Your basic and helpful tips to wood floor sanding and polishing

The aesthetics of any home under the sun is greatly enhanced by beautiful and polished wood floors. But if the fact to be spilled, maintaining the sheen and the appeal of wooden floors is never a walk in the park. It needs regular investment of both time and effort to make wood floors look their best. In the following sections of this post let us explore few tried and tested means to make your wooden floor gleaming and attractive.

But before we start here is a humble question for you – what do you think is the purpose of sanding and polishing wood floors? In fact this question has two parts to answer; as far as sanding wood floors is concerned, it is meant to remove the topmost surface of the flooring which might have been damaged or worn out. Then comes polishing which is meant to make the floor appear shiny and fresh again as if it has been built recently.

In case it sounds daunting but the truth remains the truth! Using the right tools and the right skills it is not difficult to enliven up any wood floor, rejuvenate it and infuse a new lease of life to bring it back once again to its original lustre.

Preparation plays a vital role in easing the task and bringing striking results

You just cannot go about sanding and polishing your wood floor without having taken any preparatory step. You must prepare the area first that you intend to work on. Let us start right from the scratch – remove every piece of furniture as well as carpets. If there is anything you cannot move just drape a cover over it. According to trained and skilled professionals who provide the service of wood floor polishing in London over the years, in the next move you should clean the floor thoroughly and clear away all the dust and grime.

Step I – get the entire space cleared

It is important to get rid of every piece of furniture and furnishing from the entire space that you want to work on. An open area to work in with zero obstruction is definitely a major advantage that cannot emphasised properly with words alone. However there can always certain items that are too heavy to move. You can get those items covered with drop cloths.

Step 2 – get the floor thoroughly cleaned

You have to clean the floor area thoroughly to ensure there is no dirt, dirt, debris, grit or grime. Using a soft broom often proves effective in this aspect although you can also make of a vacuum cleaner as an alternative. Any grit that is left behind may result in scratches at the time when you sand the floor. Even any screw or nail that could be popping up somewhere can damage the sanding machine and considering all these factors you should be little cautious and careful while cleaning the floor.

Choosing the right sanding equipment is vital

Sanding machines come in lots of varieties and the question is which type of the equipment should you rely upon for your task? Well, according to experts the choice of your sanding machine depends largely on two factors – the size and the condition of your floor. Drum sanders are obviously powerful but are more appropriate for large areas and for floors that are already in ramshackle state. On the other hand orbital sanders prove effective for smaller spaces and for floors that are in overall sound condition. Now the next hurdle that pops up is whether you should buy or rent the equipment? Professionals who deal with wood floor polishing in London over the years suggest if you are not planning to sand your floor frequently it is obviously more cost effective as well as hassle-free to rent the machine instead of outright purchasing. Usually home improvement stores provide this equipment on rent.

Step 3 – the correct sanding technique is important

Sanding is a highly methodical procedure which is obviously much time consuming. There is no point in rushing it, take all your time to accomplish the task well. Coarse grit sandpapers are an excellent option to clear away the old finish as well as the existing scratches and you should gradually work your way to a finer grit with the aim to smooth the surface.

Directions for sanding

• You should always sand along the grain of the wood and never ever against it.

If you follow this instruction properly there will not be any risk of damaging your floor in one hand, while on the other you will get a smoother finish.

• Importance of making multiple passes with the sanding machine

Do not forget to make multiple passes with the sanding machine; for the initial pass you may make use of a 40 grit sandpaper and always make sure to start with a coarse grit. In the next stage, switch on to a medium grit for example 80-grit sandpaper. The third and final pass is to be made with a fine grit to smooth out the floor suggests a professional who deals with hardwood floor polish over the years; for this you can make use of 120 grit sandpaper.

• Time to clean up and get ready for polishing

Once the sanding is done the floor will obviously get covered with dust. It is important to clear away this dust before you take up polishing. If the dust is not properly cleared away then even a negligence quantity of residual dust can definitely ruin the finish.

• Clear away the dust with thorough vacuuming

A vacuum cleaner with powerful suction proves to be a helpful tool to clear way the majority of the dust. To pick up the remaining dust easily you should wipe the floor thoroughly using a damp piece of cloth or mop.

• Let the floor completely dry up

As of now polishing is the only task left; but before you move on to polishing it is important to make sure that the floor is completely dry. If the floor remains damp while you polish it, the polish will not adhere to the floor properly and bubbles will appear which will make the floor look quite weird.

• Polishing brings out the sheen of your wood floor

Make use of a floor buffer or polish applicator to polish the floor; professionally trained experts working at the renowned VIP Carpet Cleaning London explain using a floor buffer enables you to apply the polish in a thin even layer. You should start from an end of the room and work your way toward the door so that you do not have to walk on your freshly polished floor. It is also important to allow the polish to dry for a minimum of 24 hours before you start walking the floor again.