{"id":4771,"date":"2016-01-22T09:35:08","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T14:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medinaexteriors.com\/?p=4771"},"modified":"2016-01-22T09:35:08","modified_gmt":"2016-01-22T14:35:08","slug":"home-remodeling-stain-hardwood-floors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/home-remodeling-stain-hardwood-floors\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Remodeling | How to Stain Hardwood Floors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Home Remodeling | How to Stain Hardwood Floors<\/h2>\n
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Home Remodeling<\/a> | Hardwood flooring offers rich, warm, timeless beauty, and can even favorably affect the resale value of your home. Without question, wood costs more than other types of flooring, but many homeowners view the material as a wise long-term investment. Why? Because when a hardwood floor starts to show wear and tear, you can refinish it and in so doing, revitalize its look and performance. Make no mistake, however: Sanding, staining, and sealing a wood floor takes time and effort. It\u2019s a demanding project, even for a veteran home handyman. That said, you can save a considerable sum by doing it yourself, sometimes more than half of what it would cost to hire a pro. If you\u2019re ready and willing to take on the task, keep reading for the details on how to stain your own hardwood floors.<\/p>\n

MATERIALS AND TOOLS<\/strong>
\n– Shop vac
\n– Tack cloth
\n– Random orbital sander
\n– Protective eyewear and dust mask or respirator
\n– 60-, 80-, and 100- or 120-grit sandpaper
\n– Palm sander (or detail sander)
\n– Stain
\n– Lambswool stain applicator
\n– Rags
\n– Two-inch paintbrushes
\n– Polyurethane sealer
\n– High-density foam roller
\n– 320-grit sandpaper with sanding pole (optional)
\n– Protective gear\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

STEP 1<\/strong>
\nBefore doing anything else, get the room ready. Relocate all furniture, and if the room has baseboards use a pry bar to remove the quarter-round shoe moldings that mark the transition between the baseboard and the floor. (Note: Label each piece of shoe molding with its location to ensure easy reinstallation later.) Because floor sanding creates a great deal of dust, don\u2019t forget to cover the doorways with plastic sheeting or a set of old sheets, preventing dust from traveling beyond the work area. You may also want to cover any light fixtures or HVAC vents. In short, if there\u2019s something you don\u2019t want filmed by a layer of dust, now is the time to protect it.<\/p>\n

STEP 2<\/strong>
\nSanding may be the single most critical step in the process of this home remodeling project; it largely determines the quality of the end result. If you don\u2019t sand the floor carefully and deliberately, that\u2019s going to show once the stain dries. Adding even more stress to the task: For any room larger than a closet, you\u2019ll need a similarly large sanding tool to get the job done\u2014namely, a waist-height random orbital sander. The good news is that random orbital sanders are readily available for rent at your local home center. They\u2019re also generally user-friendly and pose little risk of damaging the floor, so long as you read and adhere to the operating instructions provided with the unit.<\/p>\n

Be prepared to sand the floor three times, using a lighter-grit abrasive with each pass. First, set up the sander with 60-grit sandpaper and, after donning protective eyewear and a dust mask, start moving the sander over the floor. The preferred technique isn\u2019t so different from the one you\u2019d use when mowing the lawn: Sand the floor in rows, overlapping your runs by approximately half the width of the sander. After you\u2019ve completed the first round, swap in 80-grit sandpaper and sand again. Remember to keep the sander level, and never stop the sanding disks when they are in contact with the floor. Finally, switch to 100- or 120-grit abrasive and sand one more time. In any area where the random orbital sander is too large to reach, use a palm sander or a detail sander to achieve the desired level of smoothness.<\/p>\n

STEP 3<\/strong>
\nAt this point, your job is simple but painstaking: Thoroughly vacuum up the enormous quantity of dust created during the sanding stage of the project. Don\u2019t use your regular household vacuum, though\u2014it\u2019s probably not up to the task. Opt instead for a heavy-duty shop vac, fitted with a brush attachment and, ideally, a new filter. Even after vacuuming every inch of the space, there\u2019s still more to do. Using either tack cloths or rags dampened with mineral spirits, wipe down the floor until it\u2019s clean and clear of dust and debris. Doing so may take more sweat than you anticipated, but for a quality stain finish, it\u2019s an important and sadly unavoidable effort.<\/p>\n

STEP 4<\/strong>
\nAt last, you\u2019re ready to stain\u2014but not before ensuring proper ventilation (after all, floor finishes can emit harmful vapors). Once you\u2019ve ensured a safe work environment, stop a moment and strategize. You need to make sure that when the floor has been freshly stained, you\u2019ll be able to leave it without stepping all over your work. It\u2019s usually wise to begin in one of the corners opposite the door and then work your way toward the exit. Once you\u2019ve mapped out your path, get started. Using a lambswool applicator, apply the stain to the floor, aiming for even distribution over one two-foot section at a time. Wipe away the excess with a rag before moving on to the next section. Try not to let the \u201cwet edge\u201d dry. Rather, start the applicator a couple of feet away from the edge, then maneuver it to meet the previously coated section. In the corners, or where the floor meets the baseboards, a two-inch paintbrush may prove handier than the applicator. Finished? Let the stain dry, then assess whether you\u2019d like the finish to be darker. If so, apply a second coat in the same way that you did the first.<\/p>\n

STEP 5<\/strong>
\nWhen the stain is completely dry, it\u2019s time for the last step\u2014protecting the finish with polyurethane sealer. Using a high-density foam roller (and, if necessary, a two-inch brush for some parts of the room), apply a thin, even coat across the entire floor surface. Wipe up any excess, then let the coat dry to a glassy finish. If the type of sealer you\u2019re using does not require sanding between coats, you can proceed directly to the second application of polyurethane. Otherwise, sand the floor with fine, 320-grit abrasive to ensure that the second coat properly adheres. Don\u2019t be tempted to use the brawny random orbital sander to sand at this late stage; here, finesse is the name of the game. Instead, sand either by hand or with a sanding pole. After cleaning up the inevitable dust with your shop vac and tack cloths, apply the second, final coat of sealer, then let it dry. You typically must wait 24 hours before being able to walk safely on the floor again, and as long as 72 hours before replacing furniture in the room. The drying period is a little annoying, but for a beautiful new finish and a dramatically transformed room, the wait\u2019s worth it.\u00a0–\u00a0Bob Vila<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Interested in home remodeling?\u00a0Contact\u00a0<\/span>Medina Exteriors<\/a>\u00a0today, (330)591-4040<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home Remodeling | How to Stain Hardwood Floors Home Remodeling | Hardwood flooring offers rich, warm, timeless beauty, and can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1026,1027],"tags":[1010],"class_list":["post-4771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-remodeling","category-home-remodeling-trends","tag-home-remodeling-2"],"yoast_head":"\nHome Remodeling | How to Stain Hardwood Floors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Home Remodeling | Medina Exteriors and Remodeling - 4029 Jefferson St, Medina, OH | Have questions? 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