All wood floors are protected by a clear coating that eventually becomes scratched, scuffed and dull. Hardwood floor refinishing can help you get rid of those unsightly scratches and marks. But as long as the damage is shallow—in the coating and not in the wood itself—you can renew the hardwood floor by adding a new coat of polyurethane right over the old finish.
On this hallway we will remove the poly and surface sand the wood to a smooth finish, and cover with three coats of oil based poly.
If your floor’s finish was applied before the 1970's, it’s probably wax, old-fashioned varnish or shellac. No new finish will stick to a wax finish or any other finish that’s ever had wax applied to it. Polyurethane might adhere to an old, varnish or shellac finish. But these finishes do wear out, and since they’re probably more than 30 years old, it’s best to sand them off and start over.
Besides the obvious sander, you’ll need quite a few other things, listed in the table below.
Tool or Material Cost
Edger $37 per day rental
Belt sander for hard to reach spots $60-$100
Sandpaper for both sanders $60
Hand scraper $35
Nail set $10
Varnish application materials: paint roller, roller covers and extension pole $50
Clear varnish $165-$360
Painter's rags $13 for five pounds
Safety goggles $8
Respirator $30
Claw hammer $25
Mop $12
Shop vacuum $70-$170
Stain $27-$40 per gallon
Knee pads $10 per pair
Paintbrush $1-$5 each
Trash bags $25
Contact: Jack Holt
jwhremod@gmail.com