Hardwood floors can beautify your home, but like any wood product, they must be properly cared for in order to maintain their luster and elegance. Hardwood floor refinishing is not a difficult process, but is a necessary one if those floors are to be maintained. By putting aside a little time to dedicate to refinishing hardwood floors, they will last for years, keeping that fresh and new appearance free of scratches and scuffs.

The process of refinishing hardwood floors involves two main steps: sanding and staining. Sanding removes the buildup of dirt and old wood from the floor's surface and gives you a fresh wood surface to work from. After you've sanded the floor, staining gives the floor's surface a less rough, more polished look.

If you are refininshing your hardwood floors, you should see if they need to be redone at all. You may want to try a test in an inconspicuous place on your floor. Drop a drop or two of water on the floor and observe. If the water is quickly absorbed by the flooring, it's time to refinish. If it isn't absorbed at all, or absorbs slowly, you can wait a while before redoing the floor's surface.

When you inspect the floor, make sure it doesn't need any repairs. Problems to inspect for include warped or sqeaking floor boards, badly stained wood, and other permanent damage. If any of these issues are present, you should repair them before refinishing the floor.

If you have found that your flooring could use a facelift but isn't in need of other repairs, you can start your project. To get started, take everything out of the room, cover up vents and other openings such as light fixtures and vents. There will be a large amount of dust once you begin sanding and to sand a floor is a messy job.

You will need a drum sander for your first sanding. The drum sander is a powerful tool and damaging the wood while sanding is easy to do. To avoid this, keep the sander moving, never letting it stay in one place for more than a few seconds. However, don't rush. When encountering corners and other areas you cannot reach with the drum sander, use an edge sander.

When the sanding is completed, clean all dust and debris from the area. You are now prepared to stain the floor. There are several options to choose from when selecting your stain. Water-based and oil-based stains are available, and these with a wide variety of appearances. Select whichever best suits your particular floor, and be careful to follow all instructions. Pay extra attention to how many coats you are to use, and how long it must be left to dry.

Once you have learned how to refinish hardwood floors, you will never need to hire a professional. The process of refinishing hardwood floors is time consuming, but it is worthwhile when your dull and dingy floor is gleaming and shiny. When the stain is dry, congratulations! You have just refinished your floor yourself. Let your beautiful new floor assure you that it was well worth the effort.

Hardwood floors can be a beautiful asset to your home. However, at some point, you should consider refinishing hardwood floors. Luckily, hardwood floor refinishing is not impossibly difficult. Do you want to know how to refinish hardwood floors? The process involves two main steps: sanding and staining. Sanding removes the buildup of dirt and old wood. Staining gives the floor's surface a less rough, more polished look. Once you have finished staining and the stain has dried, give yourself a round of applause! Other friends and neighbors you know will have hired professionals to redo their floors, but you won't need to.