Is your wooden floor damaged, starting to wear out, or has it lost some of its luster? If you’ve thought about doing the refurbishment work on your flooring yourself, know that it’s possible to sand and varnish your floor yourself by following a few important criteria.
Why sand and varnish a damaged floor?
Sanding and varnishing an existing floor is an eco-friendly option that gives a second life to your flooring that has seen some wear and bears the marks of it. Indeed, when we look at our feet and see a wooden floor on our ground, we quickly notice that this covering has seen a number of things pass over it. From small feet to larger shoe sizes, rolling objects, toys, animal paws or furniture legs, as well as a few accidents of life, a wooden floor always retains some signs. Sometimes, sanding and varnishing a floor also allows giving it a second wind, a new color and a new style so that the floor perfectly matches a new desire for decoration and ambiance. The option of sanding and varnishing a floor allows preserving a current floor whose structure is still in good condition, and this, for many years. This allows you to benefit from the initial investment. The sanding action completely removes the varnish from the wood surface and therefore allows returning to the raw material. You can then change the finish and choose between the following options: varnish gloss, oiled finish, and on most wood species, you can even apply a stain to change the color of the floor to change the result and final appearance of your floor.
Criteria to follow for sanding and varnishing your floor
- Preparation of the area: Before sanding, you must remove everything on the surface to be sanded. You must then perfectly clean the surface by vacuuming and cleaning the floor with a specific cleaner for its type of wood. This step is crucial to remove all unwanted residues on the floor. Also remember to repair imperfections on your floor such as a protruding nail, a scratched, torn or holed wood strip to make the floor uniform before sanding.
- Sanding your floor using a sander: It is impossible to sand the entire surface of the floor by hand using sandpaper, it would take months and the result would not be uniform. We therefore recommend at least the use of a sanding machine and an edge sander.
- Choose the dust-free sanding option: Currently, and unlike a few years ago, it is possible to obtain dust-free floor sanding and varnishing performed by professionals. This solution is very advantageous for several reasons: there is no major cleaning to be done, no ventilation to clean, and residents can stay in the dwelling during the work.
- Varnishing your previously sanded floor: Once the sanding (and staining if desired) is done, you can apply the varnish to protect your floor in the long term. To do it right, always choose a varnish based on the use of the floor. Ask yourself the following questions: is the floor in a high-traffic area? With children and animals? Are there high risks of accidents? Does it support heavy loads? Do people walk on it with shoes? Indeed, some varnishes may contain more contaminants than others. Avoid this type of varnish if young children are frequently in the room.
- Choose an experienced professional in wood floor sanding: If the option of sanding and varnishing your floor is what you want to undertake, take the time to choose a good sanding professional. Le bois est un matériau très durable, mais aussi très spécifique et précieux qui demande un savoir-faire et une grande attention.
