Your neighborhood hardware store, home center, and equipment renter center are good resources for renting sanding equipment, and give you advice and directions on how to sand your particular floor. Before using the sanding equipment, read the operating manual and make sure you observe noted safety precautions.

Tip ! When operating the sander, be sure to wear your dust mask and safety glasses.

Caution ! Follow the sanding directions provided with your sander carefully. Improper use of a sander can damage your wood floor.

• Always sand in the direction of the wood grain.



• Start the sander, then lower it onto the floor. Keep the sander moving, and overlap your passes.



• Each type of project requires slightly different sanding steps, and the use of different grits of sandpaper. The information that follows regarding sanding and sandpaper grits serves as a general guideline. Refer to the information that comes with your sander, and follow the grits recommended by its manufacturer.



• Follow the sanding directions for your floor type, below:

Sand floor to bare wood to remove existing stain and finish, starting with coarse to medium grit and finishing with fine grit sandpaper.

• Begin with 40 grit sandpaper, or use the grit recommended for your sander.



• Sand the floor for a second time, using 60 grit sandpaper, and following the same techiques as you just used for 40 grit.



• Wait for the dust to settle, then vacuum the dust. Fill any small dents or nailholes with stainable wood filler.



• Sand the floor for a third time. If stain is to be applied, this final sanding should be done using no higher than 100 grit. If floors are not going to be stained, then final sanding should be no higher than 120 grit.



• Wipe or vacuum up all dust on baseboards, windows, sills, doors, door frames and other surfaces. Clean from the highest surface to the lowest, in that order.



• Thoroughly wipe the floor with a clean cloth dampened with mineral spirits and allow to dry.

• Sand floor lightly using 120 grit sandpaper, working the sander as described, previously, in "Floors that need a complete refinishing"



• Wipe or vacuum up all dust on baseboards, windows, sills, doors, door frames and other surfaces. Clean from the highest surface to the lowest, in that order.



• Thoroughly wipe the floor with a clean cloth dampened with mineral spirits and allow to dry.

• Sand floor using 100 grit sandpaper. If stain is to be applied, final sanding should be done using no higher than 100 grit. If floors are not going to be stained, then final sanding should be no higher than 120 grit. Work sander as described in "Floors that need a complete refinishing."



• Wipe or vacuum up all dust on baseboards, windows, sills, doors, door frames and other surfaces. Clean from the highest surface to the lowest, in that order.



• Thoroughly wipe the floor with a clean cloth dampened with mineral spirits and allow to dry.

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Before Installation

• Installer/Owner Responsibility
• Storage And Handling
• Subfloor Requirements

Installation Tips

• General Installation
• Tips For Easier & Better Installations
• Strip Oak Flooring On Walls & Ceilings

Finishing/Refinishing

• Determine the type of floor finishing project
• Assemble materials
• Prepare the room and floor
• Sand floor
• Stain floor (optional)
• Topcoat floor

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