The process of floor sanding
Floor sanding and polishing is a process. Hence it follows a number of steps which enable the homeowner to be able to see exactly what stage the project is in. Furthermore, it then becomes possible to be sure that everything is happening according to plan and no steps are being skipped. If the homeowner is planning to undertake the project himself, these steps are even more critical. The first step when it comes to floor sanding is to remove any coatings on the floor. By using a belt sander or a drum sander, coatings can easily be removed but it is also possible to have this done using sandpaper by hand. However, this will require much more effort and will take a longer time. During this phase not only is it very critical to remove any coatings but also the roughness in the floor such as protruding bits must also be sanded down. Choosing the right sandpaper means that you must have knowledge of the relevant grit level that should be used. A low grit count indicates that this sandpaper is rougher. Most floors are fine when a sandpaper with 40-grit is used but really coarse and bumpy floors can need 24-grit sandpaper, especially in cases where the floor is manufactured from recycled. Floors do not exist in wholly even and flat rooms and so the edges of the floor can be hard to reach when using a belt or drum sander. In houses with detailed skirting, this is even more true as a belt sander could damage the skirt by accidental contact. The edges of the floor can be safely sanded using a sanding disk called a floor edger. There is also the possibility of having a specially shaped triangular sanding machine which sands the corners. And, of course, sanding by hand is always an option for hard to reach places. After sanding the floor should be without protrusions and wholly even. This means the floor is now ready for coating. Much like the name suggests, coating is like applying a coat of paint. The tools are similar with a roller and brush being used as well as a roll tray. Having a brush and a roller may seem like overkill but the brush is important for coating the edges of the floor. |
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One coat is usually not enough as the coating may not have been applied to the floor in a wholly even manner. This means that once again it will be required to use the sander. This time an orbital sander should be used as well as a grade of sandpaper that is between 120 to 150 grit. This high grade is critical because a rougher grade would only wear away the coating that was just applied. It is recommended to wait at least twelve hours before applying more coats and these should be sanded as well to ensure smoothness.
These broad steps should allow anyone to see the process that should be on display and enable supervision to be more easily done.
Call us today on (03) 8592 4725
These broad steps should allow anyone to see the process that should be on display and enable supervision to be more easily done.
Call us today on (03) 8592 4725