Wood Floor Facelift
Sometimes all a hardwood floor needs is a facelift, not a complete sanding. It's often the case in older homes when the floor has an old varnish, shellac or oil finish and looks dark and dinghy. If it's been concealed by carpeting for many years, you're in luck because it's been protected against any scrapes or dings.

To renew a floor without sanding use a floor renovator, which softens a fine layer of the surface coating and then replaces it with a new sealer. Rent a floor polisher with steel wool and lambs wool buffing pads. The steel wool pads clean the floor while removing the top layer of surface coating. When dry, apply paste wax with lamb's wool pads and buff it. For more protection and shine, you might want to apply more than one coat of the wax.

The most difficult part of the project is removing all the furnishings from the room. It's not always easy to find another convenient location to store them while you work on the flooring. Provide plenty of ventilation as you work in the room. Don't box yourself in. Begin working in the farthest corner of the room and work your way with the machine to the doorway.

Whether it's a busy hall by the front or back door or a bedroom where you're rediscovering the natural wood floor long concealed under carpeting, this is a project well worth the effort.

Written by the editors of HouseNet
Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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