Essential details you need to refinish wood floors

There are many different types flooring options available these days. You can go for tiles or marbles or stone. But the most elegant option is the hardwood floor. There is however a little issue with this type of flooring. It will lose its shine after a couple of years. And then you will have to put some effort into making it as good as new again. It is not very difficult or complex to refinish wood floors. You just need to have some basic info about the process. All the essential details that you need are mentioned below.

Select the finish

The very first step is to select the right finish for the floor. There are three main options available these days. All of them have their own pros and cons. You should decide based on your requirements and preferences.

Polyurethane: This type of finish gives the wood a darker and yellowish look. It is quite durable and hence is ideal for areas that are high on moisture and traffic. You can either go for water based or oils based finish. Both are equally good.

Varnish: When one plans to refinish wood floors, varnish is the first thing that comes to mind. It is available in glossy and matte look. The glossy one is much more durable. Varnish will become darker as it ages.

Penetrating sealer: This is the best option if you want the natural look of the wood to enhance. It can make your floor really impressive. The only issue with this type of finish is that it is not very durable. However you can spot fix it very easily.

Step by step process

First of all you need to get the old finish off. For that you need sander machine. After that you fill gouges or nicks in the floor using wood putty. Let the putty dry and then sand it with the help of sandpaper. Now you need to clean the floor properly to remove any dust. Once done that, you can apply the seal and then the wax. While it drying, do not let any type of dirt near it.

Equipment you need

You can easily get a walk behind sander and a hand sander on rent. You will also need cleaning supplies and something to cover the floor with when it is drying. The most important things however dust mask, eye protection and gloves.