Floor Sanding Mistakes to Avoid Making in Your Home
Sanding your timber floors can help remove nicks and scratches and allow you to add a coat of paint or stain for a fresh new look. While many homeowners can manage the sanding of wood floors on their own, this job is not always as easy as you might think; note a few common mistakes made by homeowners so you can avoid them yourself, and ensure that your home's floors always look their best.
Connecting the sander
A sander needs to be powerful enough to work its way through top layers of dense hardwood, so it will draw quite a bit of electricity as it operates. The sander should then always be plugged into an outlet with a third prong, used for grounding, which is needed for that strong flow of electricity. Never use a lightweight extension cord for the sander, but opt for a heavy-duty cord in good condition if needed.
You may also want to ensure you choose an outlet that is not on the same circuit as kitchen appliances or other pieces that are also drawing large amounts of power, as this can cause an electrical short and blown circuits; in turn, you could actually risk an electrical fire or damage to the sander.
Sanding too deep
If you're sanding the timber floors to remove scratches and nicks, remember that you typically buff the floors and then apply paint or stain, and a sealant, over the timber once they're sanded. These can all help cover small nicks and scratches, so you don't want to sand too much of the top layer of timber, thinking that you need to remove those scratches completely. Sanding too deep can weaken the timber and reduce the number of times you can actually sand the floors and repaint them, shortening their overall lifespan.
Adding coats of sealant
When you add sealant to freshly sanded timber floors, you need to ensure you choose the right type, according to the species of the wood. Some species are more dense than others, and will need a sealant that sticks properly. Others are softer and may need a stronger sealant for added protection.
You also need to ensure you're allowing coats of sealant to dry properly; this can mean overnight or even longer, before walking on the floors or adding the next coat. Don't use a touch test, meaning that you just touch the sealant to see if it's dry, but read the directions on the package and always err on the side of caution, letting the sealant dry for even longer than recommended so you're sure the floors are ready for foot traffic.
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