Tips for Preparing for Timber Floor Sanding & Finishing

If you are thinking of refinishing your timber flooring, there are a few important aspects to bear in mind. As with most home improvements, the secret to a successful outcome lies firmly with the preparation. With that in mind, here are a few tips to ensure a favourable outcome.

• Covering Non-Moveable Furniture – Prior to coating with a sealant, the room must be dust-free. If there are heavy items in the room, cover them with old sheets or blankets, as the sanding will result in a dispersion of dust. Any furniture items that can be removed from the room should be moved prior to the team’s arrival, which will save the flooring team some time.
• The Very Last Thing to Do – If you are having the room renovated, then refinishing the floor should be the last job to tackle. If you take a look at some of the engineered timber flooring Melbourne homes have, you will see how varied the finishing options are. With some staining and sealing, you can prolong the life of your timber floor. The only job you could leave until last is the final coat of paint on the skirting boards, which should be done after the floor is dry.
• Adequate Ventilation – When the sanding begins, there should be adequate ventilation to allow the air to circulate, and once the sanding has been completed, coatings cannot be applied until all of the dust has been removed from the air.
• Talk to the Flooring Company – Prior to their arrival, you should ask the flooring specialist the list of things that needs to be done. With a lot of the preparation carried out by you, the team can get to work almost immediately. The workers will need a power source for their sanding machinery, plus adequate lighting that will enable the team to see what they are doing, and with a fully equipped mobile unit, the flooring company have everything they need to create a stunning finish on your timber flooring.
• Using the Floor After the Project is Completed – This is something to discuss with the flooring company, but generally speaking, the floor should not be walked on for at least 24 hours. You should wait for a further 72 hours before moving any furniture back into the room, as this gives the final coating time to really harden.

It is possible to have the floor stained to a different shade, which is something to discuss with the contractor, and they would have colour charts to help you make your decision regarding finish. If you are looking to have a timber floor installed, you should consider engineered timber flooring, which offers all the benefits of solid timber flooring but at a reduced price.

A timber floor is certainly not the cheapest form of flooring, yet once professionally installed, it will last for many years. With a sanding and recoating every 4 or 5 years, your flooring will always look like it has just been installed.