This weekend our Hardwood Flooring Experts were refinishing a hardwood floor for a local business and a key part of that is sanding the hardwood. As with any commercial space that has hardwood floors, they become scratched and worn with use. By the end of the day, they had been transformed into a masterpiece! (more pics to come) I am always amazed at the transformation that takes place under their skilled hands!
One of the first steps in refinishing a hardwood floor is sanding off the old layers of finish and stain. Thereby returning the wood to its natural state. This part of the hardwood sanding process requires an understanding of the wood and a talent to make it beautiful again.
Something that many homeowners are surprised by is how many times the hardwood floor must be sanded in order to aggressively but gently remove these unwanted layers. There is an art to removing these layers without damaging the wood or leaving scratches.
Wood Floor Sanding
This pictures gives you an idea of the sanding process. You can see progression in the the distinct coloration in these three layers.
In the upper portion (with the lightest color wood), the floor has already been sanded twice. The first time with an aggressive grit sand paper and the second time with a less aggressive sandpaper.
In the middle portion (where the machine is sanding), it has only been sanded once.
In the bottom portion (the darkest color wood), the floor has not been sanded at all.
With each pass of the sander, a finer sand paper is used until the final finishing grit paper. This paper smooths the floor and prepares it for the finishing coats and/or stain.
What comes off when the hardwood floors are sanded? The old finish and the stain. Here is a picture of the layers of finish that will soon be sanded off. While finish is an durable hardwood flooring protector, it will eventually become worn.
Old Hardwood Finish
When to have hardwood floors refinished?
When the floor is no longer beautiful. When the finish has become discolored or significantly scratched. When you want to change the color of the stain. In general, anytime you want your hardwood floors to beautiful again.
We can help you make your hardwood floors beautiful again! Contact us at 317-759-2575. We would love to talk with you about your hardwood floors.
Floor Craft Sanding is Central Indiana’s Premier Hardwood Flooring Experts specializing environmentally-friendly hardwood flooring services – including dustless refinishing and water-based finishes. Our staff have decades of experience in every aspect of hardwood flooring. For more information read our frequently asked questions page and the testimonies from our satisfied clients!
