# Tips for renting a floor sander and polyurethaning?



## vyacheslav (Sep 20, 2016)

Greetings,

I have a 1947 Cape Cod.  The dining room hardwood floor had been covered wall to wall with linoleum when I moved in back in 2005.  The floor underneath is in very good shape (most likely pine).  I've left it "as is" for 11 years, but I am now going to a gloss polyurethane finish, since I've recently repainted everything in the room.

I know that I'll need to sand it down, to get rid of surface scratches and to get a nice, uniform surface.  Any suggestions on the grits of sandpaper I should use to start, "Step up", in-between etc?  I've never used a floor sander before.  Any tips on that?

I have experience with polyurethane.  I am a drummer and have used it on many drums, and hard road cases over the years.  After the surface has been prepped, I typically put 3 or 4 light coats of a satin finish, then I sand with very fine (000) steel wool to get it super smooth and then finish the final two coats with gloss.  I remove all dust between coats.  I use steel wool because it easily conforms to the shape of a round drum better than sandpaper does.  Will this plan of attack work?  Obviously, the floor will be subject to much more wear and tear than a drum.

Obviously, I won't be able to use still wool between coats on the entire floor, which is much, much bigger than a drum that can fit in your lap! Also, should I plan on using my palm sander around the perimeter where it might be hard for the floor sander to get to? 

Is there such a thing as using too many coats of poly?  I usually only do two coats of gloss, so it doesn't get "soft" as it builds up on itself.  Would any of you do it differently?  What should be my "cure time" when I'm done, to allow for normal foot traffic, moving table and chairs back etc.

I plan on putting felt pads on the bottoms of all my chairs and table legs.  I also plan to apply the poly by hand, using a foam "chisel point"  or "V point" brush.  I use that on drums with excellent results, this brush will just be 4" or 5" wide instead of 1/2".  I typically use Minwax polyurethane (oil based).  Size wise, my dining room is probably around 10' x 10', so it's not all that big.

Thanks for your help!


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## nealtw (Sep 20, 2016)

Glue under the lino? what color?


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## vyacheslav (Sep 20, 2016)

No glue residue at all.  It was held in place by the toe strips only.  I removed the toe strips and will install new ones once the floor is finished.

It's a light color, about the same as pine.


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## nealtw (Sep 21, 2016)

years ago we used a drum sander on a new floor and started with 36 gt, but you can likely start with 50 gt, they also used to rent what looked a lot like and angle grinder for  sanding up against the walls.
There are people here with more experience than I have about grit and stuff.
I would use water based finish and a scotch bright pad between coats.


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## bud16415 (Sep 21, 2016)

Here is a thread I started when I did my floors. 

http://www.houserepairtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16565

There are 2 type of sanders that are industrial strength that you can rent. The drum sander Neal mentioned and there is also an orbital pad sander that takes a roughly 2&#8217;x2&#8217; sanding pad the bottom of the sander has a rubber pad you lay your sand paper on the floor and then a piece of half inch thick scotch bright pad and then you roll the sander machine up to it and lower it on top. I have used both machines and for a first timer with maybe pine floors the drum is really tricky to use without getting a gouge at some point. The pad sander will remove the finish slower it may take 3 to 4 times the time but with little chance of messing up. It also will get very close to walls and as it is square will work tight in a corner. If you have your toe molding and base board removed you shouldn&#8217;t have to do any hand sanding at all. I always rent stuff like this on a Saturday for one day from the place that isn&#8217;t open on Sunday and that way I get it for two days and don&#8217;t have to hurry. The place I rent from gives me a big box of paper and you only pay for the ones you use when you return it. You will be surprised if there is old finish on the floor already it takes a pretty big grit to get started. Start with what you think you will want and after a few minutes check it. if it is loading up don&#8217;t waste the paper just select a rougher grit. If the floors don&#8217;t have finish on them starting with a medium grit is all you need. Get a good selection when you rent it. 

As to the finish I like the water based poly as the time between coats is hours not days and there is no smell to speak of. That&#8217;s up to you though I have use the oil based and had it turn out great but took forever to cure. The water based poly as you will read in the thread I linked gave me problems because I got bad advice on how to apply it. It cures fast enough if you get air trapped in it the skin will keep them trapped. The tool I found to work best was a pad on a pole applicator that was made for deck stain, kind of a mohair. The pros use a wool like pad to push it around. Many good videos on line you can watch. DO NOT roll it on the rolling action just makes air bubbles. And of course stir not shake to mix. 

I have later heard if you get any bubbles in the finish kind of a white haze. If you take a heat gun to it within a few hours of it drying they will go away. I haven&#8217;t tried it but it comes from a good source that it works. 

Have fun and post pictures.


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