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How to Refinish your Hardwood Floor
Today, more homeowners are choosing hardwood flooring than ever before. Hardwood floors are durable, strong, and beautiful. They also help increase the property value of your home. However, after a period of time, hardwood floors begin to show the tell tale signs of wear and tear. These include dents, gouges, scuffmarks, and the loss of its brilliant shine. It is for these reasons that learning how to refinish your hardwood floor can provide you with many benefits for years to come. First of all, having the knowledge and wisdom for maintaining the beauty of your hardwood flooring will save you money and ease your mind. Don't fool yourself though; learning how to refinish your hardwood floor will take some time, effort, and dedication on your part. However, once you have mastered this art, you will be rewarded with many years of a beautiful and magnificent hardwood floor. Different Methods of RefinishingThere are many different methods that you can use to learn how to refinish your hardwood floor. These include attending workshops, reading books, studying over the Internet, and watching instructional videos. Also, if you are fortunate enough to know a handy man or woman, who can instruct you in the process, then you can benefit from having one on one instruction. The first step in learning how to refinish your hardwood floor will be in using the floor sander. A sander will resemble a large vacuum cleaner. When you rent the sander, you can also ask for a demonstration in how to use it. You should be very familiar with using the sander before you attempt to sand your hardwood floors. You may also need to use and edging machine along with the sander. The edging machine will sand the edges of your floor, in the areas that the sander may not be able to reach. You can also rent an edging machine. Staining a Hardwood FloorAnother important step in learning how to refinish your hardwood floor includes learning how to properly stain your floor. Before you begin staining your floor, you will need to remove all traces of dust that have accumulated due to the sanding process. Make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated area. Vacuuming the floor can help remove the smaller dust particles that may have been left behind during the sanding. Test the color of your stain in an inconspicuous corner (a closet is a great location), before staining the entire floor. You may need to apply two coats. Be sure to work with the natural wood's grain, and finish with a coat of clear polyurethane finish. By learning how to refinish your hardwood floor, you can ensure that your floor will reward you with many durable and beautiful years. |