Using a floor buffer to refinish hardwood floors?

[anonymouscow]

Hello, I am looking to refinish some hardwood floors. I found a floor buffer / sander for sale, and directions from https://www.woodfloorbusiness.com/sanding-finishing/taming-the-buffer-understanding-how-a-wood-floor-buffer-works-part-i.html Does anyone know if this is an acceptable alternative to using a drum sander? Thanks in advance.

[lthenderson]

Most definitely it can work. Generally I choose which type of sander I use by how much material needs to be removed. If I have a painted floor with several layers of paint and lots of dents and damage, a drum sander is the way to go. If it is just sanding through one coat of finish on a fairly smooth floor, an orbital sander is the way to go. Also, drum sanders work better in large open rooms where as if the space is tight and small, an orbital sander is just easier to maneuver since you don't have to follow the grain of the flooring.

[Uturn]

If you do not have experience using a rotating floor buffer, I would not recommend learning on your own wooden floors.  They can get away from you fast and mess up the floor that you are trying to improve if you don't know how to drive one. 

[lthenderson]

If you do not have experience using a rotating floor buffer, I would not recommend learning on your own wooden floors.  They can get away from you fast and mess up the floor that you are trying to improve if you don't know how to drive one.

One way to learn is to actually put a buffing pad on one first and practice awhile before graduating to sandpaper. They do take a bit to figure out how to move them in the direction you want to go.

[Aggie1999]

My parents tried this on one of the rent houses. I wasn't around but from what I understand they used the orbital sander to lightly sand the floor (not all the way down to bare wood). Then polyurethaned the floor. Looked great but the poly came up when any pressure was applied (rolling office chair, etc). Never had that problem when using the traditional drum sander, going down to bare wood.

Note: Not saying this method can't be successful, just not for them doing it the first time.