Bran' Spankin' New Floors

Hey, everybody so I am trying to catch up with some old projects I have done over the last year. I try to learn as much as I can so that I will be able to do things on my own, epically with things to do around the house. This fall I learned how to re-finish wood floors myself. Now I was that little girl who would start painting her room without her parents’ permission, on multiple occasions. So my floors were paint splattered.

 

Now it is really easy to re-finish your floors, do not hire someone to do this for you because you CAN do it yourself. It will be an entire weekend project, and do not re-finish all of your floors at once start with a room you don't love and them learn from the mistakes you make there when you do your other rooms.

You will need:

1. A few sheets of 100 grit and 60 grit stand paper.

2. A Sander, if you do not have one, invests in a square sander. It will come in handy for when you re-finish your other floors, distress your furniture (see that’s tots trending) and also for any outdoor projects you decide to start that involve wood.

3. Stain, pick any color you like but I prefer the dark reddish stains or the chocolate brown, they look super sleek.

4. Polyurethane, get more than you think you need because you will be applying it thick and with 2 coats.

5. A fan, to speed up the process.

6. A bag of rags, or a cut up old t-shirt

Friday night:

First clear the room sweep and mop the floors. Wait for the floors to dry.

Second, get out your 60 grit sand paper and start in the corner of the room furthest from the door.

You may want to open the window because there will be dust everywhere. Close the door to the rest of your house to avoid the dust spreading. Sand until the previous stain on the wood is gone (the shine is gone)

Third, take a break and go eat something and rest your wrists, because your arm is probably tired.

After your break does the same thing with the 100 grit stand paper. You do not need to be as persistent but you do need to be thorough. The 100 grit paper is meant to smooth out the rough spots that the 60 grit left. Sweep and mop all of the dust and crap that is all over the place.

Now go make dinner and relax for the rest of the night.

Saturday early in the morning:

Fourth, in the AM sweep and mop again and this time when I say mop I mean get down on your knees with a rag and wipe it down.

Fifth, it is time to stain that raw floor of yours. Start from the corner furthest from the door and make your way back. Use a rag to rub the stain in and follow he grain of the wood, of you go against the grain of wood it will look sloppy when it dries. Once you have finished wait 4 hours for the stain to soak in and dry up. (Try to finish this step by 10am)

 

Around 2-3pm on Saturday:

Sixth, repeat that last step all over again, do not wear pants your like for the second time you stain, because you knees with be brown. And your palms.

Let that dry for another 4 hours.

Around 6-7 on Saturday:

Get that Polyurethane out! And a paint brush, large paint brush and a small pointed paint brush.

Just like with everything else start from the corner furthest from the door and make your way back to the door use the small brush for the area nearest to the trim and apply a thick coat of this stuff to seal in and protect the stain you just applied.

Then go wash up and go out with your friend or family or whatever you do on Saturday nights.

Sunday AM:

Before church, or whenever you wake up from your crazy Saturday night Apply another coat of polyurethane. This time not as thick and touch up spots you’re messed up on the first coat. WARNING: if you step on the floor and it is still super sticky, wait another few hours before applying this second coat.

 

Go about your Sunday as you please, eat some yummy dinner and once you finish dinner check on the floor to see if it is dry. If its dry put all of your furniture which should have little floor protects on it, back in the room and enjoy a job well done.