Over time, your hardwood floors undergo a lot of wear and tear. And even preventative maintenance cannot make your floors last forever. Eventually you will have two options:
- Purchase new hardwood floors
- Refinish your existing hardwood floors
The obvious, cost-effective choice is refinishing. And while we would prefer you to choose John K. Eareckson & Co. for all of your hardwood refinishing needs, we realize that some of you will decide to go the do-it-yourself (DIY) route. And we still want to ensure you have beautiful floors, even if we aren’t the ones refinishing time.
Refinishing your Hardwood Floors: Tips for the Do-It-Yourself Homeowner
- The Right Equipment: First and foremost, if you do not have the proper equipment, do not even try to refinish your floors. You could end up doing more harm than good. We recommend drum sanders, but random orbital sanders will do. Just be sure to hold on tight. Sander markings are difficult to remove.
- Take your Time: Do not use sandpaper coarser than 60. This will keep you from damaging the floor. Start with a coarse-grit abrasive paper, moving to gradually finer paper until you reach the desired degree of smoothness. You will have to make numerous passes with each grit.
- Pay Attention to the Corners: Corners are often difficult to reach. Use a sharp scraper to remove any areas of old finish the sander cannot reach.
- Remove Dust and Debris: When you are done sanding, be sure to completely remove dust and debris from the flooring before applying your sealer. Once the floor is sealed, it is much more difficult to remove debris.
- Seal: If your floor takes stain unevenly, a sealer will help ensure even coverage.
- Stain: Applying stain evenly is easier said than done. Avoid letting the leading edge of your job dry; you will end up with lap marks or stripes.
Professional Hardwood Floor Refinishing in and around Baltimore, Maryland
Of course, you could always leave the hard work to the flooring experts at John K. Eareckson & Co., ensuring your hardwood floor is refinished properly! We have several options for refinishing your existing hardwood floors:
- For regular maintenance, we can screen your floors and apply a top coat of polyurethane to keep them looking new.
- If your floors are in particularly poor condition, we will sand them down and apply several layers of polyurethane to restore them to their original beauty!
If you have any questions, please contact John K. Eareckson & Co. by calling 410-788-4200 or visit JKEHardwoodFlooring.com today!
John K. Eareckson & Co. is a premier installer and refinisher of hardwood floors in the Baltimore / DC metro region. If new floors are your dream, we can make those dreams come true…for less than you might imagine. John. K. Eareckson & Co. will provide the best quality, craftsmanship, and customer service around.
“After all, you are walking on our reputation.”
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