You’ve probably already got your own pad and whether you’re renting or you’ve decided
to buy I expect you can’t wait to put your own unique stamp on the place of course there are many ways you can bring
the interior of your home to life but one of the simplest ways to create that wow factor is to start with the floor.
A beautiful wooden floor can make any room look fabulous and it doesn’t cost the earth to do so. Why spend about a
thousand dollars on laminate flooring plus the cost of leveling panels and underlay when you can make use of the
floorboards you already have? That way you can spend the money or save on other areas of the house or even use it to go
on holiday. Now I know which option I prefer.
Anyway, I’m about to treat a wooden floor in my own house so if you’re worried that you don’t know what to do keep
reading and I’ll give you a helping hand.
Before i start
There are a few items you’ll need to do the job so let me give you a shopping list you can get
hold of everything at your local DIY superstore or as i do at Amazon.
- Firstly you’ll need a lint-free cloth it sounds fancy but in fact it just means
that it doesn’t leave bits all over your floor - A bottle of methylated spirits (check on Amazon) a 500 milliliter sized bottles should do
the trick if you’re planning on treating an average sized room - A hammer or screwdriver depending on whether you’ve got nails or screws holding your
floorboards in place - A drum and edge sander but don’t go and blow a stack of cash by buying a sander if can simply hire one
from your local tool hire shop
- Firstly you’ll need a lint-free cloth it sounds fancy but in fact it just means
- You’ll also need sanding discs pads and papers to go with the machines varying from
coarse to fine - Don’t forget some goggles and buy a mask. Those are essential in case you start creating
clouds of dust - You also need a good paint brush but don’t just buy the cheapest get your hands on a special.
Brush for applying a water-based varnish they have synthetic fibers not natural bristles you’ll find they’re a little
more expensive but in the end they’re worth it. Trust me - Finally you’ll require a tin of varnish the number of cans you need depends on the size of the floor
treating. As a rule of thumb I tend to go by one liter for every four meter
squared or 40 feet squared of floor five liters would do a room approximately
four meters by five meters or 13 feet by 6 feet.
- You’ll also need sanding discs pads and papers to go with the machines varying from
- I recommend you use sandal in extra durable floor varnish it boasts Teflon surface protector which means
that not only do you end up with a superb professional-looking finish but your floor will be coated with an extra
tough protection so it lasts longer which is especially handy when you invite all your friends over for a party
and end up dancing all over the wooden floor that you spent hours making.
What’s more, the Teflon content also makes it easier to apply if you haven’t had much
do I experience in fact the only difficult part is deciding which color to use as there are eight to choose from.
Now, that’s the shopping list out of the way now for a bit of elbow grease
the first thing to do if you want to avoid injuring your knees is to go over
the entire floor with a screwdriver or hammer making sure there aren’t any
screws or nails sticking out from the surface. iIf the floor has previously been
waxed or polished this treatment should be removed before you go any further. A
scraper and methylated spirits are probably the best way to do this. If it’s
just bare timber then we’re ready to go. Now it’s the turn of the sander, remember
when sanding always wear hearing and eye protection and use a dust mask.
Start with the courses grade of paper p42 p 80 grit.
Don’t be daunted by using the sander it’s large and rather noisy but
it’s also extremely efficient. Drum Sanders remove a lot of material very
very quickly and it only takes a few seconds to damage the floor,
Here are a few handy tips for using the sander
- Start the sander while the machine not in contact. After it’s up to
full revolutions slowly lower it to the floor surface - Starts or practice in an area that you know will be covered by a large piece
of furniture such as a sofa or a bed. That way any beginner errors can
be concealed. Even better practice on a sheet of wood or plywood until you
get the feel for you machine. - Keep it moving it’s not hard to move forward or backwards just don’t let it stand still while running
- Work slowly and let the machine do the work for you
- Begin your sanding in the center of the room. Stand in the direction of the grain from one end of
the room to the other overlapping passes by an inch or two repeat the procedure on the other half of the room. - Sand the entire center portion of the floor. After the main portion of the floor has been sanded with
the drum sander, hand sand or use an edge sander to sand areas where the drum sander didn’t
reach. Use the same grit sandpaper you use with the drum sander. - You may need to hand sand or use a detail sander to reach the corners.
- When the entire room is finished vacuum and repeat the entire process using smaller grit (that’s a larger number sandpaper) with each pass
- Finish by standing the entire floor with p 180 grit sandpaper.
- After the last sanding vacuum once again and wipe with a cloth dampened in methylated spirits
With all that dust swirling around I think it’s time for some refreshment so I reckon this is
the point where you put the kettle on and dig out some biscuits.
It’s time to press on with the next stage varnishing the floor. Like paint varnish often looks different at the
store that it does in your home. Test a small area before doing the whole floor. Start in the far corner of the
room and apply the varnish in the direction of the grain, working quickly coat three to four boards at a time to
avoid overlap.
if you’re using a clear varnish I recommend you use a roller as this will help you achieve the best results.
Sand the first coat on bear timber to remove any surface roughness. Remove all dust before applying further
coats. To get the best finish, once the varnish is dry buff up the surface of the floor with a soft dry cloth. It’s
also important not to begin moving furniture back in before the floor is completely dry, so it’s best to wait at
least 24 hours and at least seven days before replacing rugs.
All that’s left to do is stand back and admire your beautiful new floor. Remember take your
time, there’s no rush, and the more careful you are the happy you’ll be with the end result
