Floor refinishing

[jrhampt]

So, my floors aren't overall in bad shape, but they need a good coating of polyurethane or something as a protectant.  I'm not sure how much people actually charge to do this, and when I checked out You-tube videos on how to do this, they all recommend renting a buffer/sander thing and sanding the whole thing first.  What happens if I skip that part and just brush on a couple of coats?

[ZMonet]

I'm no expert, but I don't think you'd get great adhesion and wouldn't be applying the poly on a ideally clean surface.  If your floors aren't in too bad a shape, you might consider screening your floor (basically a light ruff up of the surface).  This would still require renting the equipment, but wouldn't require quite the same experience level, time or degree of mess.

In the alternative, I've used Rejuvenate Gloss Wood Flor Restorer on my 10 year old wood floors with good results.  It isn't a sand and recoat good, but for less than $20/32 ounce bottle and just clean flor and mop on, I was pleased with the results.  You can get it at Home Depot.

[Zaga]

Our floors were under old nasty carpeting for something like 40 years.  So they were in pretty good shape but needed stripped and refinished.  What we did:

Buy floor stripper.  It smells like paint thinner, only do this on a day when all windows can be open.
Using a stiff bristled brush on hands and knees scrub the floor, small sections at a time.
Wipe clean with "Rags in a box" or similar.  You will NOT want to reuse, they will be gross so go with disposable.
Once it dries follow up with a "sealer/protector" type product for wood floors.  I can't remember what brand we used, but I'm sure there are many good ones out there.

Seriously, the floors are awesome now!

[jrhampt]

In the alternative, I've used Rejuvenate Gloss Wood Flor Restorer on my 10 year old wood floors with good results.  It isn't a sand and recoat good, but for less than $20/32 ounce bottle and just clean flor and mop on, I was pleased with the results.  You can get it at Home Depot.

Thanks, this sounds like a good alternative - I'll see if I can get a bottle.

[jamccain]

Our floors were under old nasty carpeting for something like 40 years.  So they were in pretty good shape but needed stripped and refinished.  What we did:

Buy floor stripper.  It smells like paint thinner, only do this on a day when all windows can be open.
Using a stiff bristled brush on hands and knees scrub the floor, small sections at a time.
Wipe clean with "Rags in a box" or similar.  You will NOT want to reuse, they will be gross so go with disposable.
Once it dries follow up with a "sealer/protector" type product for wood floors.  I can't remember what brand we used, but I'm sure there are many good ones out there.

Seriously, the floors are awesome now!

I did this a number of years ago...the results were great, the work was back breaking.  For 500 sq ft it took me an entire three day weekend and I was kaput...

Maybe I'm out of shape, who knows, but I told myself never again after that...of course, the sting has worn off and I'd do it again this weekend it need be. 

[Zaga]

Yeah, I could barely move my arms for a week!  I'm just 100 pounds with little arm mass.  It was worth it though, the floors are great!  I did the living room, dining room, front hall, and the hall to the bedrooms.  I don't know the sqft for sure, but it was somewhere around 500 I think.