Hardwood Flooring Installation 101: Finishing

The durability of the hardwood floors can well be attached to the mere fact that they are resistant to soaking up liquid spills, making the finishing of the hardwood floors tight. A variety of finishes are available in the market, and the type decided on depends on how much exposed the floor is, the traffic experienced as well as the desired stain intensity.

Part 1

Preparing the area

The room to be finished is repaired such that it has to be devoid of any furniture, wall hangings and window treatments. A continuing floor into the closet is emptied.

Get rid of trims using a pry bar, into which a small wood is to be inserted to provide an advantage and prevent damages.

The room is to be protected from fumes and dust by using masking tape to seal all openings. The lighting fixtures are to be covered with trash bags and secured with masking tape. Dust and debris are vacuumed out. Black sports due to water sports are to be treated with a 50-50 bleach solution to eliminate any dark spots.

Part 2

Sanding the floor

An electric drum sander is the best tool to use in sanding. In case you do not have, you can rent from a facility providing such services or borrow from a neighbor.

The machine is tilted back on the onset, and once spinning begins, it gently lowered to the floor. Initially, the 20-60 grit rapper is the starting point, and this consequently rising as the job continues.

Sanding starts from the center of the room stretching outwards to the edges. It extends along the grain overlapping each pass by an inch for complete coverage. The natural flow of the wood is in the grain, held together by a tough line.

The process is to continue, consequently adjusting the grit to its finer gritting of sand paper. For most hardwood, sanding can occur up to almost four times. Thorough cleaning is then necessary before the next sanding session begins, taking care to vacuum and dry clean.

After the sanding activity, there is a need to ensure the floor is clean. Dry cleaning with a wet cloth follows vacuuming. For staining purposes, no sawdust should be seen around the floor.

Part 3

Staining the floor

Staining a floor can highlight the natural and real hues on the wooden floor as well as giving the floor a unique, colorful twist in the manner of appearance. Staining is however not necessary should the current color of the wooden floor be appealing just as it is. 

In choosing the stain type, the quality should come before quantity in the decision-making. Spending much on the gallon should not be much of a bother. When selecting the color, it is important to bear in mind that the color on the charts is not necessarily the color that is going to manifest itself on the floor, this because of fading because of soaking into the wood. 

Before staining, a durable floor sealant is to be applied. It helps do away with events of in even coverage. For the best product, soliciting the help of a professional is necessary.

Stain the floor generously using a brush, roller or rag. After about 15 minutes, using a piece of cloth, the excess stain is removed. The amount of dye to be used is put into a bucket and thoroughly stirred. Additionally, this also plays a part in even coverage. A thin layer is good enough for faster drying, unlike the thick stain layers.

For target results, many additional coats can be added as much as desired. Let each coat dry sufficiently. For water-based stains, 2-6 hours is the drying duration and for the oil-based stains, 6-10 hours is the drying period.

A polyurethane coat is worth considering. A softer finish is achievable with a natural protective barrier based look and can make the floor shine beside a semi-gloss finish. A paint roller is a necessary tool to apply the polyurethane followed by ample drying time. For added shine and protection, an extra coat would be required. Waxing and buffing can replace the polyurethane.

Part 4

Waxing and Buffing the Floor

Waxing seals the wooden floor. Buffing gets rid of the excess wax. It's  difficult and consumes a lot of time, but the effects on the floor are usually magnificent. Waxing and buffing can come before staining, after and without staining at all. Wax should be applied on the dry stained floor.

The right wax is essential. For an untreated floor, any finished product or wax labeled hardwood can do. Some popular ones include the beeswax and the polyurethane found in local stores. All these products pose different appearances and as such, the selection should be a keen process.

The wax is to dry completely, and it could take about 30 minutes or more based on the weather conditions. After about 10 minutes of natural drying, a fan can be used to enhance the drying. Pointing the fan directly to the floor might interfere with the adhesion and thus discouraged.

Buff the floor. It involves eliminating wax on the floor by use of a clean towel. Hand buffing is the way to go about it but putting the towel around a mop can help work without having to go down on all fours.

Once it is done, the process is repeated at least three times for perfect waxing results.  This necessary as it leads to resilient layers protecting the floor. It also helps in the durability purposes of the floor.