Hardwood Floors

Dupontster · Sep 17, 2007

My son just bought a house....It has hardwood floors in the BR, LR & hallway....They're not in bad shape (No cupping or anything like that) but he wants to get them cleaned up and maybe a fresh coat of poly...Anyone have any experiences with this or know anyone that does it at a reasonable price?
Is this a project that we could rent equipment and do ourselves?

vraiblonde · Sep 17, 2007

I think he should cover the hardwood with laminate :cartwheel

Dupontster · Sep 17, 2007

I like laminate too and I have a load of it in my house....He just wants to make these look a little better....

PJumper · Sep 17, 2007

Dupontster said:
I like laminate too and I have a load of it in my house....He just wants to make these look a little better....

I believe Home Depot and lowe's have Buffers that you can rent. HGTV.com have articles on how to do this.

desertrat · Sep 17, 2007

Dupontster said:
My son just bought a house....It has hardwood floors in the BR, LR & hallway....They're not in bad shape (No cupping or anything like that) but he wants to get them cleaned up and maybe a fresh coat of poly...Anyone have any experiences with this or know anyone that does it at a reasonable price?
Is this a project that we could rent equipment and do ourselves?

The last time I did one I rented a floor sander over at Tru Value in Solomons. They also have one for the tight spots and edges. If you go this route be pepared to go thru quite a few sanding belts if the floor is rough or you are going down to bare wood.

Larry Gude · Sep 17, 2007

I'm getting ready...

Dupontster said:
My son just bought a house....It has hardwood floors in the BR, LR & hallway....They're not in bad shape (No cupping or anything like that) but he wants to get them cleaned up and maybe a fresh coat of poly...Anyone have any experiences with this or know anyone that does it at a reasonable price?
Is this a project that we could rent equipment and do ourselves?

...starting next Monday to go through this. The price is right. We'll see how big a nightmare it is to go through.

$2 a square foot. Sand, 3 coats of poly.

If you can wait, I'll let you know how it went and how it looks. The people doing it are jazzed to get ahold of my floors, as, apparently, they are in great shape especially as old as they are. It's all they do and they say the floors are going to look killer.

Dupontster · Sep 17, 2007

Larry Gude said:
...starting next Monday to go through this. The price is right. We'll see how big a nightmare it is to go through.

$2 a square foot. Sand, 3 coats of poly.

If you can wait, I'll let you know how it went and how it looks. The people doing it are jazzed to get ahold of my floors, as, apparently, they are in great shape especially as old as they are. It's all they do and they say the floors are going to look killer.

Sounds good...I got 1 price of $3 a sq ft....That was over the phone though...We are seriously thinking about doing it ourselves....They are in good condition...Just need to be cleaned up a little....

desertrat · Sep 17, 2007

Dupontster said:
Sounds good...I got 1 price of $3 a sq ft....That was over the phone though...We are seriously thinking about doing it ourselves....They are in good condition...Just need to be cleaned up a little....

The hardest part of the floor I last did was lugging the sander up two flights of stairs. :lmao:

Oh, and taking the trim off with out destroying it.

Larry Gude · Sep 17, 2007

Certainly...

Dupontster said:
Sounds good...I got 1 price of $3 a sq ft....That was over the phone though...We are seriously thinking about doing it ourselves....They are in good condition...Just need to be cleaned up a little....

...you've talked to a few folks about how it is done? I don't put it in the DIY category unless your are a seasoned DIY'er. Let me know how it turns out!

Larry Gude · Sep 17, 2007

Nothing...

desertrat said:
The hardest part of the floor I last did was lugging the sander up two flights of stairs. Oh, and taking the trim off with out destroying it.

...to it?

desertrat · Sep 17, 2007

Larry Gude said:
...to it?

Nope, I was afraid I'd mess it up the first time I did it, but even I couldn't screw it up. Well ,not the sanding part anyway. I could have been more careful with the finish in some places.

GWguy · Sep 17, 2007

Dupontster said:
My son just bought a house....It has hardwood floors in the BR, LR & hallway....They're not in bad shape (No cupping or anything like that) but he wants to get them cleaned up and maybe a fresh coat of poly...Anyone have any experiences with this or know anyone that does it at a reasonable price?
Is this a project that we could rent equipment and do ourselves?

It's not a job for the faint of heart.... I did it in a house in NY. It is REAL easy to screw it up by applying a touch too much pressure or letting the sander sit for a fraction of a second in one place. You get gouges in the floor which you may not be able to sand out. If I were to do it again I would hire someone.

BS Gal · Sep 17, 2007

Larry Gude said:
...to it?

He did a great job. :yay:

So great, that I think I am ready for him to do another room.

Larry Gude · Sep 17, 2007

So...

desertrat said:
Nope, I was afraid I'd mess it up the first time I did it, but even I couldn't screw it up. Well ,not the sanding part anyway. I could have been more careful with the finish in some places.

...1,000 square feet you'd do yourself, sand and three coats or pay $2k to do it? How much time did it take you?

Thanks

Larry Gude · Sep 17, 2007

Lol...

BS Gal said:
He did a great job. So great, that I think I am ready for him to do another room.

...nothing quite like satisfied customers! :lmao:

Vince · Sep 17, 2007

Larry Gude said:
...1,000 square feet you'd do yourself, sand and three coats or pay $2k to do it? How much time did it take you?

Thanks

I'd pay the 2k to have it done, but that's only because when we were young, my father would have my two brothers and I redo the living room floor about every 3 years. Sand it and put 3 coats of shellac on it.

desertrat · Sep 17, 2007

Larry Gude said:
...1,000 square feet you'd do yourself, sand and three coats or pay $2k to do it? How much time did it take you?

Thanks

That would be a lot of sanding, hard to say if I'd tackle that. My room was about 24X14, so a third of the size of your job, and I think I did the sanding in a weekend without straining. I wasn't in any hurry, but the trips to get more belts slowed me down. I think I used 3 coats and stretched that out over several days. If I had the money I'm sure I'd probably have it done professionally. These were bedrooms. If It was my dining room I wouldn't take the chance probably although it turned out well.
Mine had a really thick coat of something on it too and some stains underneath, which made it a lot harder than it should have been.

desertrat · Sep 17, 2007

GWguy said:
It's not a job for the faint of heart.... I did it in a house in NY. It is REAL easy to screw it up by applying a touch too much pressure or letting the sander sit for a fraction of a second in one place. You get gouges in the floor which you may not be able to sand out. If I were to do it again I would hire someone.

Were they pine? I was standing on the sander in some places to get through some stains.

GWguy · Sep 17, 2007

desertrat said:
Were they pine? I was standing on the sander in some places to get through some stains.

It was a while ago, but I think they were yellow pine planked floors. Oak would be a bit easier to work on without damaging it.

desertrat · Sep 17, 2007

GWguy said:
It was a while ago, but I think they were yellow pine planked floors. Oak would be a bit easier to work on without damaging it.

It was pretty forgiving.

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