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HISTORY
Large area resurfacing refinishing restoration, floor sanding of all kinds game court markings and hardwood floor finishing with all types of finishes.
The Re Sanding of a standard MFMA Maple 2nd & better High school Gymnasium
click the thumbnails below for full size picture
INSTRUCTIONS on SANDING A NEW STRIP OR PLANK FLOOR
Load the drum sander with a coarse grit to medium
grit sandpaper ( #3 or #4). Place the machine
along the right hand wall (unless making an angle
pass as described in TIPS #5 through #7), with about
two-thirds of the length of the floor in front of you.
Start the motor with the drum raised off the floor,
walk slowly forward at an even pace and ease the
drum to the floor. As you near the wall at the end of
the pass, gradually raise the drum off the floor.
Practice before turning on the machine.
Cover the same path you made on the forward cut
by pulling the machine backward and easing the drum
to the floor as you begin the backward pass.
When you reach your original starting point ease
the drum from the floor. Move the machine to the left
side approximately three to four inches. Then repeat
the forward and backward passes and move to the
left after completing each set of passes. You will only
sand a 3” to 4” wide strip of un-sanded area with each
set of passes. When the two-thirds area of the room
is sanded, turn the machine in the opposite direction
and sand the remaining third in the same manner.
Be sure the sanding passes made in the one-third
area overlap the first passes by two to three feet. This
blends the two areas together.
After completing the first sanding operation, or
“cut”, with the drum sander, use the edger to sand
along the baseboards, up to corners, in closets, and
other areas the drum sander did not reach. With new
flooring, which is relatively smooth, use the next grit
2
Fig. 2. To load the drum sander, thread sandpaper into the
loading slot, turn the drum a full revolution and
slip the other end of the sheet into the slot. Tighten
by turning the nuts at both ends of the drum. Don’t
over tighten and over-compress the drum rubber,
which stresses sanding paper, widens slot, and
increases chatter. Some sanders may take sanding
sleeves or belts. Others may have a clamp to hold
paper on the drum. ALWAYS UNPLUG sander when
changing paper.
sandpaper that will be used on the drum sander. With
old flooring it may be necessary to use the same grit
paper as the first drum cut to remove old finish or
level abused areas. (See TIPS #9)
If a medium grit cleans and sands the floor completely,
use it for the first cuts. If extra passes are required
to clean and level the strips go to a more coarse
grit paper. The first cut with drum sander and edger
should produce a level, completely sanded floor (with
corners and obstructions to be scraped later). All following
sanding procedures merely remove the sanding
scratches produced by the first cut. (See TIPS #10)
When using the edger move in an easy quarter-
Fig 3. Never let the sanding drum touch the floor unless
you are moving the machine forward or backward. If that
happens you will cut a hollow in the floor that is difficult
to remove. (See TIPS #8)
circle pattern at end walls overlapping into the drum
sanded area 4”-6”, and following the direction of the
grain, to some extent. (See Figure 5.) Do not try to
make the edger cut more aggressively by putting extra
pressure to the front. This merely makes ridges and
grooves which are hard to remove. Along walls parallel
to flooring direction, move back and forth with the
direction of the flooring, also overlapping into the
drum sanded area. The edger typically cleans a 1” to
2” strip on each pass.
After drum sanding the floor with a coarse grit
sandpaper, repeat drum sanding with a medium grit
sandpaper. For the edger, use fine grit sandpaper. If
coarse was used on the first cut use medium grit and
follow with fine grit on the edger. Complete the sanding
operation using the fine grit sandpaper on the
drum sander.
Generally, filling of nail holes, blemishes, cracks,
etc., should be done before the fine sanding cut. Use a
commercially prepared wood flooring filler. Some
fillers may need coloring or may not take a bleaching
operation; check with the supplier or manufacturer.
Also, it may be necessary to trowel fill the entire
floor, particularly an old floor, due to the extent of
cracks between strips. Multiple character marks found
in #1 and #2 COMMON Grades which are fill able
grades may also require trowel filling. Trowel filling
should be done before the medium or final sanding
cuts. Let the filler dry thoroughly before proceeding
with the sanding. (Overnight is best.)
When drum sanding and edging are completed
proceed to hand scrape and then hand sand corners
and around doors and other cased openings. Also hand
sand the perimeter edges. Use the same grit as the
last cut. Using a sanding block or electric oscillating
sander can facilitate the hand sanding process. If
staining the floor a dark color, the electric oscillator
may leave egg shaped marks which will show in the
stain. Hand sand these out or do not use the oscillator.
When using a hand scraper apply even pressure,
scraping in the direction of the grain. Avoid gouging
the wood with the scraper. A brick with a piece of old
blanket glued around it makes a good sanding block.
Sand about 6” into drum sanded area. Always sand
and scrape in the direction of the grain along the
length of boards.
Fig. 6. A hand scraper is used where the edger does not
reach, and to remove old finish in tight spots.
Always scrape in the direction of the flooring grain.
Then hand sand or oscillate scraped area. Stripper
(See TIPS #9) may be used where scraping is difficult,
such as under radiators or between stair
balusters.
Using a sanding disc (one grit finer) or screen disc (same
grit as fine cut) on the buffer over the entire floor can
also improve blending of edged and drum sanded
areas. (See TIPS #11) Move buffing machine back and
forth with the direction of flooring boards.
If the floor is to be stained a light to medium color,
the fine sanding cut with 80 grit sandpaper leaves
the wood fibers open and enables more stain to penetrate,
producing a deeper shade and more uniform
appearance. An option is to screen with an 80 grit
after the fine sanding cut, particularly if the fine cut
was 100 grit. Use of the buffer and screen increase
the risk that circular scratches will show if a dark
stain is applied.
Fig. 7. Parquet, block, herringbone and similar floors.
Three sanding cuts followed by screening or disking
is the recommended procedure and will provide a uniform
surface for most all standard finishes. Two cuts
followed by the screening or disking operation may be
sufficient but may produce a more coarse surface and
is considered a minimal sanding procedure.
SANDING PARQUET, BLOCK AND SIMILAR
PATTERNED FLOORING - Use the drum sander
and edger for two sanding cuts. With the first cut do
not sand directly across or with the pattern but always
on an angle. Start the first sanding cut diagonal to
the grain using a medium grit sandpaper. Then use
fine grit sandpaper for the second cut on the opposite
diagonal. Use the buffer and screen or disc to make
a final fine cut with the room’s longest dimension.
(See Figure 7.) (A coarse first cut is usually not
necessary.)
REFINISHING AN EXISTING FLOOR - Most
solid wood flooring is 3/4” thick and can be sanded and
refinished a number of times. Thinner wood floors,
solid or engineered - 1/2” or 3/8” thicknesses - should be
refinished with caution because repeated sanding
can wear down the groove edge, causing breakage or
wear through to reveal nails. With laminated flooring,
professional sanding is recommended.
To determine the floor thickness remove a floor
heating register or the shoe mold and baseboard so
that an edge of the flooring can be measured.
When refinishing floors, remove as little of the
surface as is absolutely necessary. This is particularly
true with veneered and thinner floors. On square edge
strip flooring that is face-nailed, all nails must be
driven slightly below the surface of the wood to permit
sanding.
The following instructions apply to standard 3/4”
strip, plank and block floors and, with the cautions
just mentioned, to the thinner materials.
Sanding. It may be necessary to use a very coarse
“open coat” paper to remove the old finish. The heat
and abrasion of the sanding operation make the old
finish gummy and may quickly clog normal sanding
paper. First try regular paper (particularly on a
diagonal). If 90% of the finish is removed and the floor
is generally flattened, coarser grits are not necessary.
(See TIPS #3) When you get down to new wood use
the same procedures and grits as previously described
under “Sanding a New Strip or Plank Floor”. If the
old floor has been painted several times it may be necessary
to use paint remover to uncover the wood
surface. (See TIPS #12)
The number of sanding passes required for
“Refinishing” will be largely determined by the condition
of the old floor and the thickness of the finish
being removed. If the surface is in very good shape,
with only light scratches and few dents, and has no
build-up of old finish and wax, one pass with the disc
sander and fine paper may be sufficient. Be sure all
the old finish is removed.
If the floor has been abused, scarred or dished, use
as many cuts as are necessary to get a smooth,
unblemished surface. If badly scarred and abused
boards have not been repaired, it may be advisable
to leave some blemishes in the floor or too much
sanding may be required. (See TIPS #2 #5 #8)
With a floor that is in fair condition, make the first
cut at a 45°± angle to the flooring direction with
medium grit paper to level the floor and remove 90%
of the finish. Then follow the instructions given for
sanding a new floor on the succeeding cuts. Use the
same grit paper as was used on the 45° cut for the
first cut parallel to the flooring strips.
PREPARATIONS FOR FINISHING
IMPORTANT: Allow ample time with the sanding
procedure to apply the first coat of stain
or other finish the same day that sanding is
completed. This prevents a raised grain condition
which creates a rough surface.
When machine and hand sanding are completed
sweep and vacuum the floor. Wipe up and/or vacuum
all dust on windows, sills, doors, door frames, and
baseboards.
Inspect the floor carefully. Spot-fill missed cracks
and nail holes with a commercial flooring filler, applied
sparingly with a putty knife. When dry, hand sand
with fine sandpaper, same grit as final sanding.
IMPORTANT: Check with finish manufacturer or
supplier to make sure fillers are compatible with
finish materials.
For future re-finishing, it is essential to know the
brand names and color of the stain and other finishing
products used, or if the floors were prefinished at the
flooring manufacturing plant.
FINISHING
Immediately after sanding is completed the
finishing process should begin. This process involves
applying a protective coating and a color, if desired,
to the flooring. Finishing produces a uniformly
enhanced surface and seals the wood to make it less
absorbent to moisture and foreign materials.
GENERAL TYPES OF
FINISH MATERIALS
IMPORTANT: Read entire label before applying
finish and use only compatible products.
Compatibility questions between different
materials should be referred to the finish manufacturers.
Always follow ALL of the manufacturer’s safety
precautions, especially for skin contact,
ventilation, breathing apparatus, fire hazards
and disposal.
Overlaid Game court Markings VS Standard Game lines Lay out
®AHF-All Hardwood Floor Ltd™ ©2003-2012
KEN MOERSCH 604-603-7317