Refinishing wood floors how many coats

Any burn that has gone through to the wood needs to be sanded out by hand when the floor gets drum sanded. See if the scratch has penetrated the finish by wetting it with your finger. If the wood darkens along the scratch, it has penetrated completely and you must apply more polyurethane.

You can sand and spot-apply polyurethane, though you risk an obvious patch. The alternative is to screen and recoat the entire floor. To get rid of heel marks and scuffs on a waxed floor, polish the mark with extra fine steel wool and hardwood-floor cleaner. Wipe the floor dry and rewax.

Indicate that water has gotten beneath the finish and into the wood, a difficult problem to fix. If the stain remains, you'll have to sand off the polyurethane and perhaps sand the wood itself. You can spot-sand down to bare wood with grit sandpaper, and spot-recoat with polyurethane matched to the gloss of the existing finish use an oil-based polyurethane to patch an existing oil-based finish, and a water-based poly to patch an existing water-based finish.

However, expect the patch to be a different color and sheen than the surrounding area. Consider screening the entire floor or a discrete section. Often are just on the wax surface. Start by rubbing the wax lightly with No. If the stain remains, remove all the wax on and around the stain with floor-wax remover and clean the spot with No.

Then let the floor dry and apply more wax. Buff to a high sheen. Pet strains are tough to remove from a hardwood floor , especially if the stain is old. Try a hardwood-floor cleaner or mineral spirits, but you'll probably have to sand the floor. Some stains are so deep you may have to replace the flooring. Try trisodium phosphate TSP.

Buff the wax with a clean cotton rag. On a polyurethane floor, wipe the stain with mineral spirits. Then dry with a clean cotton rag. You agree that BobVila. All rights reserved. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY.

Whether you're protecting brand-new wood floors or refinishing ones that are decades old, the task starts with selecting the right top coat. Get to know the differences between eight popular finishes to decide which one works best for your project.

Refinishing your floors? Some jobs are better left to the pros. Get free, no-commitment estimates from licensed flooring contractors near you. Find local pros. More From Bob Vila. How to Refinish Hardwood Floors.

But, if they had planned ahead, we might have been able to solve and save them money. The largest benefit to water based polyurethane is that it dries faster. So, if you are in a huge rush, sometimes this can solve your time challenges. It usually only takes about 2 days to refinish hardwood floors with water based polyurethane. Some places will do it in 1 day, but I would recommend staying away from those places You can usually move furniture in 24 hrs later with water based polyurethane.

As mentioned above, there are some other items that can lengthen the process e. Plan ahead for your refinishing project so that you understand how long it will take and can consciously choose whether you want oil based or water based polyurethane, and so you can determine which contractor you want to work with rather than be forced into which contractor is available and which type of polyurethane can meet your time frame.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch? Register for a user account. Debbie Gartner , Neighbor. Posted Fri, May 2, at am ET. Why Bona sanding? Why Bona finishing? Waterborne finishes have no harmful fumes so no need to vacate your home or business Beautiful — highlight the true beauty and elegance of wood Durable waterborne finishes withstand high traffic areas and scratches from pets A heritage for wood floors with more than years in the flooring industry.

Bona is here for the life of your floor. Used on famous floors world-wide, such as Westminster Cathedral, Nike Headquarters and professional and collegiate sports arenas across the world. What to Expect Before. Written estimate Some estimates are itemized and some are a comprehensive paragraph of the scope of work with a total. Cost of job This will vary depending on the expertise of the contractor, quality of work, products used and the job that will be done.

Expectations Warranties and guarantees should always be included on the final contract. Product information Ask your contractor for a portfolio of information, specification sheets or brochures on the products that you will have applied on your floor. Chemical sensitivities? Is there enough wood on the surface? What to Expect During. How many coats will be applied? Potential delays If you are unable to determine what products are currently on your floors, it could lengthen the sanding process.

Issues for pets? Do I need to vacate my home? What to Expect After. When can I walk across the floors again?