rare here but avalable, most is made in China

Very popular in some resorts and some areas like Hawaii