Hi Guys
Anyone going to rejuvenate wooden floors then read on:
Regards
Anyone going to rejuvenate wooden floors then read on:
Timber FloorsMitre 10
Through a series of three articles I'll explain how you can rejuvenate old floorboards so that they are returned to their original splendour.
Basically the job will involve sanding the floorboards and then coating them with a heavy-duty polyurethane varnish.
There are two ways to get the sanding done; the first entails looking in the Yellow Pages for a professional to do the job for you and the second is to do it yourself.
Beware: if you're going to do the sanding yourself, you need to be prepared. It's not a job for the faint-hearted and it does create a lot of dust!
No matter how well you cover things up, dust will get everywhere so you must wear a good dust mask. (Check at your local Mitre 10 store for the correct mask. Cheap, disposable cotton ones are no good for floor sanding.)
You'll also need earmuffs as sanding machines are very noisy.
Where to start
Most hire companies have floor sanding machines available. They are larger versions of the belt sander you may have in your workshop.
The biggest difference, other than size, is that they have a long handle to allow you to operate them standing up.
A word of caution about floor sanding machines is that the moving belt must never come into contact with the floor whilst the machine is stationary. The reason for this is that the belt will dig a large groove into the floor.
Most machines have a system that allows you to switch the belt on so that it is rotating but it will not touch the floor until you activate a lever. As you release the lever start to move forward. Once the belt engages with the floor it will start to move forward under its own power.
Make sure you fully understand how to operate the machine you are hiring before you even think about starting on your floor boards.
Preparation
There is a lot of preparation to do before you go to hire your sander. To start with the floor must be clean and free of any old glue.
If you have removed a floor covering such as vinyl, make sure all the adhesive is scraped off. (Note: Old vinyl may contain asbestos. Have your flooring tested for asbestos by a professional company before you pull it up yourself. If your vinyl does contain asbestos, it will need to be removed professionally.)
Clean off any thick layers of old polish too. Repair damaged or loose boards and then you start punching the floorboard nails to sink them in (otherwise the nails will become exposed as you sand down the boards and exposed nails will rip the sanding belts very quickly).
To punch the nails you will need a hammer and nail punch and, most importantly, something to kneel upon because you will be spending a long time on your knees while doing this job. Take your time and make sure that you punch every nail below the wood surface.
Through a series of three articles I'll explain how you can rejuvenate old floorboards so that they are returned to their original splendour.
Basically the job will involve sanding the floorboards and then coating them with a heavy-duty polyurethane varnish.
There are two ways to get the sanding done; the first entails looking in the Yellow Pages for a professional to do the job for you and the second is to do it yourself.
Beware: if you're going to do the sanding yourself, you need to be prepared. It's not a job for the faint-hearted and it does create a lot of dust!
No matter how well you cover things up, dust will get everywhere so you must wear a good dust mask. (Check at your local Mitre 10 store for the correct mask. Cheap, disposable cotton ones are no good for floor sanding.)
You'll also need earmuffs as sanding machines are very noisy.
Where to start
Most hire companies have floor sanding machines available. They are larger versions of the belt sander you may have in your workshop.
The biggest difference, other than size, is that they have a long handle to allow you to operate them standing up.
A word of caution about floor sanding machines is that the moving belt must never come into contact with the floor whilst the machine is stationary. The reason for this is that the belt will dig a large groove into the floor.
Most machines have a system that allows you to switch the belt on so that it is rotating but it will not touch the floor until you activate a lever. As you release the lever start to move forward. Once the belt engages with the floor it will start to move forward under its own power.
Make sure you fully understand how to operate the machine you are hiring before you even think about starting on your floor boards.
Preparation
There is a lot of preparation to do before you go to hire your sander. To start with the floor must be clean and free of any old glue.
If you have removed a floor covering such as vinyl, make sure all the adhesive is scraped off. (Note: Old vinyl may contain asbestos. Have your flooring tested for asbestos by a professional company before you pull it up yourself. If your vinyl does contain asbestos, it will need to be removed professionally.)
Clean off any thick layers of old polish too. Repair damaged or loose boards and then you start punching the floorboard nails to sink them in (otherwise the nails will become exposed as you sand down the boards and exposed nails will rip the sanding belts very quickly).
To punch the nails you will need a hammer and nail punch and, most importantly, something to kneel upon because you will be spending a long time on your knees while doing this job. Take your time and make sure that you punch every nail below the wood surface.
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