How hard is it to redo an old hardwood floor yourself on a budget?
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I moved into my parents 60 yr old home when they passed and the living room has real hardwood floors. How hard is it to strip off old finish and redo? It also has a few black spots that might need boards replaced if they don't sand out. Please help!
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First why not check to see how much it would cost a professional to do this. When we bought our house many years ago we were very short of money but found it very worth while to have the l.r. floor done professionally. It should be sanded and then refinished.
Totally doable if you take care and watch a bunch of videos. The sanders are heavy and can easily become unwieldy if care isn't taken. Who cares about the black spots. Once the floor is sanded, stained, sealed, chances are, not even noticeable once all your furniture is in place. Plus it adds character and I doubt anyone but you will ever notice. Here are some sites to get you started.
https://youtu.be/xQtjCu87zWY
https://www.familyhandyman.com/floor/hardwood-floors/how-to-refinish-hardwood-floors/
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-refinish-wood-floors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSwKtWlIqeE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxU886QDUek
If you're physically unable to carry/maneuver an orbital floor sander as shown above, the job can be done with hand orbital sanders. You must take your time, wearing eye and ear protection, face mask, knee pads, vibration reduction gloves, and a very good extractor hose on a shop vac, securely attached to your hand orbital sander. You will use a good number of sanding disks, of various grits, dependent upon the degree of "re-surfacing" required. Work in sections measuring 4' square to stay focused, and count your strokes to avoid making divots. You'll need to tack cloth several times, before applying a polyurethane or similar in light coats, to avoid bubbles.
I'd strongly advise vacuuming all floor surfaces, walls, etc., then wiping down walls before sealer is applied in 3 coats, with adequate dry time, between.
This job will definitely take time and patience, but results are definitely worth it.
LEAve it to the professionals. My husband and I like to save money and do most things ourselves. But flooring is something you don’t want to screw up. The professionals do it all the time.
Save money in other places.