We get so many questions about hardwood flooring and refinishing it that we thought we’d write a short series of blogs answering some of our most frequently asked questions. Our experience in hardwood floor refinishing in Tampa extends to thousands of homes and many different types of hardwood so there are few questions we haven’t heard and answered. Quite possibly our most asked question is about our process:
What Is The Right Wood Floor Refinishing Process?
We never cut corners and it is a labor intensive process, but essentially there are three main steps to hardwood floor refinishing.
First, we remove the old finish. That may sound fairly straight forward and simple but removing the old finish means sanding; that alone is at least three steps. We sand with three different levels of sandpaper to remove the finish and smooth the floor. Then we fill in any chips or cracks that we’ve identified with you and wait for the putty to dry and re-sand that area by hand. The last step is to clean thoroughly. Again, a multi-step process as simply sweeping and vacuuming doesn’t pick up all the fine dust that happens when wood floors are sanded. We use a tack cloth to pick up any remaining fine dust on the floor and wipe down any walls and molding that is in the area.
Next, it’s time to apply the stain. Generally this is the quickest step in the process of wood floor refinishing. Whenever possible we like to get this first coat of stain on the same day we’ve finished the clean up to keep the hardwood flooring protected and to help avoid sealing in any dust. This needs to dry for at least 24 hours. Exact timing will depend upon the temperature and humidity.
The last step depends upon the type of finish you’ve chosen for your wood flooring. We may recommend buffing the floor with a fine steel wool prior to sealing, which means another round of cleaning. Other times we need to add a second coat of stain. Finally, we apply two coats of finish (wax, polyurethane, or varnish) to complete the job. That means that a simple refinishing job could take 3-5 days and a larger job could take two weeks. We don’t recommend moving your furniture back onto the refinished hardwood floors for 24 hours.
Keep in mind if you’re looking at refinishing engineered hardwood floors to see our previous blog. If you’re looking for professional and quality wood floor refinishing in Tampa and the surrounding communities, contact Seer Flooring at 727-785-1930 for your in home consultation.