The Most Common Floor Sanding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Homeowners interested in wood floor sanding richmond have a lot to think about if they are planning on doing the work themselves. Many DIY-ers refinish wood floors all on their own, without the assistance of a professional wood flooring contractor.

This is all well and good, until the DIY-er realizes that he or she doesn’t quite have the skills necessary to do the job right and ends up doing more harm than good. A wood floor is a delicate surface that can be ruined rather easily if you don’t know what you’re doing. In the end, you’re going to end up spending all that money you planned to save, and then some, in hiring a skilled wood flooring expert to come in and fix the damage that has been done.

While it’s true that sanding a floor isn’t exactly rocket science, it does require a deft hand and a little know-how as to what you should avoid so as not to cause that damage. So, whether you’re a seasoned pro at do-it-yourself jobs or you’re a novice with a lot of confidence, here are some of the most common floor sanding mistakes and how to avoid them:

Rush Job

Not so surprising that the most common mistake that homeowners make when sanding their own floors is their speed at the task. Too many of them underestimate the time required in doing the job right and they attempt to complete the work in a short period of time. Perhaps they expected the job to be a simple weekend project or they just grow impatient at the task. Don’t be one of these folks, take your time, slow down, and do the job right. Never rush floor sanding and always use caution.

Grit Selection

There is no “one size fits all” grit because every floor is different with respect to wear and tear, species of wood, and the age of the flooring. So, when you are choosing your grit, take all of three of these things into consideration. Sanding a floor requires selecting a starting grit and then working your way towards finer grades until you achieve the appearance you want for your flooring.

Start with a coarser sandpaper that will address your current flooring issues and then pick finer options. How many of those are necessary is up to you. It may be three, it may be seven. This all depends on your particular floor.

The Right Equipment

If you want to do this right, you need the best tools for the job. Again, this is going to rely on how much work you need to perform on your flooring surface. For most jobs, a good drum sander should suffice. It gives you the power and control necessary to gain you the best possible results. If your flooring isn’t too bad off, you may opt to go without the drum sander.

But don’t underestimate the job, when in doubt, grab the drum sander and do the work with it. Just be very careful when using a drum sander. Be deliberate in your movements and pressure exertion. You don’t want cut too deep into the surface of the wood and damage it as a result.