THE DO IT YOURSELF FLOOR SANDING GUIDE

National Oak Flooring Manufactures Association

CAUTION

CHECK FUSE SUPPLY AS MACHINE MAY OVERLOAD CIRCUIT
REMOVE FURNITURE, RUGS, DRAPES, CURTAINS, PICTURES, AND ANY OTHER REMOVABLE ITEMS
COMPLETE WALL COVERING AND PAINTING PROJECTS PRIOR TO REFINISHING FLOORS
PROVIDE ADEQUATE VENTILATION DURING SANDING AND REFINISHING AND WEAR DUST MASK
NEVER STOP THE SANDER WITH THE DRUM IN CONTACT WITH THE FLOOR

REMOVE QUARTER ROUND MOLDING OR BASEBOARD. USE A SMALL WOODEN WEDGE BETWEEN THE WALLBOARD AND THE PRY BAR TO PREVENT DAMAGING THE WALLBOARD
COUNTER-SINK ALL PROTRUDING NAIL HEADS WITH NAIL SET
VACUUM OR SWEEP THE FLOOR

1. NEW FLOORS ( RECENTLY INSTALLED OR SLIGHTLY WORN )

FIRST SANDING: MEDIUM ABRASIVE 36 GRIT
PLACE SANDER ALONG WALL IN THE DIRECTION OF THE GRAIN, WITH APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF THE LENGTH OF THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF YOU. START THE MACHINE AND EASE THE DRUM TO THE FLOOR, WALK SLOWLY FORWARD AT AN EVEN PACE. AS YOU NEAR THE WALL GRADUALLY RAISE THE DRUM OFF THE FLOOR.
START PULLING THE MACHINE BACKWARDS AS YOU EASE THE DRUM TO THE FLOOR COVER THE SAME PATH PREVIOUSLY SANDED, RAISING THE DRUM UPON COMPLETION OF THIS PASS.
THE NEXT CUT SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN THE SAME FASHION, MOVING THE MACHINE APPROXIMATELY FOUR INCHES TO THE UN SANDED FLOOR AREA EACH TIME.
UPON COMPLETING THE TWO THIRDS PORTION OF THE ROOM, TURN THE MACHINE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND SAND THE REMAINING THIRD IN THE SAME MANNER, ALLOW A TWO OR THREE FOOT OVERLAP OF THE FIRST CUTS,
AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS OPERATION, USE THE DISK EDGER TO SAND NEAR WALLS AND IN AREAS WHERE THE DRUM SANDER WONT REACH,
MOVE THE DISK EDGER IN A BRISK LEFT TO RIGHT , SEMI CIRCULAR MOTION.
USE SAME GRIT ABRASIVE AS USED ON DRUM SANDER

SECOND SANDING ( FINE ABRASIVE 80 GRIT )

UPON COMPLETING BOTH DRUM AND EDGER OPERATIONS WITH MEDIUM ABRASIVE, REPEAT THE SAME PROCEDURE WITH FINE ABRASIVE.

2. OLD FLOORS ( GENEROUS AMOUNT OF PAINT OR OLD FINISH TO BE REMOVED, AND /OR UNEVEN FLOOR CONTOURS TO BE CORRECTED )

FIRST SANDING: COARSE ABRASIVE 20 GRIT
PLACE THE SANDER IN POSITION SO THAT THE FIRST CUT IS MADE DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE FLOOR SURFACE , START IN A CORNER, WITH THE MACHINE RUNNING EASE THE DRUM TO THE FLOOR, WALK SLOWLY FORWARD AT AN EVEN PACE. AS YOU NEAR THE WALL GRADUALLY RAISE THE DRUM OFF THE FLOOR.
START PULLING THE MACHINE BACKWARDS AS YOU EASE THE DRUM TO THE FLOOR COVER THE SAME PATH PREVIOUSLY SANDED, RAISING THE DRUM UPON COMPLETION OF THIS PASS.
THE NEXT CUT SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN THE SAME FASHION, MOVING THE MACHINE APPROXIMATELY FOUR INCHES TO THE UN SANDED FLOOR AREA EACH TIME.
UPON COMPLETING THE TWO THIRDS PORTION OF THE ROOM, TURN THE MACHINE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND SAND THE REMAINING THIRD IN THE SAME MANNER, ALLOW A TWO OR THREE FOOT OVERLAP OF THE FIRST CUTS,
AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS OPERATION, USE THE DISK EDGER TO SAND NEAR WALLS AND IN AREAS WHERE THE DRUM SANDER WONT REACH,
MOVE THE DISK EDGER IN A BRISK LEFT TO RIGHT , SEMI CIRCULAR MOTION.
USE SAME GRIT ABRASIVE AS USED ON DRUM SANDER
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE 100% OF OLD FINISH OR UNEVEN CONTOURS DURING THIS OPERATION . REMAINING FINISH OR CONTOUR IMPERFECTIONS ARE REMOVED DURING SUBSEQUENT SANDING OPERATIONS