Quick Tip: Floor Sanding using an Orbital Sander.

[@ahlivetuhsidamaro150]

Dude, thank you so much! You just saved me $2000 and I’m going to prove my father wrong because I’m doing this! This is exactly what I had in mind! You are the absolute best

[@frozenwalkway]

so howd it go did you end up hiring the sander guys lmao

[@roor20]

@@frozenwalkwayhe’s still sanding, please stand by!

[@knightstufftv]

@@roor20 still to this day

[@Trompunitalphapropan]

😅

[@dakotatrzebny7840]

I’ve been doing some research on how to refinish floors and I’m glad I found this video. I had convinced myself I couldn’t do it with a hand sander. I plan on redoing multiple bedrooms in the next year and now I am not so nervous to start sooner. I do think I would use a lower grit. But this room is a similar size to those of mine. I will try to remember to update with what happened when I do get started

[@hsmd4533]

Thank you so much for this video! I am a single mom without anyone to help me and i was dreading trying to haul big machines up and down my stairs. This is exactly what I am going to do! I don’t care if it takes me longer. I can go at my own pace.

[@AlleyPicked]

Good luck - I hope it helps. Keep in mind that depending on how bad the floor is, you can clean it with steel wood and paint thinner, then apply a coat of poly. Next time my floor needs a re-coat this is what I'll do. Doesn't always need to be stripped down to the bare wood.

[@ladyploveroflife5014]

I’m in the same boat. My cat peed in my daughter’s room. I pulled up the carpet. Searched for the nails. And note I begin.

[@phantasmg2800]

@@ladyploveroflife5014 Pet urine on hardwood floors is a nightmare leaves a giant black stain

[@LorMur]

After watching this video I knew I could do my two bedroom floors myself. Your tips are perfect and I am pretty sure I used all of them. I did this 2 years ago and the floors are doing great still looking good. I like that I did them myself...with your help of course. I think the best part is I found you on here and now have the pleasure of watching all of your videos. Take care and thank you.

[@AlleyPicked]

Thanks for the re-assurance. I've had people tell me this is a horrible idea. It worked great for me. It's not for floors in really bad shape but in many cases, it works fine. Thanks for watching! Tom

[@umranhu]

Interesting vid. I have very small area about 6 sq meters. Oak floor that was put down about 15 years ago. No damage but just fancy a change in colour. This vid has got me thinking

[@stewartgranger7674]

As a pro floor sander, I would call you a psycho for doing this. However, you certainly pointed out the pros and cons. It turned out as good as some people you pay for professional services. Most drum sanders that are hired out leave a floor looking worse as you need to know how to start and stop properly. For diy this works okay, especially small rooms. Good job mate.

[@AlleyPicked]

Thanks! I thought you were going to bash me :-) I know where you're coming from, however, you can't argue with the results.

[@Kentuckykim58]

@@AlleyPickedlooks great!

[@Kentuckykim58]

@@AlleyPickedas soon as I’m finished painting my office I plan on sanding and polyurethaning myself. I’ll post before and after picture. Thanks

[@ahlivetuhsidamaro150]

Also, I’m a small woman who doesn’t have the muscle power to haul one of those industrial sanders into my house. And I don’t have anyone to help me with that either. So the rotary sander it is.

[@ahlivetuhsidamaro150]

Also, I’m a small woman who doesn’t have the muscle power to haul one of those industrial sanders into my house. And I don’t have anyone to help me with that either. So the rotary sander it is.

[@СашаМакаренко-э1х]

*Works really **MyBest.Tools** well, and fits hand perfectly.*

[@edytadelfel249]

Found this very useful for my new house. I live in Ecuador and there is no rent on machines here and was looking for alternative way of doing my floors. Many thanks for this video!

[@AlleyPicked]

Glad it was helpful! It's a lot of work...but doable.

[@MM-rr1kp]

go for it people. i did a bedroom with orbital palm sandrr amd it came out great. clean sand clean prep and finish. applied oil based clear with a swiffer. best looking foor in the house

[@TheLastAmericanFarmer]

What grit did you use

[@mohamedsheik4589]

I used my orbital sander connected to a wet and dry vac. No dust in the room. Best sander for the job.

[@RobertMorrison70]

I did same but even duct taping on I couldn't get the adapter to the shop vac to keep detaching

[@paulsigmon7263]

Thanks for the video, motivated me so I did a room with my orbital over a weekend. Worked just fine, natural.

[@AlleyPicked]

Excellent!

[@JEBavido]

I remember refinishing a small bedroom floor, some years ago, and the drum sander we rented was very unwieldy in that small room. I like this idea better, even if I have to spend longer sanding. We're in a different house now, and I think I'll do our hallway and smallest bedroom the way you demonstrate here.

[@1joshjosh1]

Actually thank you for pointing out the unwieldy issue. I think I'm just going to go with the hand sanders because of the small room issue. Using the word unwieldy was the final Tipping Point for me so I thank you. There's just not the space for them.

[@foundinaforest]

i love this!! i just bought my first home and i’m 7m pregnant at 23 and when i pulled the carpet i noticed the hardwood needed a good sand. instantly i thought back to sanding cabinet doors with my mom with the pointed hand held sander and thought, why not? here i go!!!

[@AlleyPicked]

Good Luck!

[@bombusaffinis]

how did it go?

[@joetroutt7425]

@@bombusaffinis she had the baby

[@braaapdaps6814]

7 months pregnant sanding hardwood floors with a palm sander.. That’s a great idea lol. Did you stain & or finish it yourself too?

[@tyson9419]

Sweat equity... you go girl!

[@sabrinar7387]

Super helpful, I’m helping a loved one who is replacing their carpet due to cat pee. There is hardwood that we want to keep in good condition underneath, but she wants it sanded down and refinished in the spots where the cat urinated in order to ensure the smell does not stay when new carpet is installed. So basically we need to spot sand and finish and I believe this will work perfectly for that. Thanks for posting!

[@margaretmojica8190]

My son and I hand sanded oak floors with a piece of 2 x 4 wood and sandpaper in a rougher grade and then in a finer grade. It did take many, many days, but we were also sanding doors and windows. We filled in nail holes with wood filler. We swept, mopped, and used a "tacky cloth" to get the last bits of dust off the wood floor. Then used a clear, semi-gloss varnish in two coats. The floors were natural color and we wanted to keep the natural color. I did not want to rent a floor sanding machine because it takes off too much wood. We did a 10 x 10 bedroom and two years later, an 11 x 12 bedroom.

[@AlleyPicked]

That's very ambitious of you. :-)

[@skwalka6372]

Margaret, I was extremely hesitant about refinishing our foyer by hand and your comment encouraged me to take the plunge - thanks!

[@denispalacios5485]

You just encouraged me to do my pantry and my dining room. My pantry is a 6x6 room so that is going to be my laboratory for the bigger project. Thank you. Regards from Monroe, NY.

[@boppernostopper8598]

thats the silliest thing ive ever heard, it does not take that much off the wood, whats important is a flat surface for a proper seal!

[@dougnarup3608]

Quite a workout. Mucho work!

[@JK-re5jr]

I learned a lot of good techniques from this video. I will be using a drum sander on my next project, but this video contains many good pointers about floor refinishing. Thanks.

[@dougnarup3608]

Hey man, well done! I'm more confident to sand after these tips

[@jerryoliver5591]

I purchased a used one as the piece is a bit pricey, but the machine kzbin.infoUgkxG6fbm3cHBd7CNTjk5D-dwYe9c9tCB9ZN has surpassed my expectations. We sand small parts by hand often, sized around 1"x1/2," and specifically look for a piece that's designed to be vertical. The motor has plenty of torque and great speed settings. The only inconvenience I had is that the disk measures 5" where we trim 6" stick-and-sand disks down easily by mounting it then cutting with a box cutter.

[@ashtaws]

You have helped me tremendously in deciding between the orbital and drum Sander 🙂🇬🇧 Thanks

[@AlleyPicked]

Good luck

[@leftcoastcruising7080]

Thanks for the video, I am about to finish a wood floor on my boat and wanted some reassurance that it wasn’t nuts to do this small area (about 10x10 feet) with an orbital.

[@malicant123]

This is my summer 2024 job for the entire upstairs of my house :D

[@pound6599]

You can remove the finish with an orbital sander, but it requires two things: a quality sander (Bosch, Festool, etc.) and 24- or 36-grit sandpaper -- 24, 40, 60, 100 or 36, 50, 80, 120 are good sequences. Unless I missed a part, he started with 100-grit, which is a finishing grit. That or 120-grit is the finest you should go when sanding (stain); however, you can stop at 80- or 100-grit, if you are just using polyurethane. The setbacks to using an orbital sander are that it is time-consuming, and it will not flatten a floor, as a drum sander does, when used at a 45-degree angle. But, if your floors are reasonably even, then go for it.

[@AlleyPicked]

The grit sandpaper depends on the existing condition of your floor. In my case, there wasn't much left of the original finish and it came off with 100 Grit. No sense scratching up the floor with a lower grit if you don't need to. Thanks for your comments.

[@pound6599]

@@AlleyPicked Yeah, I get it. You definitely do not want to replace the floor -- $$$$!

[@RollinThankful]

@@AlleyPicked wish you stated that in the video.

[@Yusuf.A90]

The wood filler tips is sooooo good!

[@daniel_913]

Floor boards move. The filler will just crack.

[@ald845]

Thanks for doing this, it's exactly what I was looking for. I am going to do our small bedroom.

[@kencoleman7762]

The floor looks great. As a teenager I helped my Dad put in a hardwood floor and we used both the drum sander and the painfully large disc sander. That thing is a real challenge and, having done it once, I think I'll not need to do it again.

[@kevinberniebarron7548]

Great video! Very informative too! I am going to renovate a bedroom to convert it to an office for my wife! This is exactly what I was thinking about doing to the floor!

[@virtualfather4117]

i had same issue with the same sandpaper then I start using Maxi Abrasive Cleaning Stick they last forever I just bought 2 more because after 15 years my first one is half gone incredible return on your investment $10 this might be a nice little demo video I believe it will cut you sandpaper usage and cost by over 50% I use it on a belt sander, orbital sander, files, homemade sanding sticks as much sanding as I see you do you love these. The only thing it does not work on is sanding fresh paint that gets gummy on the disk.

[@AlleyPicked]

Thanks for the tip! I will look into that.

[@cdemp4795]

Thank you so much for this video! It's exactly what I was looking for. I recently moved into a house and removed an old carpet from 2 small bedrooms. The hardwood floors seem to be in similar shape as the one in your video. I'm going to use all your tips!!

[@AlleyPicked]

Good luck!

[@jonathanabreu3782]

Great job for a quick fix inexpensive solution

[@jimmneedle]

I am currently using a belt sander- in a 15x12 room-I think it is going to be interesting to see how the finish applies- I am going to use a pre-strain product to hopefully help with any issues

[@asiawilson1398]

How did it turn out??? I’m curious since I also plan to use a belt sander

[@just_delightful]

@@asiawilson1398 i was worried it looked uneven so after I did it I rented a bigger sander from local shop and redid it

[@arehay]

You just saved me several hours! Thanks!

[@sharonshookup]

I would recommend oil based polyurethane as the water base allow the wood tannins to show through as dark streaks.

[@AlleyPicked]

Thanks. I did use oil based poly.

[@sharonshookup]

@@AlleyPicked Sorry, I just didn't see the skull & cross-bones on the can. I do hear you say oil base now. I'm looking at all their products.... I guess the States has different WIMIS rules. All of our oil-based product in Canada has the skull & cross-bones on the can.

[@WakandaBabe]

I removed old vinyl from my very tiny, 1927 bathroom. Removing the underlayment was time consuming but I did it. And yes, I wore a high quality mask. What was underneath was oak flooring, the same as in the rest of my house! My next step is using my orbital sander. The bathroom is so small, that is the only sander that will fit in there! I cannot bear to cover up that floor again, so I am researching what finishing to put down to keep it in shape, especially because it's in the bathroom.

[@randyc5650]

1-Use a vacuum on the sander. It will keep the discs cutting way longer. 2-Use the ROS to sand the whole room and find the bad spots. 3-Use an 80 grit 4" belt sander to hit the bad spots and then go over them again with the ROS. Thanks. Great video.

[@helenachase78]

I rented just the edger from home depot to do a small bedroom years ago. You can make your own discs because they go on with a bolt and washer. The machine has wheels and moves freely. I also had rolls of paper. I highly recommend that

[@hsmd4533]

I was wondering about that, and thinking of doing the same. Did the edger leave grooves?

[@randomreviews1461]

You got me thinking now of using this method for my small living room and hallway. If i apply a whitewash stain would this be sufficient?

[@tammybaumgartner4009]

Hi there. I want to thank you for making this video. It was extremely easy to follow and understand. I do have a question though, can you share with me what the name of that pick you used to clean out the crevices, of the old wood filler? Thank you

[@AlleyPicked]

The pick was one of a set of 4 that I bought at harbor freight. Its just a cheap pick set. www.harborfreight.com/mini-pick-and-hook-set-63697.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiMjEyNzkyNzQiLCJza3UiOiI2MzY5NyIsImlzIjoiMS4wMCJ9&campaignid=20921724679&adsetid=156118926366&product=63697&store=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqY6tBhAtEiwAHeRopaUuXT9N6PTCq0p6WvE87yOPENoF3_4naVp2NiCdPCk33T1t0jSVnBoCy0gQAvD_BwE

[@sreedharanaidu3175]

I rented the “proper” sander plus edge sander and boy was it heavy to lug it up to the first floor. Now 6 years older I’m not keen to get a slipped disc. So this option is safer for me.

[@AlleyPicked]

Hope it works out.

[@user-jv9qz2bu1r]

Love this. I do not want to rent a heavy drum sander either. Thanks for showing this Can be sone! Subbed!

[@AlleyPicked]

Glad to help!

[@jonnycomfort9271]

Pre-stain conditioner will help with the blotchy uneven staining. But when you refinish a floor, while it looks very smooth, and to the touch it is, it's actually got a swirl pattern from sanding. Your orbital sander will do similar. Another advantage of not using a heavy drum sander is that drum sanders can leave divots all over the floor if you don't engage and disengage the sanding drum properly. The ideal way is to engage and disengage the drum while the machine is moving, not while it's standing still. That way you get a more even sanding without low spots. It's easy for someone without that experience to sand those divots all over the floor and they really show badly when you stain and/or urethane.

[@yohellghost2115]

Probably a great idea to get most off, and then use a large industrial orbital for the final sanding just to smooth it out. Or maybe courser discs. Thanks.

[@eugene9661]

A larger sander definitely would get surface smoother and more even. It might be worth the time and the cost.

[@whoisradu]

Can you use this for like floor edging?

[@pteddie6965]

Tom, I love this tip. I need to redo a staircase. I think that this is the perfect method to use. Thanks for the video. Stay safe.

[@ChristopherLeskanic]

Great video, very informative! Thanks! 😀

[@paulbenjamin4815]

Exactly what I needed. Thanks!

[@austerart]

Great idea and a good solution for an engineered floor even though this floor isn't engineered.

[@petestaint8312]

Fantastic!!!! Thanks for posting. 👍

[@thesam19841]

I've used sanding discs that look a bit like nets... they literally last 10 times as long and keep working until they disintegrate. They are also made by Diablo so easy to find

[@j.s.3414]

We use those on drywall, keeps from getting clogged.

[@MikeJones-qo7vt]

What's the name of them I need to buy some

[@thesam19841]

@@MikeJones-qo7vt The brand I buy is Diablo and I get them at home depot

[@p35flash97]

Dude. This video just helped me a lot. So I gave you a sub. Enjoyed it.

[@AlleyPicked]

Thanks for the sub!

[@NathanBrantley]

I’m currently removing the polyurethane coating to then stain a wood floor, what is the paint thinner for? Was it because you used wood filler? Or it just really preps the wood to take on stain?

[@AB-bo9rp]

Great Job ! Just bought a Makita Rotary Orbital sander ( A real pro monster!) at a flea market for only 5$!! ( Get lucky sometimes! I think the sanding pads will cost much more than the machine!!) You've inspired Me ! gonna go for it! Cheers!

[@AlleyPicked]

Good luck! Nice find!

[@user-jc9yz5xl9b]

Question What sandpaper grit was used? Was one size used or multiple?

[@Hengry-hn7rb]

Thanks Alley Picked floor looks great 👍 I’m going to follow ur instructions. I hit that like button.👉

[@darrondoss8660]

When you use your own elbow grease you save tons

[@davidsantella]

But lose tons of time, which is more valuable then money

[@Jim_McFarland]

Doing the work will keep you healthy, as well as save you money. Health can mean more time .

[@krakenwoodfloorservicemcma5975]

There is absolutely nothing healthy about refinishing floors.

[@amandar5827]

Great video! If I may: I installed 2 rooms of reclaimed red oak. Some pieces are more worn than others, so I was thinking of using a belt sander to knock down the taller pieces (I'm talking 1/32" to 1/16"), then going back over with either a rental machine or an orbital. Would that work? I'm worried about over sanding some areas. Thank You!

[@AlleyPicked]

That sounds like it would work. Over sanding with a rental machine is always the concern.

[@PugetSoundFlyer]

I have 100 yr old beat up Doug Fir floor - Ive been using the mesh sand "paper" on other projects and love it. Thinking of using tung oil then a finish on top....thoughts?

[@SoumyadeepMukhopadhyay]

Does this work on semi solid floor? Thanks for the video.

[@nelliesepp5878]

I have so many rooms that are just too small to be worth the renting price in my area, or i cant do all in the renting time. This will help me do it on my time!

[@AlleyPicked]

I hope it works for you.

[@lopany]

Is using a planner instead of a sander seems like a good idea, my floor is pretty beaten and uneven.

[@ThePa1nterhowto]

If you hit a nail,say goodbye to your planer,the sander is very forgiving

[@Michael-Makes-Stuff]

Nice job! A lot of elbow grease but you saved a ton and it still looks great. 👍🏼

[@joetroutt7425]

More like knee grease

[@LubaLuba1]

So I have 1/4 inches thick hardwood flooring and I want to sand but I don't want to carry that heavy machine can I get away with an edger instead the room is not very large 10x11 feet. Floors are not bad but I like to got a little deep to use clear coat finish. Greatly appreciate your feedback thanks.

[@AlleyPicked]

If you have 1/4" thick floor, it's probably not solid wood which means you cant sand it. It sounds like you have laminate flooring which you most likely are not able to sand and refinish.

[@Borracho-y-loco]

Tried it but my orbital sander isn't strong enough to remove all the varnish coating 😢

[@petestaint8312]

Same! Ended up doing it by hand. Took a long time but the results were amazing. 👍

[@kevinberniebarron7548]

I committed before and tried your method! My room is a 9x9 room with 67 year old oak floors! There's NO WAY THIS WORKS! I tried a 5 inch orbital sander and used 60 grit paper and worked for 5 hours, (only to have the brand new sander "die" with only a 2x6 foot area left. So I used my palm sander to finish! There was still alot of scratch marks left so after returning the sander and getting a lot better one, I resanded the entire floor with the new orbital sander using 40 grit paper! This took another 3 hours! Total time was about 8 hours! NEXT TIME I'M RENTING A BIG MACHINE!

[@AlleyPicked]

As I said in the video..."I tested this on a small area of the floor first..." I was happy with the results. My floor didn't have coats and coats of previous finish. If yours didn't work in a small test area first, I would have concluded that the orbital sander is not aggressive enough. This is the key point. This is not a sure fire method for every floor. It fortunately worked in my case.

[@jorgevelazquez179]

thanks for this video, exactly what i was looking for. Is there an orbital sander you recommend? Just wondering what amp's will do the job. thanks again for your time!

[@AlleyPicked]

Not really. Just don't use a battery powered one. I have even had great luck with a fairly inexpensive sander from Harbor Freight. I believe the one in the video was an older Craftsman.

[@nooradinpenjweny]

hi,why you did not start 60then 80 then 120,if you know 120 does not take much off?

[@SpiritualVegetarian]

How many coats of poly did you put? And did you sand between coats? great video btw

[@AlleyPicked]

It's been awhile since I did this...but from my memory, the instructions said that if you apply a 2nd coat before 24 hours you don't need to sand. It's best to read the particular instructions on the product you are using.

[@williamjohnson4661]

What about starting with 40 grit, then 80, then 100 ?

[@hanaparkhill3565]

I think I'll go and rent an orbital sander .. I feel like that is way more efficient and less toxic (attachment to suck up particulates)? I feel like it would cost about the same because of the amount of sand paper you would need to replace a buncha times?

[@AlleyPicked]

It depends on the condition of your floor. Also, Orbital sanders are inexpensive to buy at Harbor Freight and they work pretty well.

[@girlonthecob]

Ty for sharing. I'm going to try this on my floors

[@Vincent_de_Paul]

Sir, would it be better if you use coarser grits first to remove marks and scratches, etc and then use finer grits?

[@AlleyPicked]

Generally that is exactly what you do. You always have to be careful not to use a grit that will end up making you do extra work.

[@bcbc3762]

I'm going to try this. I have a 70's condo with parquet floor tile. It's generally in ok shape, but dull and devoid of much topcoat. I'd like to darken it, but I'd settle for a natural finish. It's red oak. Part of this issue is it's an open plan space, living, dining, hall, entry. The idea of having to move ALL the furniture and stack it in my kitchen and bedroom is not a good thought. This way, I could just do it in sections. I'll probably try a closet first.

[@ericstockburger]

I have the same floor and want to darken as well. Can I ask how it turned out?

[@bcbc3762]

@@ericstockburger It turned out great. I had a flooring guy do it. Living, Dining, entry area in a 950sf 1 BR condo. If there are any deep or notable scratches, have them address those individually. I got a darker walnut finish with a semi-gloss topcoat. I think I paid about $1600. Not cheap, but still cheaper than all new flooring and it gets me the look I was going for while at the same time staying with the period of the original design. If you get down and look close you can see sanding marks, but at standing height no one would know. They also replaced a few water damaged tiles using salvage stock they had, and it all blended perfectly.

[@c.fraizer6966]

May I ask how you kept the floor even? I have sanded mine til im ready 2 toss a match, and I can't get it level.

[@AlleyPicked]

What type of sander are you using?

[@margaretmojica8190]

You could try hand sanding with a level (not warped) 2x4 piece of wood and sandpaper and catch some of the high spots. Also, this is not a dining room table, it is a floor. Also, you could use a semi-gloss varnish which, I think, is better at hiding imperfections than a high gloss finish or a flat finish.

[@wideback4553]

Is bona amberseal the same kind of stuff that you used?

[@boejoss]

Thanks for the video and the tip on the pick tool. Took me about 4 hours to do a 4 x 4.5m room. Moving down to 60 grit made all the difference. I used up a disc every board and a half or thereabouts. The boards were covered in plaster and residue from old underlay. I still need to go over with 80 and 120 grit, hopefully should be quicker now

[@boejoss]

Update, haven't found the enthusiasm to do the other two grits yet. Also a warning as to the level of vibration that gets passed through doing it this way

[@tickyul]

Looks really nice..........and on a budget!

[@tiredofit1968]

So.....sand, remove old filler, replace filler, sand, polyurethane...don't need to sand, remove old filler then sand then replace the filler then sand then polyurethane, right?

[@friedrichniebergall3133]

I did this up to the finish, I used a oil finish using a brush. The floor essentially looks fine but it has all these micro dots. I know I tacked and cleaned my floor. Do I need to buff it to make it look perfect maybe?

[@AlleyPicked]

What are the dots? air bubbles in the finish?

[@friedrichniebergall3133]

@@AlleyPicked yeah I think they are air bubbles but they’re a lot of them (obviously I’m a novice!)

[@AlleyPicked]

@@friedrichniebergall3133 There are things you can do to prevent them but at this point about all you can do is lightly sand them smooth and apply another coat. Test it in a small area first.

[@RobertMorrison70]

Any opinion on using either a hand held belt sander or a palm sander instead?

[@nikkid8519]

I tried doing the edges with my sander and it took forever just on small spot and had to keep changing the paper. Nightmare

[@AlleyPicked]

What grit sandpaper were you using? Some floor finishes tend to gum up the paper. In my case it didn't.

[@nikkid8519]

@@AlleyPicked when i used the floor sander i used the highest grit and it gummed up. The floor was done in the 60's so must have used some weird stuff. And when i used hand sander i used the highest grit too. It wasn't a sander like yours. It was one that just shakes lol. That's prob why it didn't work well

[@flowergarden1426]

@@nikkid8519 you need one that spins. I just did my floors with 40 grit and it sanded nicely. My floors did not have any varnish on them so that was easy.my floors were not sanded at all since the house was built in the 40s just grime and paint was on them.

[@p.hoffmann3155]

Hi, I like your videos a lot, because they are well explicated and easy to understand. I have a tiny beach house and even 20 scare meters to sand. The floor is a bit uneven, it's just oiled but dark stains on the most frequented parts. I would like to sand it as you described in your video or would you recommend an other procedure? Could you please give me an advice. Thank you... greetings from Austria ♥

[@AlleyPicked]

If the floor currently has a lot of oil on it that doesn't sound like it's very well protected. Before you can apply a finish to it, the floor would need to be cleaned and sanded pretty well. A wood finish doesn't stick to a floor very well if there is oil or wax on it. Depending on how bad the floor is and how even you want to get it will determine the method you use to sand it. My floor was not bad so I was able to use a hand sander. If you for is beat up or requires leveling, a more aggressive sander will be necessary.

[@deirdrerodgers8187]

if I'm painting the floor with colour (floor paint) does the evenness of the sand matter that much ?

[@AlleyPicked]

Paint will usually be more forgiving than a clear finish. But even paint will show some of the unevenness in the floor. It's a good idea to fill any uneven spots so they are not as noticeable.

[@PJ-nw3zy]

Did you hook up the orbital to a shop vac ? How did you control the dust while you were sanding?

[@AlleyPicked]

closed the door and had a fan blowing out the window. My sander doesn't have a standard attachment. There is a dust bag attached which helps.

[@kaykayqualise5284]

Can i still use a orbital sander if i have a scratches on my wood floors? My townhouse is only a few years old . If so what grit paper should i start off with?

[@AlleyPicked]

I assume that you floors are not stained dark but rather have a natural finish. The answer depends on the current condition of the floor. If the condition is bad, then you probably need to sand the old finish off. If the condition isn't too bad, you can actually just clean the floor thoroughly, then lightly sand using 220 grit paper just to scuff up the surface, then apply a new polyurethane finish. you can always test a small area first (like a closet) to see how it comes out.

[@sawsansayed8957]

Please could you help me my floor is spec but it is very dull how could I make it shiny because I am afraid of using anything that may be wrong or destroy the floor

[@sawsansayed8957]

The floor is spec it is like plastic so thinner may be not right

[@sawsansayed8957]

Spc

[@AlleyPicked]

SPC is vinyl flooring. You cannot sand it. There is a product called "Rejuvenate" which says it restores shine to vinyl flooring. I have never used it. You might want to try that or a similar product.

[@hopetoriello8586]

Hello Alley Picked, I am soon to start this project using all products and details of your approach. One question,if you did not care for the Diablo sanding disks,what do you recommend instead? Thank you for your time.

[@AlleyPicked]

The diablo worked. I have tried many different sanding disks. Being a cheapskate, I usually but the cheaper disks on Amazon and just use more of them. Some day, I should do a test to find the best but for now, my cheapness wins over.

[@hopetoriello8586]

@@AlleyPicked thank you so much,nothing wrong with that or any approach,I will let you know how it goes here. Very enthused about the project.

[@tyson9419]

Yeah I was wondering that too. I do surfboard repair and Diablo is just ok. Been getting the harbor freight ones for less lately.

[@johnhouli3450]

Thank you Alley. So I have a heavy duty Orbital sander. Do you think they have 16 inch or wider sand paper to remove old dried polyurethane that I stepped into and dried with my heal of my shoe into it until I pulled it out. I want to refinish my floor three times the size of your bedroom. What do you think my options are. Do you have any suggestions for me. This room last time I did it was 2014. With the orbital sander using 000 steel wool that was extremely dusty and it took forever for the floor to dry because it was the winter time. I would then just put down clear polyurethane oil base which is o. There now but like I said was like 6 years ago. Thanks

[@AlleyPicked]

I'm not sure why you need 16" wide sandpaper. I guess my first question is..."Other than the footprint, is the rest of the floor in decent shape?" You don't need to remove all of the finish down to the bare wood unless it's in really bad shape. Otherwise you can clean and scuff of the surface using paint thinner and fine steel wool. Then just recoat with some poly.

[@tatianebarbosa3837]

Hi, could you give some advice about a damaged wood floor It was in only one spot .

[@AlleyPicked]

That can be very difficult to match, especially if the wood spot is stained dark. I hesitate to give an answer without seeing a picture.

[@joetroutt7425]

Just bought an orbital sander and I will eventually have to redo my floors. I guess if your willing to be on your knees for any amount of time then that's a money saver.

[@ginniferleflore9893]

I had scuffed up and dropped paint on the hardwood floors in my apartment. Mind you, this building was built in 1930 so the floors are already in compromised condition. Would you suggest this method as a good way to address this minor damage?

[@AlleyPicked]

Another option is to clean the floor using a less aggressive method. If you can use steel wool dipped in paint thinner. Scrub thoroughly in the direction of the grain. Sometimes that will clean up the wood enough where you can then apply a new finish of polyurethane.

[@lessmoneylessproblems5145]

What strategem is the orbital sander?

[@punchymuffin6402]

Yiesh, so much patience. I have to rent a floor sander from Home Depot. I can't even with crawling around like that. I did like the filler idea though.

[@captainadams7569]

Hello Sir. I have a porter cable speed block sander. Will that work?

[@AlleyPicked]

From my experience the block sanders do not remove as much material as the orbital sander. If you have a larger area, I wouldn't recommend it.

[@sheiladonaldsonjohnson3620]

Cam you let me know the name brands of everything u used please 😊

[@AlleyPicked]

The orbital sander is a 10 year old craftsman. The sanding disks are made by Diablo. There are many other good brands out there.

[@sheiladonaldsonjohnson3620]

@@AlleyPicked Thanks 😊

[@MarkMcCluney]

I've never sanded a floor but I suppose a handheld belt sander would be pretty good option too. And I imagine one can be bought as cheaply as the price of renting one of those indoor lawn mowers. Good one as always Tom, the floor looks super.

[@gregtoja]

It leaves long marks on wood which are especially visible after laquering

[@waynebaker305]

😀indoor lawnmowers I'm using that

[@eugene9661]

Belt sander is trickier to get good consistent result for inexperienced operators.

[@MatSmithLondon]

@@gregtoja If you apply reasonable pressure on the low grits then low pressure on the high grits and work in an oscillating motion left to right (in a curve) with overlaps, it's a reasonable approach. Better to finish with an orbital sander at 120 or 150, but no reason you can't use a 4 inch belt sander with low grits to get it vaguely level. I have just reinstalled a reclaimed parquet (tropical hardwood) which was a nightmare as some blocks were a LOT lower than others. Managed to get it flat after a few hours with 40 grit on a belt sander, then 80, then random orbital at 120...

[@robw3984]

your floor is actually already in pretty good shape hence why it was fast. all the floorboards I've done which have been untreated or not sanded could would take days to do a room with an orbital sander

[@AlleyPicked]

Agreed. Just a quick video to show people sometimes you don't need a heavy duty sander.

[@linds224433]

Could i use a water based polyurethane?

[@AlleyPicked]

I wouldn't unless it says on the can that it can be used on floors.

[@Yusuf.A90]

Omg my floor looks exactly like that! And I saw wasibie productions use a hand sander too. I want to try it out since it's so bad!

[@Roundman334]

I’m about to do mine with a drywall sander so I can do it standing upright

[@macrotriso]

I had the same idea as you. how did work go?

[@eugenelayhue1932]

Don't only use what have but get as big a sander as possible it still might cost less than renting a machine just treat the floor like a woodworking project a really big table top.

[@lcroninarida1]

What grit would you use for a floor in good condition but has a high shine that you want to take off?

[@AlleyPicked]

First I might try some very fine steel wool. Its called "0000" steel wool. Try rubbing it in the direction of the grain in a small inconspicuous spot and see if that helps.

[@richardchambers9775]

I believe you had to put 3 coats , and manufacturer recommend you sand 2 ND coat for best finish.