Refinishing hardwood floors

[TilliamWe]

The Admiral and I are going to be buying a house that has wood floors in it. The didning room and living room floors have some areas of either wear or fading. I was wondering if it's hard to refinish hardwood floors? What type of equipment would be needed? And if it's a job best left to professionals, is there a cost per square foot that I could expect?

Thanks.

(I just saw, this was exactly my 2000th post! Now I am a Commander, just like my brother-in-law who is a real Commander in the US Navy!)

 

[mthieme]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

First I would recommend using a professional.
Figure about a dollar a foot for the job.
They're in and out in a day and the smell from the finish is minimal.
A special floor sander is required and you really need to practice on something first.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

First I would recommend using a professional.
Figure about a dollar a foot for the job.
They're in and out in a day and the smell from the finish is minimal.
A special floor sander is required and you really need to practice on something first.

I agree. There is a technique that has to be learned with the sander that only comes with time. Any time too long in one spot, and you have very noticable low spots. Every typical homeowner I have talked to after doing their own, stated that they would never do it again. Can you...of course, and it would probably look good. I would just leave it to the pros.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

TilliamWe.... I have done a few floors both hardwood and wideboard (most recent).

Messy, back-breaking, time consuming but very rewarding. I have an older home and the hardwood floors were installed in the 1920's. They were absolutely black wavy and nasty so I rented a floor sander. The dust was incedible and the sandpaper would not last long. When I hit a wavy section I found the easy way was to attack it at an angle. Lots and lots of sandpaper later .....things were shaping up. Then you will have to rent an edge sander and I also would say get a small 1/4 sheet sander for the corner work. You MUST keep the sander moving at all times or it will create waves and dents large enough to hold a car tire in place!!

Keep in mind the person that designed the floor sander and edge sander was a sadist. There is no comfortable height or position to use either one (get ready for back pains).

Then came the endless shop vac to get all the sawdust up.... it will be EVERYWHERE (oh yeah wear a filter mask over your mouth and nose don't say I did not warn you!). The sawdust will infiltrate every room in the home.

Once the floor is clean then you can apply the poly with a wool applicator. Most floors take 2-3 coats and some require a light sanding between coats.

Keep in mind the room is not livable until your done. It takes some time for the poly to set up and harden.

This is a link to one I did (most recent)
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=185820&highlight=floor

Here is a link to another floor discussion http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=158846&highlight=floor

I have guided a few local people through this and it can be done...... or you can hire it out!

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

This past summer at my cabin I installed an unfinished pine T&G floor on the screen porch.

In one weekend, I finished the floor by using a vaqrithane sanding system from the rental shop. It was esentially a 1.5 foot square palm sander with a handle. For the amount of space 19x12 it was pretty quick sanding the initail time to get it ready for poly, but that being said, this was intended to be a rustic floor and imperfections were cosidered character. I was able to lay down 6-7 coats of poly (for a new floor) over a period of two days. I had to give it ~5 hours set time, so I was laying poly late at night, just o make the schedule.

Would I do this in my house?? Maybe if it was in a bedroom where large expanses of the floor were not centerpieces of the home. Laying the poly evenly is not a given and keeping junsk out of the wet poly (like fuzz from the wool thing) is frustrating.

overall ,cabin, yes, Home, professional.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

So Bob, you tell me that the machine was designed by a Sadist, but then you say "sure go ahead and use it!" Thanks a lot, buddy! What are you trying to kill me?!

The wife just bought a couple area rugs that will solve most of the problem, I think, but something tells me that we should still have the floors done.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

The house was built in 1930. These are the pictures from the website. The first is the dining room. None of the furniture is ours or staying:

This is the living room:

The noticeable areas of wear are at the high traffic points in between the rooms, actually. And they don't show up on these pics. But they would not be covered by the area rugs either, I don't think. I do think the rug my wife bought for the living room is larger than the one in there in this photo.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

First I would recommend using a professional.
Figure about a dollar a foot for the job.
They're in and out in a day and the smell from the finish is minimal.
A special floor sander is required and you really need to practice on something first.

That's "1 dollar per square foot", right?

 

[mthieme]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

Right.
And that's a general rule of thumb for budgeting purposes. This should include sanding and refinishing - typically with a floor grade urathane (harder).
You will find enough variation in the pricing to make it worth while getting a few estimates. Bear in mind you can negotiate too, especially since there are a lot of hungry people out there right now.

My house was built in the late 20's. The original flooring was T&G southern yellow pine. When I say that was the original flooring - I mean it was the only flooring - no subfloor! I have removed and replaced this stuff in one room (replaced with bamboo). Then I reworked in the wood shop and reused in another room (after putting a subfloor down!).

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

That floor appears very flat and true. Nice house.

You could probably get away with just sanding off the old finish and then the poly. Yup a sadist designed the machines.... the handle is stationary and NOT height adjustable ........ the sander probaly only fits the designer. The edge sander has two handles and you can not be on your feet or on your knees to do the sanding ???? What's left is a very uncomfortable bent over position. (Your still young so I figured you would recover from the aches )

The vibe sander works good on flat floors. The toughest part is that the paper loads up quickly with the old finish.

Hey do the yellow page thing and ask around. I bet you could get a great deal from someone doing it on the side.....

Yes the going rate is about $1 per sq ft and UP

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

Yeah, it's gonna have to be a side job. The wife called Stanley Steamer, they want $6/sq ft! The next company she called quoted $3/sq ft and laughed when she told him what Stanley Steamer said. The next place said $3/sq ft also. At almost 500 square feet to do, I can see why people put carpet over the wood. I know we can carpet 500 sq ft for $1100! (We aren't going to, but I know we could.) Now I think I have to find a guy "on the side" or determine whether I want to kill myself doing it. But unfortunately, time is not on my side, as we will be homeless while I am trying to accomplish this!
Thanks all for the replies and the links! Definately food for thought.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Refinishing hardwood floors

Tilliam...nice house! I love the character that goes with older homes from early 1900's. Is that a Craftsman?
Regardless, it's possible to do it yourself and a lot of people take this project on. It's a lot of work and you have to pay attention to what you are doing but it definitely is 'doable' cost saving project. My (kid?) sister who is in her early 30's did all of the main floor of their house to a very high degree of success.
That said, our house is from the 30's and needed it done in the kitchen which has the original fir flooring in it. We too did it ourselves again to a high degree of success.
As for the equipment I think Home Depot rents all of this stuff and supplies some directions with it.
There are a few things to check prior to doing it tho'. Try to get an idea as to how many times it has been sanded over it's life. Are any of the original set/fasten nails starting to show? They would be evident at the join points of the flooring. If yes, then they will have to be 'hand' set to bury them further into the floor so the sander doesn't take them on.
Noting that an old floor is only good for so many sandings before you either replace it or just prep and light sand it for stain/finish.
Keep us posted....and again, nice house!
BP