Published 4/17/21
Your property’s hardwood floors can take quite a beating. This may be due to tenant turnover (since they move furniture), usual wear and tear, or perhaps even because of pets. In any case, the once-sparkling hardwood flooring in your property may need a touch-up.
In this post, we’ll be discussing 2 of the best DIY methods to refresh your flooring without having to deal with the expense and mess of sanding.
CREDIT: IVAN HUNTER/GETTY IMAGES
Using a Chemical Abrasion Kit
1. Clear and Clean the Room
Before you begin, make sure that you have removed all partial fixtures and furnishings, including shelves, curtains, and even doors that come in the way. After doing so, clean your hardwood floors with a damp cloth so that all the grime and dust are cleared up.
2. Apply the Chemical and Begin Scrubbing
Get hold of the abrasive pad included in the abrasion kit and then carefully pour the chemical to a 4 x 4 section of floor. Using your abrasion pad, scrub firmly over the section and move on to the next. Make sure you prevent spills and puddles because doing so could cause them to seep into the floor.
Once you’re done with the entire area, the floor shouldn’t be entirely dry. Instead, a thin film of the chemical should work perfectly.
3. Clean Again
After allowing your floor to dry for 30-minutes, mix 2-tablespoons of dishwashing liquid into warm water and then mop over the floor to neutralize the chemical residue. Try to moderately dampen your mop so as to avoid forming clean-up puddles and causing water damage.
4. Touch-Up Deep Scratches
Next, get hold of a cotton swab or an artist paintbrush and apply a matching stain inside deeper scratches. Feather over the strain to make sure it blends with your floor, and then dry it up with a hairdryer.
5. Coat the New Finish
Before coating your floor, try to plan how you’ll apply the finish, so you don’t get backed up into a corner with nowhere to go. Start by moving along the grain of the floor and make sure not to form any puddles while doing so.
Buffing and Polyurethane for Recoating
1. Rent a Buffer
Head over to a home improvement store and rent a buffer. It may be a little expensive, but it’s definitely worth the cost.
2. Clean-Up
Again, make sure the room is empty and your floors are free from dust or gunk. Also, while cleaning, pay attention to areas that have stripped finishes, dents or deep scratches.
3. Address the Deeper Scratches
If you found deep scratches, douse these with mineral spirits (works for lightly-colored floors). Alternatively, you can use a cotton swab or paintbrush to apply a stain that matches your hardwood flooring.
4. Turn the Buffer On
For this part of your DIY project, you will require some sanding screens. After your floor has been cleaned up, place a sanding screen under your rental buffer (ask for a tutorial at your home improvement store). It is also important to mention here that sanding screens typically wear out after about 10 to 15 minutes of use. This is why you should keep checking the screen for a buildup of grit, as this will scratch your floor.
Now turn your buffer on and move it back and forth from wall to wall and work your way around the room so that you don’t back yourself into a corner or pass over the wood more than you have to.
5. Finish Up
After thoroughly vacuuming the room for dust, use oil-based or water-based polyurethane, depending on the type of hardwood floors you’re dealing with. Next, use a high quality paintbrush to apply the finish from wall to wall before using an applicator pad attached to a broom to spread the finish in the direction of the grain.
Final Words
When it comes to DIY renovation of hardwood flooring, make sure that you consult the experts before going at it on your own. Try to consult a sales representative at the hardware store, a fellow property manager, or a contractor to find out what is best for your needs. In doing so, you will save a lot of time, energy and money.
Good luck!
– Jivko Stefanov
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