How To Refinish Hardwood Floor For Fast Drying

This quick guide will take you step by step through the floor refinishing process. Get tricks of the trade from a professional for hardwood, tile, and any other hard surface flooring.

In this article you will learn how to:

• Clean Floors
• Sand Floors
• Stain Floors
• Apply Finish to Floors

Before you begin. Remove all furniture and other items from the room you intend on refinishing.

Check for nails and use pliers or a hammer to repair loose or broken ones. Be sure to open windows and turn on fans for better circulation.

Keep pets, children and any other traffic out of the working area for at least 24hours

Here are the supplies you will need to refinish floors. Being fully prepared and equipped will save you time and money. 

• Floor Wax
• Applicator
• Sander
• Buffer
• Scrubbing Pads
• Dust Mop
• Mop
• Bucket
• Floor Cleaner
• Wet Vac
• Pliers
• Hammer
• Paint Brushes
• Knee Pads ( Optional )
• Putty Knife

Cleaning floors before refinishing will help give a smooth and glossy finish. Dirt on floors must be removed or it will be trapped beneath the surface of the wax. It's extremely important to clean floors throughly prior to apply finishing.

Methods Used To Clean Floors Before Refinishing

• Sweep - get up all debris
• Mop - use a mild or neutral detergent for regular floors. For floors with heavy debris, use a more aggressive cleaning agent such as a degreaser to get rid of dirt and grime.
• Use a wet vac to remove all moisture from the floor in order to speed up the drying process.

The sander is used to take a layer of wood off of floors for a fresh surface. This will asure that the floors are completely smooth and ready for finish. There are several types of sanders on the market ( see the side panel ).

How To Sand Floors

• Use a high or low speed to remove a layer of wood
• Use steady purposeful movements with the sander to assure even removal

Repeat the procedure above for cleaning floors after sanding is complete. This will remove all of the dust left behind from the sander.

Applying stain to floors will give it color and depth. Stain takes awhile to dry so be mindful of that. Several applications will slow down drying time. There's a huge selection of colors for staining hardwood floors. See some in the side panel.

How To Apply Stain To Hardwood Floors

• Using a paint brush apply stain with even and neat strokes
• Allow stain to dry between applications.
• Use a fan or blower to speed up the process
• Reapply more stain for a darker more rich color

In order to protect floors a finish or wax is used. A good one will make floors last for years. Be sure that you have a budget in mind when you consider the longterm cost of choosing a least then lasting finish. This may cost you in the long run. 

Finish Application

• Starting with the perimeter of the room, begin applying finish to corners and edges. Be neat and clean up any stain that touches baseboards.
• Allow each application to dry completely before adding another layer.

*Apply several layers for a super high gloss and long lasting finish

• Make sure the floor is clean and dry before begining
• Apply even coats of stain and finish
• Allow each application to dry
• Refrain from walking or putting furniture on the floor for at least 24 hours.