Hardwood floor refinishing/screening

OK.....I'mposting in Helpful Tips and I need tips on hardwood floors.

Screening is buffing the floor with a special pad that scuffs up the polyurethane or finish. Machine rental

Sanding- Taking down to the bare wood. Can rent sand-less sander but it's probably still messy.

If you have ever refinished or screened hardwood maybe you learned something and I would like to know what that was! Since I have an open floor plan there are few if any areas of demarcation. If I move the furniture down that way........and sand/screen this part and I polyurethane, wait 24 hrs move the furniture back and repeat the process, am I going to have a visible line of demarcation? I have some water damage from plants and I wanted to use the slats that are in the closet to replace the damage but my husband doesn't want to do that. So if I "sand' those areas and screen the rest is that a problem?

I doubt that there is any polyurethane on the floors and I have tested as I've learned online. But should I still screen the bare hardwood if that's the case?

Yes, I know these answers are online but I don't want to know what the 'experts' recommend as much as I want the advice of someone who has been there/done that! I AM going to Home Depot and talk to them before starting and maybe also Lowes. I definitely want more than one opinion. I'm likely to NEVER get my husband to agree to this kind of project ever again.

Topics: hardwood floors, sanding, screening, refinishing

4 People who like this

Safari Woman

I'm pulling from 13 years of being a sub contractor and of many of those years experience in working for, with, and around wood product factories.

The next person to come along may have different experience and advice so this is starting IMHO...

It is difficult to firmly answer without seeing the ty...

March 17, 2013
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Rocky

WOW...........if I pay you to come up, will you do it for me!! lol
I'm so taken with your tips because they make sense and are logical.
What kind of wood? Oak said my husband........
I'm beginning to doubt that these floors have any poly on them. The house was six yrs old when we moved in and we've ...

March 17, 2013
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Safari Woman

lol thank you. I kind of miss my construction job days - at least I was dealing in physical items not bits of code flying through the air. About the poly stain - remember when it gets scuffed or wears off so goes your stain except a little soaks into the wood.

I would get three floor subcontractors to come out and asses it and give you a price. Question every thing. If you use them or do it yourself you will learn a lot. Apologies to floor subcontractors for recommending this to a likely do it yourself customer. lol Those sales people don't make money off of a dry call like this but being in this case I am YOUR friend ...... lol ... I'll recommend that you do it. Someone needs to lay eyes on it who knows and they might even say they can sand down around the stain, match it and poly coat your floor for not that much more than you are going to spend on materials and renting a sander... Well in terms of time it might be worth it to you especially if they will move all of your furniture and secure the space etc.

Here are three links for you to consider - and remember you have dogs....
http://www.city-data.com/... (ref for dog owners)

http://www.perma.com/wood...

http://www.bobvila.com/bl...

https://advice.thisoldhou... (water poly over oil stain problem)

......... one thing I want to point out not to you so much as to anyone who might be reading in general.... people really need to spend a little time to understand the nature of wood products, the many different types of wood and finishes they might contain, how to care for just that kind (nope pledge is not a product for all wood products lol) and so forth because for example depending on if your floors were done by hand on site or were installed from factory injected stains and polys they will be two completely different bests to deal with.

One of the most interesting things about being in construction was that I learned how to care for all products in a home or business and I'd say about .00001 percent of the population has any idea how to do it. lol And being guys are mostly in construction, I'm thinking most of them still don't know or care unless a customer asks and they have to look it up. lol For me as a woman, it was a fascinating subject matter while learning about the products I sold and or installed.

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March 18, 2013
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Safari Woman

one more tip -- if you sand it all, use a sponge mop to clean the wood after you sweep and all of that.. it sounds crazy I know, but you need to get all of the minute dust off the wood and if you do it lightly and let it dry 24 hours before starting the poly or stain it will be ok.

March 17, 2013
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Safari Woman

oh gosh one more tip lol then I'm done ... after you sand, if you've left furniture in the room, before you do the mopping over, dust/vacuum every thing or else when you move the furniture you may disperse dust around on sticky poly or on the yet to be treated wood. & Give your wood at least a week ...

March 17, 2013
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Robert Kenard

I'd try screening right around one of the least visible spots and use that one as a test. Like Safari said, you can always take it back down to wood if it doesn't look well. I've used the machine and thought it worked well although not perfectly. It might be tiring for someone not used to using the ...

March 17, 2013
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Rocky

Robert...........the more I learn.......the more frightened I become!! My latest remembrance was 'how do I keep 3 cats and 2 dogs off the floor for a possible 48+ hours!! lol.......I'll have the only floor in town embossed with paw prints!

March 19, 2013
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GAGA GAGA

i don't envy you if it was me i wouldnt know what to do

March 18, 2013
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Kahaluu Girl

good luck!...sorry that is all I got right now

March 19, 2013
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Rocky

Sent a reply......twice........never saw it.

March 19, 2013
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Rocky

Well, I'll try again.......... I think I need a very solidly built muscular dude to handle the job. But then I remember that I'm married and so I wrote one hundred times, "I have a husband." Didn't work. I'll take the dude!!

March 19, 2013
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