Can you refinish floors one room at a time?

Author: Adele O'Kon PhD  |  Last update: Saturday, July 2, 2022

For people who are already living in their homes and needing to shuffle furniture from one room to another to get the floors done, refinishing the entire home at once isn't possible. So can you refinish hardwood floors one room at a time? Of course!

Can you redo hardwood floors one room at a time?

The only way to refinish one room is to install a transition piece (or if there's one in place already). Therefore, it's best to refinish all your wood floors rather than one place such as the hallway or kitchen. If unsure, call a professional for a consultation.

Can you stain floors one room at a time?

When refinishing one room at a time, it's almost impossible to create uniformity from room to room, especially if you're staining. Some will suggest using a transition strip to create a definite barrier between the finish of one room and the next.

Can you refinish a portion of a hardwood floor?

However, it is possible to refinish just a few boards if you are willing to accept that they might appear shinier or a slightly different color than the surrounding boards, at least until the new finish gets scuffed up enough to blend in.

Can you polyurethane one room at a time?

It make take some work to feather the edges where one room meets another, but you should be able to do one room at a time. At worst you might wind up with a slight line across the threshold, which nobody but you would ever notice....

Can You Sand and Refinish Hardwood Floors Yourself? (honest opinion)

Is it better to paint or refinish floors first?

The answer to the question is, “do the floors first!” Here's why: Removing and replacing flooring or carpeting is dirty work. If you paint first, and then do floors, there is a good chance that a lot of dirt, dust, sawdust or tile/stone dust will end up on your freshly painted walls and trim.

How many times can you refinish floors?

Hardwood flooring can be re-sanded up to 10 times, depending on how bad the floor is and how skilled the person doing the sanding is. It costs about $2.50 per square foot to refinish a floor, plus $50 an hour for patching and thresholds.

Is it cheaper to refinish or replace hardwood floors?

Refinishing hardwood floors is more cost-effective than replacing them. On average, it costs about $2,000 to $7,000 to replace hardwood flooring (two to three times more than to refinish).

What is the difference between refinishing and resurfacing wood floors?

You can undertake to refinish yourself — but the professional treatment is sure to leave you most satisfied. Resurfacing your floor involves more than just putting a layer of polish on top. It may require removing old floorboards, grinding down uneven boards, and reinforcing wood planks with new nails.

Can you replace one plank of hardwood floors?

Your beloved hardwood floors' aesthetic can be easily upended by a rogue board with water damage, cracks, or grooves. But try not to fret—you can replace individual wood planks on your own without having to replace the entire floor.

Do floor refinishers move your furniture?

Furniture should be removed if all floors in a house must be refinished. Moving the furniture from room to room is difficult and time-consuming. Instead, removing the furniture from the house requires only two moves, instead of constant shifting throughout the refinishing process.

When can I put furniture on refinished hardwood floors?

Wait 48 to 72 hours after the hardwood has been refinished/ finished before "PLACING" furniture back in its place. Keep a steady temperature and humidity within your home. Dramatic swings in temperature will cause hardwood to shrink or to cup. Sweep/dust and mop often.

Can you stain floors in sections?

Apply stain to the hardwood floor in one 2-foot section at a time using a lambswool applicator. Top the finish with a protective and glossy coat of polyurethane sealer.

Does sanding floors make a mess?

Do expect dust

Yes, when you are sanding the floors, dust is created. That is just part of the process and there is no way around it. However, there are some ways to minimize it. We always put plastic around the areas not being done, and our machines are good at collecting a lot of the dust.

How do you restore hardwood floors without sanding?

3 Approaches to Refinishing Hardwood Floors Without Sanding
  1. Use a store-bought chemical abrasion kit.
  2. Buff and recoat floors with polyurethane.
  3. Use a revitalizer.

How long after refinishing floors can you walk on them?

How long do I have to wait to use my room after my floors are refinished? We recommend waiting 6 hours before walking on your new floors in socks. After 24 hours you can walk through with shoes on. Allow 48 hours before setting furniture and returning pets.

Is it hard to refinish floors yourself?

If you only have some minor scratches and dings or a dull finish, you might be able to simply buff and add a new coat of varnish. But, even if your floors need a complete makeover, refinishing hardwood is a very manageable and rewarding do-it-yourself job that can save a lot of money.

What is the cheapest way to refinish hardwood floors?

Applying a revitalizer gloss is the simplest and cheapest way to refinish hardwood floors. This approach works best on floors that only have surface-level scratches and other minor wear and tear issues. You can get the job done without the need for equipment rentals or hard-to-find materials.

Can Factory finished hardwood floors be refinished?

Takeaway: Your worn down pre-finished hardwood flooring can be refinished up to 5 times. You can change the color of the entire floor each time that it's completely refinished. Leave the bevel in the floor and DO NOT have the bevel filled. Pre-finished hardwoods show scratches more than site-finished hardwoods.

Can I change the color of my hardwood floors?

When you refinish your floors, you can change the color of your flooring. Most hardwood floors can be made darker, lighter, redder, or anywhere in between. If your flooring is solid hardwood, it can be sanded and refinished in a different stain for a different appearance.

How much wood does floor sanding remove?

When sanding any floor, the amount of wood you remove depends on the coarseness of the paper you use. Flooring professionals can sand away as much as 1/16 inches of wood with the coarsest paper.

How much wood does sanding remove?

Since normal sanding will remove from 1/64 to 1/32 of the wood surface, the surface can be sanded from 6 to 10 times or more, before the floor needs to be replaced entirely. If the floor is resurfaced every 10 to 20 years, the floor will last for a century or more.

How many times can you Resand wood floors?

Depends on the skill of the person doing the sanding. On average, you can refinish 3-4 times before you get to the tongue. If you don't want to change colors, and do a standard screen and recoat every few years, don't use the wrong care products, then you may never ''have'' to sand a floor's finish off.

How do you protect walls when sanding floors?

Masking tapes prevent your skirting boards, beadings, walls, doors, door frames and fireplaces from being damaged, scratched or stained while our experts are sanding, staining and finishing the wood flooring. The standard masking tape usually used for these purposes is made of paper.

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