While sanding a wooden floor might seem easy, it isn't uncommon for DIY sanding jobs to leave wooden floors looking uneven and feeling rough. Below is a simple guide to sanding a wooden floor in your home, which will help to create a great finish.

Clean any Dust and Debris

Before you begin work, it is vital that you sweep and vacuum the floor in order to lift any dust and debris. If you begin sanding an unclean floor, you could end up ingraining debris and dirt into the surface of the wood.

Level Protruding Nails

You should inspect the floor for any nails which protrude from the surface of the wood. Protruding nails can damage the sandpaper used to sand the floor, which can result in uneven sanding. They are also a hazard to your health if you stand or catch your hand on them. Use a hammer to knock any protruding nails down until they are level with the floor surface. This also helps to secure any loose bits of flooring.

Sand with the Grain

You should sand with the grain of the wood. Although more efficient, sanding against the grain attacks the fibres in the surface of the wood which produces a rougher finish and causes scratches and other imperfections to show more clearly when the stain is applied.

Vacuuming the Surface Before Using Wood Filler

Vacuuming the floor before applying wood filler is an important step which many DIY enthusiasts miss out. If you do not vacuum the floor, dust created during sanding will fill cracks within the wood. This will prevent the filler from completely filling the spaces and gaps within the wood. Over time, the filler will begin to shift and crack as the dust moves, meaning you have to carry out work again to restore the floor.

Hand Sanding

Once you have used a sanding machine to cover the main area of the floor, you should use sandpaper to hand sand any areas which the machine cannot reach. You should avoid the temptation to avoid sanding difficult-to-reach places which are obscured as this shortcut could leave you with an uneven and unattractive floor. Finally, you can apply a coat of paint or stain to your newly sanded wooden floor.

If you have any questions or concerns about sanding a wooden floor, you should contact a professional flooring company for further help and advice.