How can I refinish my hardwood floors without sanding

Kim
by Kim
  8 answers
  • FloorNerd FloorNerd on Oct 13, 2012
    unfortunately you need to sand the prior stain so the floor can soak up the new stain, if you stain over stain it will not hold and get all over your socks and cloths as it won't dry.
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Oct 14, 2012
    There are a handful of "no sand" refinish kits out there that are purported to add shine etc....they don't work to well at all. Depending on the level of wear to the flooring you have couple of options...if the finish is worn through to wood you will need to do a full sand. If the finish is still intact but "dull" you can do a "screen and Re-coat" Screening is a light version of sanding that merely abrades the surface finish so the new top coat can get a good bond...it is fast, easy and far less messy. pic caption Full sand ( stain) in foreground...screen and recoat in background BTW...nice AR in your profile pic
  • Kim Kim on Oct 19, 2012
    Thank you both. Well unfortunate for me it looks like I will need to do a full sand :(. I think I knew that but was hoping for something not so messy & time consuming! Problem is the area is the main hallways & stairs. I have dogs & people living upstairs & so therefore time constraints....any suggestions? hope you aren't offended with the profile pic, love these apps on my iphone!!!!!
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Oct 19, 2012
    When I do stairs for client's I will sometime do alternate steps so the stairs can still be used...its is not ideal but one type of work around. hallways are a bit more trouble...in many of those cases you may need to camp out in a different room for a few days. No offense on the AR...I own a very nice Colt M4 and enjoy seeing other having fun with them
  • Kim Kim on Oct 19, 2012
    ugh!!! no easy way but thanks for the step idea although prob wouldn't want any travel in that area because of dust & all. looks like they'll be camping!!! 2 more questions if you don't mind.....i have a belt sander which is what i used on other floors but omg what a mess. is it less messy with one of those floor sanders that can be rented, i'm assuming it would be faster anyway than using the belt sander & easier on the knees, back, body!!!! also, what are your thoughts on painting the floors of the main hallways & steps? have you ever seen that? i guess if i decide not to refinish maybe carpet would be the next best thing but i thought i had seen somewhere paint that looks similar to hard wood? and i really don't want it fully carpeted ...... i'm attaching a pic of one of the bedrooms i refinished......what a job!!! i can't find the ones of my living room that was refinished....i'll keep looking tho'!!! thanks for your time & your help :)
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Oct 20, 2012
    depending how big the room is a belt sander may or may not be the right tool. I have used them for small areas but when you have a big room a big tool works much better. You also get a better finish with some of the big tools as the "foot print" covers more area and evens out highs and lows better. The floor you did in the above pic looks like pine which is pretty soft and it sands easily..sanding oak or maple is a much tougher task. People paint floors all of the time and I would prefer that to a dust and dirt filled carpet...allergens and that whole scene.
  • Wanda sinnema Wanda sinnema on Apr 15, 2015
    so glad KMS chimed in.. no matter how its done its a big job,, do it right the first time and you will have years of beautiful floors.... with less hassle, headaches and a better look..
  • Debbie Gartner Debbie Gartner on Dec 09, 2016

    Usually, by the time someone is asking this question, a full sand and refinish is needed. But occasionally, when the floors are in good condition and there are no scratches through the color, a screen and recoat can work. If you want to change the color of the wood, a full sand and refinish is your only option.