# Have you ever refinished hardwood floors? DYI? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [January 27, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967 "2009-01-27T05:51:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Locutus](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/locutus/32/7574_2.png) [@Locutus](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Locutus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/1 "2009-01-27T05:51:59Z")
I’m looking for some tips… please share. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/2 "2009-01-27T06:13:39Z")
Rent a decent sander and set aside a whole day. I used a floor sander, but it was a drum style so only a rounded surface ever comes in contact with the floor, and now when the sun hits it just right you can see a ton of very light “ripples.” Get something that has a flat sanding surface. Get more sandpaper than you think you’ll need, and you might have just enough. I used an all-in-one stain/polyurethane and it came out pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Spam16v](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spam16v/32/5287_2.png) [@Spam16v](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Spam16v)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/3 "2009-01-27T06:20:22Z")
doing it this spring… carpet in the living room over hardwood, along with the two bedrooms… should be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Xander](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xander/32/7597_2.png) [@Xander](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Xander)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/4 "2009-01-27T06:25:19Z")
I know Halas did his living room, and he said it’s worth it to have them done by someone. X… ---
**Author:** ![turbociv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@turbociv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbociv)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/5 "2009-01-27T06:27:32Z")
save yourself the time and just scuff it up and clean in real good. use minwax 2in1 stain/polyurithane. results come out great and it will only take you a few hours of your life. Not to mention this stuff is extremely rugged. My dogg runs across it without leaving a mark. this is what my floor looks like after 2coats and steel wool sanding between coats. still looks this way to date. ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/turbociv/1228071042a.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/turbociv/1228071042a.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Quattro\_Krant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ac91a4/32.png) [@Quattro\_Krant](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Quattro_Krant)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/6 "2009-01-27T06:44:33Z")
I did a bedroom at my parent house with the drum style sander and it came out awesome. The floor was the narrow style wood, about an inch wide. The sander took the floors down to bare wood INSTANTLY, so keep that in mind. Yeah, it made alot of dust, even doing this in summer with all the windows upstairs open, it was still a good idea to wear a mask. It really isn’t rocket science, if I can do it and have it look good, anyone can. ---
**Author:** ![POOPRA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/poopra/32/7188_2.png) [@POOPRA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/POOPRA)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/7 "2009-01-27T06:48:15Z")
I just used poly right over the sanded wood, no stain. I would strongly sugguest doing it in the summer months, poly has strong fumes. You definitely need to be able to open some windows and get the fumes out. ---
**Author:** ![turbociv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@turbociv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbociv)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/8 "2009-01-27T06:50:01Z")
meh, i did mine in the winter and the fumes werent that bad. But i also wasnt living there yet either so maybe thats why i didnt mind so much.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Viper966](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/viper966/32/7268_2.png) [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/9 "2009-01-27T06:55:12Z")
most places dont charge too much to come and sand the floors… its usually only ~ 40% more then renting the machine yourself ---
**Author:** ![POOPRA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/poopra/32/7188_2.png) [@POOPRA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/POOPRA)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/10 "2009-01-27T06:59:14Z")
I have glued on carpet in my lower over hardwood, I wonder what they would charge to sand that down. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/11 "2009-01-27T07:22:43Z")
> [@Viper966](#): > > most places dont charge too much to come and sand the floors… > > its usually only ~ 40% more then renting the machine yourself I spent about $100 total on equipment rental and materials. ---
**Author:** ![Viper966](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/viper966/32/7268_2.png) [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/12 "2009-01-27T07:27:30Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > I spent about $100 total on equipment rental and materials. One of my friends had his kitchen sanded down, it was ~ 10x15 and they only charged him a little over 200 bux to just come and sand it… ---
**Author:** ![TORQDSS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/torqdss/32/5125_2.png) [@TORQDSS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TORQDSS)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/13 "2009-01-27T07:32:12Z")
my advice is that it sucks and you should have someone do it for you. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/14 "2009-01-27T07:39:54Z")
my dad is an extremely handy DIYer. Built many houses as well as some extreme renovations at our house in LI. Hardwood floors are one of the things he pays someone else to do. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/15 "2009-01-27T07:43:13Z")
> [@Viper966](#): > > One of my friends had his kitchen sanded down, it was ~ 10x15 and they only charged him a little over 200 bux to just come and sand it… Now you tell me. :banghead: That would have been money well spent. Another tip: Don’t forget to fine sand between coats of urethane. That’s how you get that nice glassy finish. ---
**Author:** ![Locutus](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/locutus/32/7574_2.png) [@Locutus](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Locutus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/16 "2009-01-27T07:54:20Z")
Nobody is in the house for at least 2 weeks. I plan on tackling this project this weekend. Prob going to go with 3 coats of poly because the dog loves to run around. I’ve been given quotes of 4 dolla per/sq foot so im DIY ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/17 "2009-01-27T07:56:03Z")
> [@Xander](#): > > I know Halas did his living room, and he said it’s worth it to have them done by someone. > > X… multiple people i know have said the same thing… also if you do do it yourself go light with the stain and clear… it goes a long way and if you overdo it it will NEVER dry. i thought about doing my own, for some reason they refinished every room in my house except for two bedrooms. in the end i will probably pay to have them done. ---
**Author:** ![oneslowdsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8491ac/32.png) [@oneslowdsm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/oneslowdsm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/18 "2009-01-27T07:57:00Z")
i used to install hardwood and have sanded a few. It really is pretty simple to do on your own, but sometimes it can get costly (sheets of sand paper are $8 a sheet now i think)A buff and coat like turbociv mentioned might be your best bet, or you can call around, I used to work at M P Caroll on genessee and he charges around $3.50 a sqft but there is a place in the falls that does great work cheap too, just can’t think of the name right now i know it starts with an F lol. ---
**Author:** ![Quattro\_Krant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ac91a4/32.png) [@Quattro\_Krant](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Quattro_Krant)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/19 "2009-01-27T10:10:45Z")
> [@POOPRA](#): > > I have glued on carpet in my lower over hardwood, I wonder what they would charge to sand that down. It really doesn’t matter if you have glue or not, once that sander hits the old hard glue it will come off like nothing. They will charge more if you have them remove the carpeting then sand as opposed to you removing the carpet then calling them. maybe I should start a floor re-finishing business as I will have about 40 hours a week open in my schedule from now on:roflpicard::roflpicard::roflpicard::roflpicard: ---
**Author:** ![oneslowdsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8491ac/32.png) [@oneslowdsm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/oneslowdsm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967/20 "2009-01-27T10:26:17Z")
> [@Quattro Krant](#): > > It really doesn’t matter if you have glue or not, once that sander hits the old hard glue it will come off like nothing. They will charge more if you have them remove the carpeting then sand as opposed to you removing the carpet then calling them. maybe I should start a floor re-finishing business as I will have about 40 hours a week open in my schedule from now on:roflpicard::roflpicard::roflpicard::roflpicard: i have pulled up a lot of commercial rugs that have been glued down and most of the time the glue is still not fully cured and it really sucks to sand it off, all it does is gum up the paper. One prime example is CTG on Delaware, we tore out a shit ton of carpet and refinished the floors. Between all the boxes of paper we went through we also had to use an industrial strength adhesive remover to remove a lot of the glue. It was probably one of the worst jobs ever [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/have-you-ever-refinished-hardwood-floors-dyi/61967.md?page=2)