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Start with 36-grit sandpaper for a floor that hasn’t been sanded in a long time or that has a lot of heavy finish on it. Floors that have been painted may even require you to go tougher and use 24 or 16-grit paper. Maple floors are so hard that they often require 36-grit sandpaper as well.
Can you go from 60 grit to 120 grit?
Vacuum off the dust from the first sanding pass and move onto the next grit. This will be the next finer level of coarseness — 150 or 180 grit (if you started at 80 to 120 grit).Going Through the Grits. Grit Coarseness Level 40-60 Coarse 80-120 Medium 150-180 Fine 220-240 Very Fine.
How many sandpaper do you need to sand a floor?
Most sanding jobs start with around 36 or 40 grit sandpaper, working up to around 120 grit for the final sand. If you or your contractor aren’t using a dust-free sanding machine, remember to remove all the dust with a vacuum cleaner between every sandpaper grade change.
What is 60 grit sandpaper used for?
Generally speaking, 30-grit and 60-grit papers are used for rough sanding, 100-grit to 150-grit sandpaper is for medium sanding, and 220-grit sandpaper is used for finish sanding. Of course, this changes with the type of wood and whether the sanding is done by hand or with a machine.
What is 40 grit sandpaper used for?
40 – 80 Grit: Coarse. 40 to 80 grit is used for heavy or rough sanding and to help remove scratches or imperfections. While it is okay to be abrasive, take your time when using a low-grit sandpaper because it may show noticeable scratches or swirls in the wood.
Can I sand my hardwood 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.
Should I refinish my hardwood floors myself?
“You can walk across the floor the next day, but we recommend that people leave it alone for a week,” Williams said. “It may look dry, feel dry and smell dry, but it’s not dry.” Williams said he would never consider refinishing the floors himself. “I’m going to handpick a crew when my floors need to be done,” he said.
Can I sand a floor with a belt sander?
The handheld belt sander can sand off old finish and sand out dents and scratches much more easily than the previous sanders. While it won’t keep up with the speed of a normal floor sander, the hand held belt sander will get the job moving forward with reasonable speed.
What type of sander is best for floors?
Unless you plan to sand many floors in your lifetime, your best choice of floor sander is the random orbital sander from one maker in particular. Unless you plan to sand many floors in your lifetime, the best choice for do-it-yourself floor refinishing is the random orbital sander.
How do you prep a floor for sanding?
How to Prepare a Wood Floor for Sanding Clear the Room Before Sanding. This is probably pretty obvious but before you begin sanding, you will want to remove all of the furniture and clear out the room. Clean the Floor. Hammer in the Nails. Remove the Baseboards Before Sanding. Protect the House From Floor Sanding Dust.
How do I know what sandpaper to use?
When shopping for sandpaper, you’ll see numbers such as 80-grit, 100-grit, or 200-grit. Keep in mind: The higher the number, the smaller the grains and the finer the sandpaper grit. And, conversely, lower numbers indicate larger grains and overall coarser sandpaper.
How do you refinish a 100 year old floor?
Refinishing 100 (plus) year-old hardwood floors Step 1 // prep. Empty the room and prepare for dust onslaught. Step 2 // drum sander. Step 3 // clean the dust. Step 4 // fill. Step 5 // orbital sanders. Step 6 // clean. Step 7 // stain (optional) Step 8 // first poly coat.
Can I sand my own hardwood floors?
Sanding wood floors is a time consuming but relatively easy procedure. Sanding wood floors & refinishing yourself will definitely save money, and even an inexperienced homeowner can likely do a better job than the lowest bidding handyperson who quotes on it.
What is the cheapest way to refinish hardwood floors?
Applying a revitalizer gloss is the simplest and cheapest way to refinish hardwood floors. This approach works best on floors that only have surface-level scratches and other minor wear and tear issues. You can get the job done without the need for equipment rentals or hard-to-find materials.
What is 320 sandpaper used for?
180 to 220 Grit Sandpaper: Finer grit sandpaper is great for removing the scratches left by coarser grits on unfinished wood and for lightly sanding between coats of paint. 320 to 400 Grit Sandpaper: Very fine grit sandpaper is used for light sanding between coats of finish and to sand metal and other hard surfaces.
What does 80 grit sandpaper mean?
#60–#80 Grit: Coarse Sandpaper grit in these low numbers cuts through old paint and rough edges with ease. It can also take off enough wood to shape and round edges. Coarse-grit sandpaper is not recommended for fine details or for edges and corners that you want to keep sharp.
What is the best sandpaper for wood?
Garnet and Flint Sandpaper Garnet is the best sandpaper for wood hand-sanding. Flint sandpaper is economical but not particularly durable. Flint is best for rough work on small projects and is used less commonly than many other sandpapers.
What is the difference between 80 grit 120 grit and 240 grit sandpaper?
The larger the grit size, the more edges there are and the smoother the sandpaper. For heavy sanding and stripping, you need coarse sandpaper measuring 40- to 60-grit; for smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections, choose 80- to 120-grit sandpaper.
What number is medium grit?
Macro Grit Sandpaper Grade Description CAMI Very Fine A coarser material than Very Fine under the micro abrasives 150, 180 or 220 Fine Cannot remove varnish or paint on wood 100 or 120 Medium Medium to coarse surface texture after sanding 80 Coarse Has the ability to remove material rapidly 40, 50 or 60.
