Refinishing an old wood floor with only a belt sander and hand sander

Tamara Neo takes on an old wood floor known for giving splinters to anyone brave enough to venture upon it without shoes. Using only her belt sander and palm sander Tamara turned this splinter trap into a beautiful, revived floor, good for at least another generation within her historic home.
Tamara walks you through all the prep work before the sanding, and through the sanding, then into addressing the wide cracks and finally the application of the polyurethane using both the squeegee technique and the roller technique to apply the polyurethane. While certainly not a professional result, the process was a real example of solving whatever came up through each step and is a vast improvement over what was there with very little financial commitment.
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[@spencethomas7653]

This was so helpful in many ways! It's a great video for DIY!

[@NeoMixLive]

Awww. Thanks! Glad it helped

[@sophiagordon966]

you go girl!

[@Matt2chee]

Excellent results.

[@Mimi223-]

ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS!!!! I'm starting on mine tonight 🥳🥳♥️♥️

[@UltimateGoldenGirl]

Enjoyed your video. I am presently doing my kitchen, hallway, bathroom and if it turns out well I will do the rest of the house. Thank you so much. Great video.

[@MsArtistwannabe]

Thank you for saying how hard this project was. I know the big sander would be way too much weight and maneuvering for me. Was considering doing it the way you did. I think I’m going just hire it out. Your floor do look very pretty.

[@LindsayHaven]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've been thinking about doing something similar on the cheap DIY style and you sharing and commenters sharing helps me figure out a plan for myself. Take care!

[@NeoMixLive]

Thank you Lindsay for sharing your thoughts and coming endeavor! It really turned out well

[@idohaverizz]

I suspect you're just as crazy diving in with this DIY stuff so I just love your video! :)

[@NeoMixLive]

I haven’t checked in with this video and really even then the channel in such a long time it’s so neat to see people still watching it and commenting on it. I have actually started in on my master and maybe I will revive everything with what’s going on there. Thank you so much for your comment and you’re right. Life is nuts, a little crazy DIY is about the best path through 😊

[@idohaverizz]

@@NeoMixLiveOf course!!! Still watching this video 7 months later 😊

[@susanlang2645]

Just finishing up the first sanding round and found your video so encouraging. Thank you!! ❤

[@NeoMixLive]

Boy the struggle is real. Sanding was my least favorite part! Good job and good luck!

[@michaelwells7348]

I have Truely ...... Never seen anyone do this type of work in their bare feet. When I do work on floors I prefer to use knee pads, real good quality ones. Well you are getting it done, nothing better than a refinished wood floor.

[@NeoMixLive]

I'm one of those kids who would never wear shoes outdoors. I guess it just carries on through to adulthood. And in fairness it was only that 1 section that I didn't wear the shoes for. 😆

[@desmondfalakei7108]

Great job!

[@NeoMixLive]

Thanks Desmond! Are you a DIYer yourself?

[@gumoak]

Thank you for the video.

[@NeoMixLive]

Thank you for watching and commenting! ❤️

[@mom4life972]

Wow! Great job! It turned out great! I can’t wait to see it after you finish with decorating.

[@NeoMixLive]

Hey thanks Mom4Life! Me too! Please remember to Subscribe, like and share.

[@shenanigansofmannanan]

You can't possibly tell the quality from a video

[@NeoMixLive]

@@shenanigansofmannanan hmmmm. Well video is all I've got. 😏 As I said though, I'm looking for improvement over perfection of a floor you could not walk barefoot on without getting a splinter.

[@PatL77]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing!! Great job!

[@NeoMixLive]

Thanks Patrick! I was really happy with the results and the money saved. Please remember to subscribe if you haven't already.

[@PatL77]

@@NeoMixLive My wife and I are about to start a similar project. This was an excellent video to watch prior to starting the job.

[@NeoMixLive]

@@PatL77 good luck with your project!

[@liveyrdream]

Great work, I have an old house with decent wood floors in need of help, a lot of work, but I will try it using the belt and hand sander. 👍👏

[@hereholdthiswillya]

A woman after my own heart, working in her robe!

[@NeoMixLive]

Well if the robe fits...😂

[@arthurwilson2214]

Very nice!

[@NeoMixLive]

Thanks!

[@karenferns6160]

U r a 🤩...That's a great job..!!! I'm doing my floor here in the UK & it's tough. Bitumen to remove 😱. You've inspired me 🙌..

[@NeoMixLive]

That's fantastic ! I hope it's beautiful for you!

[@jackk1583]

the sawdust from the floor is useful to filll ingaps IF you mix it with wood glue. Make a paste, and the benefit is its the same color when finished. Also, its veru easy to hand sand after the first poly coat- 120 with even the floor and prep the floor for next coat- ends up w/ a very smooth finish, but nice work.

[@DesignsbyAngeline]

Tung oil makes the boards swell and will make them expand and close the gaps

[@danjoe22]

Nice job! I have refinished every floor in my home and usually use a brush or foam pad to apply the polyurethane. Dust and lint are a problem between coats. I don't think working in bare feet was a good idea for controlling these things but in the end it worked for you.

[@theresecook-bright1757]

Steel woool will darken it. Its actually a staining technique.

[@poncethegayboi]

Super nice work

[@htch207]

Fantastic job! The floor look incredible for its age. I'm in the process of sanding a room in a 1970's house (in the UK) and stripping off all the horrible paint the previous owner put on the wood! P.s I feared for your toes at one point!!

[@NeoMixLive]

I'd say your fear was warranted but thankfully all 10 still in place! Please subscribe and keep in touch about your project!

[@carlosmacmartin4205]

Glad you didn't sand your toes off. 😆LOL! Good job!

[@NeoMixLive]

Me too! I have pretty toes. It would be a real shame to lose them.

[@carlosmacmartin4205]

@@NeoMixLive Yes, indeed! 😍 Happy New Year!

[@chatrbox213la5]

Great video. May i ask what grits you used to remove stain to bare wood? Thank you!

[@zztop8592]

Good job! I'm doing about 1200sf in my house. It's a lot of hard work, but worth it.

[@NeoMixLive]

Good luck! 😊

[@zztop8592]

@@NeoMixLive Thanks, I'm done sanding, starting on the poly tomorrow.

[@mizsherm4352]

Thank you, you've encouraged me to do this. My house is approx the same age. How long before you put the furniture down?

[@NeoMixLive]

I waited more than a week for the rug. The furniture had to be moved from downstairs by taking it outside and lifting it up and over an exterior upper floor railing... So it was months before I had a crew to help me with that crazy scenario.

[@pamelaleseur4986]

T hank you

[@Sjaubi-qf6wd]

Awesome. what model belt sander did you use/ do you have a link to it?

[@NeoMixLive]

Sorry for the delay in responding but I've been trying to figure it out. It is clearly a Porter Cable belt sander but I cannot find a link nor a model number. It comes with a case and it's fairly stout. I've owned it for at least 10 years.

[@daughterofthemosthigh3366]

Thank you so much for this vid!! I will be tackling this job in the next month.... with some apprehension! This really helped and encouraged me. :) How much did this cost you?

[@NeoMixLive]

The only thing I had to pay for was the Polyurethane and some new belts. All in was well below $300

[@NeoMixLive]

Thanks for watching! Good luck!

[@malcolmmcguire2876]

Quite a workout until you discovered the broom handle. Getting in the flow is what it’s all about and well done for a great result

[@NeoMixLive]

Thanks Malcolm!

[@baba-sm1fm]

Good job!! What is the name of the finish you used?

[@NeoMixLive]

I can't recall but it was the standard brand, recognizable name, that Lowes carried.

[@Irahq1]

I’d mix the dust with wood glue and fill in that way. Some people melt resin.

[@NeoMixLive]

Got it! Maybe next time as the whole house needs to be done. Thanks!

[@lilianetv1482]

Strong back and knees

[@NeoMixLive]

They definitely took a beating with this project😅

[@jonbrown5054]

Foxy lady

[@NeoMixLive]

Sweet subscriber!

[@dhambone825919]

Mix the saw dust with wood glue or little bit of epoxy. Then trowel it in

[@NeoMixLive]

Thank you for the clarification! Have you personally done that on a floor? I'd be curious to see the result.

[@hereholdthiswillya]

That's exactly the way the floor guy does it on the HGTV hometown series. That's the old way of making wood putty I hear.

[@dhambone825919]

@@hereholdthiswillya it's in surplus amounts and it will exact color match

[@pound6599]

It is best to use the sand dust from the second or third cut. Just out of curiosity, how many cuts did you do? Thanks!

[@dhambone825919]

@@pound6599 not really a hardwood guy. I install almost everything but. Refinishing is not terribly skilled work. If you took your time. A diy could potentially be as good as a pro. With the right tools. Floor sander, ideally you start with roughest grit. 2x passes, move over half the width of the floor sander, 2x passes. Repeat across the area. Medium grit 2x passes, move over half the width of the sander, repeat across the area. Finally a soft grit and repeat 2x passes across the area. Use your judgements. Hardwood 50-60 years old can take more of a sanding. Newer hardwood is less thick.

[@ellflynn]

No epoxy, no wood filler, no glue with sawdust. Wood filler and epoxy will crack and separate within a year. Sawdust and glue is only really for hairline cracks- it will crack in bigger gaps and will stick out like a sore thumb if you use oil-based poly. The time-tested solution is fill with thin wood strips or the traditional solution, which is rope.

[@strjourneys7919]

How often do you notice someone with a sore thumb??

[@jasonurban3597]

Lol 🤣🤣🤣 i

[@ludgatecircus15]

Please, just rent a floor sander at Home Depot and cut your time by 50%.

[@NeoMixLive]

I might next time but those can be costly. I owned the equipment I used.

[@nicklindseth841]

Painful 😣

[@adamtesoriero5052]

wow sanding in a bath robe. go and check out what happens when a piece of clothing gets caught in a belt sander.

[@NeoMixLive]

I guess I'd end up naked in my bedroom😅. Duly noted though.😊

[@A5cension]

@@NeoMixLive :) haha

[@2for99cents]

Come do that at my house 🥰