The tool required to re-finish a wood floor is called a floor sander. this tool can be rented in many rental places in your area. i should mention that the use of this tool requires some experience, for if used incorrectly you may cause over sanding, and damage your floor. depending on the age and present finish, will determine the grit of the sandpaper to use. typically the rental of this machine may vary between
$75- 125 per day. the operation of this machine should be dome by an adult. this job will also require the use of an edge sander, to reach those areas close to the wall, where the big sander is not able to reach
Your two most common type of wood floor are oak and pine – careful, they each require specific treatment (discussed at end of answer)! You can tell the two apart, simply by searching for knots. Pine will be chock full, while oak will be nearly non-existent.
As far as machines go, you have three options. First is the pro’s choice – and the most difficult to use – the drum sander. These are difficult to use as they require a singular motion. You start against a wall, swiftly lay the drum on the floor and immediately begin dragging away from the wall, to the wall at your back. The problem with these is that if you leave them sit in one place, even for a moment, they will dig into the floor. Very bad.
Your second choice, and my personal favorite is the vibrating sander. I skip using the drum (usually first process) and go right to the vibrating, choosing to spend extra time rather than take a chance of damaging a floor. However, if you don’t get this with a dust bag attachment, you need a mask or you’ll be eating dust for a day.
The final choice you’ve got is the orbital. Some people substitute the orbital for the drum, I choose not to use it. The orbital will work quicker than the vibrating and be a little slower than the drum, but you take a chance of leaving swirls in your wood with this machine – and you’ll have to use the vibrating to take out the swirls.
As far as rental price goes, I pay between $60 and $90 for these type machines, per day. You’ll also have to pay for sand paper, and that will run between $2 and $10 per sheet, depending on grit. You will use a lot of paper on oak, be prepared.
Now, as far as treatment goes, keep this in mind: oak is much harder than pine. If you use a coarse grit paper (30) on pine, you’ll tear it up. However, if you use a fine grit paper (120) on oak for anything other than a final buff, you won’t accomplish much. Your basic rule here is, coarse on oak, fine on pine.
The tool required to re-finish a wood floor is called a floor sander. this tool can be rented in many rental places in your area. i should mention that the use of this tool requires some experience, for if used incorrectly you may cause over sanding, and damage your floor. depending on the age and present finish, will determine the grit of the sandpaper to use. typically the rental of this machine may vary between
$75- 125 per day. the operation of this machine should be dome by an adult. this job will also require the use of an edge sander, to reach those areas close to the wall, where the big sander is not able to reach
Your two most common type of wood floor are oak and pine – careful, they each require specific treatment (discussed at end of answer)! You can tell the two apart, simply by searching for knots. Pine will be chock full, while oak will be nearly non-existent.
As far as machines go, you have three options. First is the pro’s choice – and the most difficult to use – the drum sander. These are difficult to use as they require a singular motion. You start against a wall, swiftly lay the drum on the floor and immediately begin dragging away from the wall, to the wall at your back. The problem with these is that if you leave them sit in one place, even for a moment, they will dig into the floor. Very bad.
Your second choice, and my personal favorite is the vibrating sander. I skip using the drum (usually first process) and go right to the vibrating, choosing to spend extra time rather than take a chance of damaging a floor. However, if you don’t get this with a dust bag attachment, you need a mask or you’ll be eating dust for a day.
The final choice you’ve got is the orbital. Some people substitute the orbital for the drum, I choose not to use it. The orbital will work quicker than the vibrating and be a little slower than the drum, but you take a chance of leaving swirls in your wood with this machine – and you’ll have to use the vibrating to take out the swirls.
As far as rental price goes, I pay between $60 and $90 for these type machines, per day. You’ll also have to pay for sand paper, and that will run between $2 and $10 per sheet, depending on grit. You will use a lot of paper on oak, be prepared.
Now, as far as treatment goes, keep this in mind: oak is much harder than pine. If you use a coarse grit paper (30) on pine, you’ll tear it up. However, if you use a fine grit paper (120) on oak for anything other than a final buff, you won’t accomplish much. Your basic rule here is, coarse on oak, fine on pine.
Good luck!