Tips When Using a Floor Sander

These days, more and more people are trying their hands at do-it-yourself floor remodeling and refinishing. If you’re one of those people, let me start by saying the refinishing hardwood flooring can be a big project, so before you start, keep these tips in mind, they might save you from damaging your beautiful wood floors!

1. Ask yourself: “should I be sanding this floor”

Wood flooring is gorgeous, but it does not last forever. Moisture and temperature changes can cause the boards to crack over time. And (obviously) floors become thinner with each sanding job. Before you begin, carefully inspect your floor, even run your hands across it if you have to, to see if it is too thin to withstand another sanding and to determined if it might be too cracked and damaged to proceed. If you are unsure about whether or not your floor is too thin or damaged to endure sanding, you might want to consult a professional.

2. Big or small?

Small sanders are easier to tote around, but they also require a lot more work – not recommended if you have any back problems whatsoever.

3. Avoid lightweight rental sand drums

A lot of drum sanders for rent are large but lightweight – and this can be a bad combination for floors. The reason is because sometimes they can be jumpy and leave marks in your floors – marks that are near impossible to get out. The heavy ones are a pain to lug around, but alleviate the chances of you ruining your floor.

4. When renting, ask for a demonstration

There are different types of sanders out there, and because this is such a big job and because your floor can only withstand so many sandings, you want to be sure you get it right the first time. So when you go to rent yours, ask for a demonstration.

5. Keep the machine in steady motion when it’s turned on

It is not like vacuuming, you don’t want to pause for a moment while the sander is turned on, lest you want circular indentions in your floors.

6. Go with the flow

Sand in the direction of the wood’s grain, and try to avoid going against the grain.

Keeping these tips in mind should help to ensure that you get an even, smooth sanding job done. Remember, it is quite a large job, so give yourself some time to do it, and you might even want to make a checklist of these tips to avoid any disasters.

For more information about wood flooring or related products, choose from one of the following links:

Hardwood Flooring | Wood Flooring | Bamboo Flooring