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Can you use a drum sander on hardwood floors?
How long does it take to sand a floor with a drum sander?
How long will it take? Three sanding passes with both the drum sander and the edger in one room of 140 sq. ft. takes the average customer, working alone, 5 hours.
Do you need a drum sander to refinish hardwood floors?
“If your floor is in rough shape, cupped or damaged, or has a very heavy finish, a drum sander is what you need,” he adds. “An orbital won’t relevel your floor.”Jan 27, 2011.
What kind of sander do you use to refinish hardwood floors?
Random orbital sanders are the best choice for do-it-yourself hardwood floor refinishing. They take longer to remove old finishes than drum sanders, but they do not require a lot of experience to use and are less likely to damage your wood floor.
What is a drum sander for wood floors?
A drum floor sander, also known as a belt sander, is a heavy-duty machine designed for heavy sanding of solid wood flooring. A drum sander cuts through the wood, obliterating multiple layers of wood as well as any varnish, giving you a new surface to refinish.
How long does it take to sand down a floor?
How long does it take to sand a floor? It can take 1-5 days for a professional and 2-15 days for a DIY enthusiast, depending on the size and condition of the floor. For planning purposes, it would take 1-day per room for a professional and 2 days per room for a homeowner doing DIY.
How long does it take to use a floor sander?
So how long does it take to sand a floor? If you’re using both the electric sander and the edger in 140 square-foot floor space, it will take you roughly 5 hours to do three sanding passes. Another thing you must take into account is how old your house is.
How long does it take to sand and refinish floors?
It typically takes between two and five days to refinish hardwood floors, depending on the type of polyurethane you use (oil or water-based), and the size and condition of your floors.
Can you use a belt sander to refinish hardwood floors?
Refinishing wood floors is quite a chore and can take many days. A belt sander for finishing a wood floor should be a hand-held one so you can move the tool around on the surface of the floor. Belt sanders will do a good job of leveling out the floor and preparing it for a finer sand.
Can you use an orbital sander to sand a floor?
The orbital sanding system can only be used to sand soft wood floors which are in need of a light refreshing. Most floor sanding companies use orbital floor sanding machines for fine sanding. After finishing with 100 grit belts, they use the orbital floor sander with 120, 150 and 180 grit sandpaper.
How much does a drum sander remove?
The drum sander you described will remove about 0.005″ to 0.007″ (five to seven thousandths of an inch) per pass. Even a small 12″ portable planer will remove 0.125″ to .
Can I sand my own hardwood floors?
Sanding wood floors is a time consuming but relatively easy procedure. Sanding wood floors & refinishing yourself will definitely save money, and even an inexperienced homeowner can likely do a better job than the lowest bidding handyperson who quotes on it.
Should I sand my hardwood floors myself?
If this is your first time refinishing floors, you are probably better off hiring a professional to sand and refinish your floors. Not only will your floors look better and last longer, but they will be finished much faster if you hire a professional (so you can move in sooner).
How do you sand and refinish hardwood floors yourself?
Will an orbital sander remove polyurethane?
Start at one end of the flat surface and sand lightly with the orbital sander to remove the polyurethane. Make sure to sand following the grain of the wood.
How hard is it to sand and refinish hardwood floors?
The hardwood floor refinishing process is easier and less expensive than sanding down to bare wood and takes less time. In a few hours, your floors will look as good as new. The job requires using a buffer, which you can rent at a home center, and a vacuum to suck up dust.
Will an orbital sander remove stain?
It’s okay to use an orbital sander initially to remove old lacquer or rough up the previously stained surface. But it’s vital that you follow up with hand sanding anytime you use this type of sander. Orbital sanders leave behind small swirls that will show up the second you apply fresh stain to them.
Why does my drum sander leave lines wood?
Drum sanders with steel wheels can cause vertical lines when the wheels are worn. Sometimes the steel wheels on the sander become so worn that there is no crown left. This will leave edge marks, especially on those softer species of wood.
Can you go against the grain with a drum sander?
Kevin Hancock: Absolutely not. Sometimes it is the only way it can be sanded. Use a finer grit than you usually would as cross grain sanding tends to cut faster. Sanding up to about 320-400 grit will make most of those sanding scratches disappear under the finish.
How hard is it to use a floor sander?
There’s really no getting around it – sanding your floors is hard work and physically tiring. Mostly, this is down to the floorboards not being completely flat which means that the drum of the floor sanding machine won’t be able to reach all areas of the floorboards in one go.
How long does it take to re sand hardwood floors?
Depending on the product used, and the current weather conditions, each coat could take either hours or days. Figure at least two days for the “sand and poly” job or three to seven days for a full refinishing project, plus at least one day if you’re adding color.
How much does it cost to sand floors?
Cost to Sand and Refinish Hardwood Floors Sanding costs $0.50 to $3.00 per square foot to sand hardwood floors. An average 12 x 14 foot room would cost $80 to $500 depending on how many passes it needs and the area you live in.
