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Message |
    
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 606
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 7:53 am: | 
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Anybody try and tackle re-doing hardwood floors themselves? I've got a 4' X 6' section of a Hardwood Floor that needs refinishing, but we're not up to the task of moving all the furniture and having all the floors done to keep it consistent, so I'm considering sanding it down and finishing it myself (No stain, satin finish)....
Experiences please? Is this managable? |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 177
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 8:24 am: |
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There is a product I just saw in the NYT called Hope's Floor Revive. It is a polymer product you just put over your existing scratched floor. Never tried it, but if it lives up to the promise should be good. www.nextten.com. Give promotional code FRV221-01 to get 2 bottles for $19.95 for 640 S.F. Let me know how it works. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11454
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 8:25 am: |
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When I was much younger and my knees were in a lot better shape I did the upstairs hall in our first house using a belt sander. I thought it looked good, Mrs. K didn't agree, nor did Mr. Bryant when we got around to having the whole house done a couple of years later. |
NJguy99
Citizen
Username: Njguy99
Post Number: 37
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 9:00 am: |
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That Hope's Floor Revive has some pretty complimentary reviews on Amazon.com - where it's on sale for only $6 a bottle. The "official" web site says it's also for sale at Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens N Things.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007NP5E6/002-5718871-3540044?v=glance&n=37609 01
http://www.hopecompany.com/wheretopurchase.htm |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7605
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 9:23 am: |
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Smarty - we did our own bedroom and guest room floors when we bought our house. In our case, it was the backs that were younger, not the knees. 
Anyway, they still look good and Bryant (same Pro who graded Bob) was impressed when we had him do downstairs. I think that if you are very methodical and patient, it's not that hard. The worst part was getting the several -hundred pound rented sander up the stairs.
TS sanded; you have to be slow, steady and even or risk gouging the floor or doing an uneven sanding job. I did the stain (sponge mop & bucket - make sure to apply evenly) and the poly went on the same way. The molding wasn't that difficult, but in hind sight, I'd have had Jaeger lumber miter the corners. We had too many practice pieces. It was also much easier to stain and poly those before installation.
I was all for doing the rest of our floors ourselves. I think that it cost 25% of having someone else do it. But, I was outvoted and since I can neither lift nor run the sander, I lost.
At the end of the day, it is one of those things that is rather nice to have someone else do.
I tried another polymer product (not the one Sherri mentions) in another room a few years ago. The problem is that it looks good for awhile, but sits on top of the old finish. So, it doesn't look as good as a newly refinished floor and flakes off. It's a short term solution. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 610
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 9:27 am: |
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Thanks for the suggestions! All very helpful. For us, the issues isn't so much cost, as it is the inconvenience and the dust of having the entire floor redone. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7608
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 9:32 am: |
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It will be dusty no matter what. Pros have better equip, with those vacuum filter things; not sure if you can rent those.
If money is not the object, definitely have someone else do it. And when it's done, I found that Swiffer Wet does a great job on all the molding, walls, etc. And it's pretty easy to run the Swiffer mop over the walls because it's flat. |
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