QA

Quick Answer: How Many Times Can You Sand Hardwood Floors

Hardwood flooring can be re-sanded up to 10 times, depending on how bad the floor is and how skilled the person doing the sanding is. It costs about $2.50 per square foot to refinish a floor, plus $50 an hour for patching and thresholds.

Can you sand hardwood floors too much?

Too much sanding can wear them down until they’re too thin. When you refinish hardwood too many times, it becomes less structurally sound and more likely to crack. After a few refinishes, it’s probably time to get a full replacement.

How many times can I sand my floor?

Since normal sanding will remove from 1/64 to 1/32 of the wood surface, the surface can be sanded from 6 to 10 times or more, before the floor needs to be replaced entirely. If the floor is resurfaced every 10 to 20 years, the floor will last for a century or more.

How many times can you sand 3/4 hardwood floor?

A solid hardwood plank at least 3/4 inches thick will likely need to be refinished four to six times during its total lifespan. It’s commonly accepted that you refinish every seven to ten years. Important note: some hardwood is only 1/4 inches thick.

Can you refinish 1/4 hardwood floors?

Since most hardwood planks are manufactured with tongue and groove to interlock, it is necessary to leave at least 1/8 of an inch of wood at the top of the board, above the tongue and groove, for a complete refinish. It may be possible to refinish the floors if the boards are thinner than 1/8 of an inch.

Is sanding a floor difficult?

There’s really no getting around it – sanding your floors is hard work and physically tiring. When you first start sanding you’ll almost instantly see a huge difference in your floor but once you’ve removed most of the varnish and dirt progress will seem so much slower.

How many times can a hardwood floor be sanded and refinished?

Hardwood flooring can be re-sanded up to 10 times, depending on how bad the floor is and how skilled the person doing the sanding is. It costs about $2.50 per square foot to refinish a floor, plus $50 an hour for patching and thresholds.

How many times can you refinish 5/16 hardwood floors?

Solid boards, which are usually 3/4 inch thick, have a 1/4- to 5/16-inch layer that covers the nails. They can sustain, on average, four major sandings and up to 10 minor ones that primarily remove finish.

How much wood does floor sanding remove?

When sanding any floor, the amount of wood you remove depends on the coarseness of the paper you use. Flooring professionals can sand away as much as 1/16 inches of wood with the coarsest paper.

How do you tell if hardwood floors can be refinished?

Water Test Pour a spoonful of water onto the floor. If it forms droplets that stay on the surface of the wood, the floor finish is still good. If the water is slowly absorbed into the wood, the finish is worn and needs to be restored.

How long do hardwood floors last?

Besides, a properly maintained wood floor can go 20 or 30 years or more before needing to be refinished, says Lupresto. And it can be sanded and refinished “easily six or seven times” over its lifetime, he says.

When should you recoat hardwood floors?

Most experts recommend re-coating your hardwood floor every three to five years, depending on the amount of wear and tear. For floors that are heavily used, a re-coat should be done when the floor starts looking worn.

How many mm does floor sanding remove?

In view of this, it is accepted that with normal 19 mm thick flooring, centre milled and with about 6 mm of timber above the tongue, that up to 1.5 mm can be sanded off the boards, and for the floor to still be considered a new floor.

Can Factory finished hardwood floors be refinished?

Although pre-finished wood floors can, technically, be refinished, you may not be as thrilled with the results as you were with the factory finish. For another thing, the stain color won’t be as even when the floor is re-sanded on-site as it is when it’s done in the factory.

Can 3/8 Engineered Hardwood be refinished?

Can engineered floors be refinished? Yes, they can, at least once. Floors with a wear layer less than 2 millimeters thick can tolerate a light scuff-sanding with a buffer. Thicker top layers can be sanded just like solid wood, allowing you to erase deeper scratches and dents.

Can you sand floors with a hand sander?

The palm sander is definitely the most common tool for sanding a wooden floor by hand. Use it with a coarser sandpaper grit for a lot of efficiency and quick results. Palm sanders also have a square edge, which means you can sand right into the corners of the floor.

How long does it take to sand a floor with an orbital sander?

How long does it take to sand a floor with an orbital sander? Unless your floor is in flat and in very good condition, an orbital sander is going to increase your refinishing time but 2-3 times. Let’s say 2-4 days per room as opposed to 1-2 days with a full sanding kit. For handheld orbitals, double that again.

How long does it take to sand a floor with a floor sander?

So how long does it take to sand a floor? If you’re using both the electric sander and the edger in 140 square-foot floor space, it will take you roughly 5 hours to do three sanding passes. Another thing you must take into account is how old your house is.

Is it cheaper to refinish or replace hardwood floors?

In general, it will almost ALWAYS be less expensive to refinish your hardwood floors. If you replace them, you need to pay for additional wood as well as ripping up and hauling away existing hardwood. Even if you have this, it will still be less expensive then replacing the whole floor.

How long do you have to stay off hardwood floors after refinishing?

How long do I have to wait to use my room after my floors are refinished? We recommend waiting 6 hours before walking on your new floors in socks. After 24 hours you can walk through with shoes on. Allow 48 hours before setting furniture and returning pets.

Can you sand and Restain engineered hardwood?

Can engineered wood flooring be sanded and refinished? In most cases yes. Engineered wood flooring is usually 4-8mm and is good for sanding and refinishing.