How to Refinish Old Wood Floors without Sanding

Do you have a wooden floor that looks very dull and drab? Then it is time to refinish your floors to give it a fresh and clean look. Must let you know that it is a very tiresome job to refinish wooden floors. Refinishing your floors through sanding is only for hardwood floors, but if you have engineered floors or laminated wood or plastic laminate such as Pergo, you can try this method of refinishing without sanding.

Below you can find the tools and the step by step procedure as to how to refinish your wooden flooring without having to sand it.

The tools given below should be set up before you start the project to save time:

  • A bucket
  • A paint tray
  • A vacuum cleaner
  • A 3 in polyester paint brush
  • A broom handle
  • A sponge mop
  • Shoe covers
  • A paint pad
  • A hair dryer and a fine brush

You will need the below materials to refinish your floors:

  1. Oil based stain
  2. Nylon abrasive pad
  3. Floor refinishing kit
  4. Painters tape
Step 1: First and foremost you have to purchase a floor refinishing kit. The varathane renewal floor refinishing kit is the most used kit that includes a liquid etcher, a urethane finish that is sufficient to cover up to 225 sq.ft of floor and an applicator and pads. This finish dries slowly when compared to most water-based floor finishes.

Step 2: Next remove all furniture and knick knacks from your room and clean it thoroughly. Make sure there are no traces of dust, if dust still prevails it may fall on the wet floor and may cause fuzziness when the finish dries up. Make sure you vacuum the room completely, like curtains windowsills and be sure to wipe the baseboards and all other surfaces with a wet cloth. Close all the air ducts, by doing this you are restricting air movement. Scrub out any leftover stains using an abrasive sponge. Create hotspots to help the floor dry up quickly.

Step 3: Once you are done with the cleaning, floor is ready to be sanded without the sander. Remove the liquid etcher from the kit, using this roughens the floor surface. Take out an abrasive pad and the wood applicator and attach them and fix a broom handle to the block. Set a paint tray in a shallow box and put the etcher into it. Now immerse the pad in the etcher and press it against the tray to remove any excess liquid. Now scrub the floor with the etcher and do so along the grain, make sure you pass every area. This is done so that the rough pad used, scrapes the finish and creates a rough surface.

Make sure you do not leave the etcher for too long as it can go into the cracks and damage the inside of the laminate flooring. To avoid this, complete small sections and wipe up the excess etcher with an old rag. Once the room is completed, give it 30 minutes to dry and in the meanwhile clean the abrasive pad and rinse the block and the paint tray.

Step 4: Once the etcher has dried completely, slip on your shoe covers and damp mop the floor with warm water that is mixed with 2 table spoons of dish wash liquid. This helps to remove any leftover scum and counteract the etcher. Do not leave puddles of water as this may cause more damage, wipe them clean immediately.

After the floor is completely dry, look around as this is the time fix up any scratches. If you find any stains use an artist brush and dab the matching stain, if any excess, blot it with a cloth. With a hair dryer dry the area for about a minute or two. Use the floor finish from the kit to cover the stain. Now apply a thin layer of finish using the artist brush.

Step 5: Now take out the urethane finish out of the kit. You will need another helping hand for this step as this finish can dry up very fast (5-10 minutes). Make sure you have all the equipment within reach. Same as before, attach the applicator pad to the block and prepare the paint tray. Have a paint pad and polyester paintbrush handy.

Tip:  Keep the equipment like the pad, brushes and paint pads damp as this will make them more flexible and reactive.

Ask your helper to start by applying finish along the baseboards using a paint pad. Now dip the applicator in to the tray and spread the finish using very few strokes (one steady pull). Always keep the pad wet and when applying the finish, excess is recommended to apply on the incomplete side of the floor. Next time switch angles and finish up the other way of the room. As it dries the colour gets clear.

It will take a minimum of 8 hours for people to walk through and at least 24 -48 hours to put in your furniture. Give it at least a week to completely get to normal.

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