# Who here has refinished hardwood floors? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [March 24, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118 "2010-03-24T08:10:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TurboTSi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TurboTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTSi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/1 "2010-03-24T08:10:16Z")
My dopey tenant left his wet shoes on the hardwoods so they are a little beat up. Looks like it needs a little sanding, without a machine, and then re stained and polyurethane. Anyone done this before that could give a few tips? ---
**Author:** ![93dx\_hatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90ced4/32.png) [@93dx\_hatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/93dx_hatch)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/2 "2010-03-24T08:39:23Z")
are the floors bare? no stain/urethane on them? You def want to strip the old stuff off using a power sander belt then follow with an orbital. ---
**Author:** ![deebo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/deebo/32/5218_2.png) [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/3 "2010-03-24T08:41:28Z")
it’s probably never going to blend in. Where did it happen? in front of the main door or something? Why not rip up the wood in a small area and do tile so it’s like an entrance thing or whatever, and then it wont happen again ---
**Author:** ![TurboTSi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TurboTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTSi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/4 "2010-03-24T09:03:40Z")
They are stained and probably have a small coat of poly on them from when the house was built in the 40’s. If I don’t have to strip it down to bare wood, that would be optimal, so staining over the old stain is okay with me. I know it might make it darker but that is all right. ---------- Post added at 11:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:44 AM ---------- > [@deebo](#): > > it’s probably never going to blend in. Where did it happen? in front of the main door or something? Why not rip up the wood in a small area and do tile so it’s like an entrance thing or whatever, and then it wont happen again I’ts pretty close to the front door but it tracks inside the livingroom so I couldn’t do tile. ---------- Post added at 12:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 AM ---------- Here are some pictures… [![http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/talon109/DSC_0271.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/0/a/0a46dab9b70a3058d7385d99f7447114405dfb53.jpeg)](http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/talon109/?action=view¤t=DSC_0271.jpg) [![http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/talon109/DSC_0270.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/4/3/43c714d8b5dee71f7c33b1df58faae6505d493bc.jpeg)](http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/talon109/?action=view¤t=DSC_0270.jpg) [![http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/talon109/DSC_0269.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/d/e/dea275430d4b8189c62ed157ba554978a72eace7.jpeg)](http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/talon109/?action=view¤t=DSC_0269.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TurboTSi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TurboTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTSi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/5 "2010-03-24T12:37:15Z")
bump for pictures… ---
**Author:** ![ProgRocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/progrocker/32/5434_2.png) [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/6 "2010-03-24T12:41:52Z")
Looks like the entire floor is kinda rough…maybe rent a sander and do the whole thing. that way you got a nice even finish throughout ---
**Author:** ![BadnewsMike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/badnewsmike/32/7419_2.png) [@BadnewsMike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BadnewsMike)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/7 "2010-03-24T12:45:53Z")
i had some one do mine… came out awesome and he was relatively cheap. if you want his info pm me. ---
**Author:** ![TurboTSi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TurboTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTSi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/8 "2010-03-24T20:20:40Z")
> [@ProgRocker](#): > > Looks like the entire floor is kinda rough…maybe rent a sander and do the whole thing. that way you got a nice even finish throughout The floor was in great shape when he moved in ☹ That might be the way to go, I just remember someone posting up a hardwood floor they refinished that came out great, and from what I remember he didn’t use a sander. Wish I could find the post. ---
**Author:** ![deebo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/deebo/32/5218_2.png) [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/9 "2010-03-24T21:20:28Z")
fry did it but he used a sander ---
**Author:** ![BadnewsMike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/badnewsmike/32/7419_2.png) [@BadnewsMike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BadnewsMike)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/10 "2010-03-25T05:13:53Z")
i got a few PM’s so here are a few pic’s i snapped with my Iphone when he was working (sorry about the lack of quility on the pics) My whole house when we bought it was covered in Brown Shag and it was gross, my wife and i spent 1 night with the rug in the house. He also did some patch work, as youll see i knocked out a wal land he filled in the floor where the wall was. [![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone032.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone032.jpg)](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/?action=view¤t=iphone032.jpg) [![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone031.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone031.jpg)](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/?action=view¤t=iphone031.jpg) [![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone036.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone036.jpg)](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/?action=view¤t=iphone036.jpg) [![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone037.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone037.jpg)](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/?action=view¤t=iphone037.jpg) When i get a chance ill snap some of what it looks like now… its night and day. (a REALLY nasty bad spot its all gone now. 🙂 ) [![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone035.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/iphone035.jpg)](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v467/badnewsmini/House/?action=view¤t=iphone035.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ProgRocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/progrocker/32/5434_2.png) [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/11 "2010-03-25T05:19:35Z")
how much is it approx for a floor? ---
**Author:** ![jt76](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jt76/32/5100_2.png) [@jt76](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jt76)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/12 "2010-03-25T05:35:11Z")
I thought i was going to be reading about belt buckle break dancing marks… ---
**Author:** ![SilverGT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SilverGT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SilverGT)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/13 "2010-03-25T06:19:47Z")
if you do plan to do it yourself, open all the windows and have fans in the window when you put down the polyurethene…that shit will make you go crazy lol from water septing into the wood it caused the wood to buckle so u will have to sand it down to level it out. water on hardwood floor = distruction I had someone refinished the beat up hardwood floor. they add alot of character to the house. from what i remember it cost me $2.00 sqft. family discount of course. it probably run you about $3-5 square feet. if im not mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![TurboTSi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TurboTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTSi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/14 "2010-03-25T08:46:02Z")
I found the thread I was referring to… [http://www.nyspeed.com/showthread.php?60741-Some-home-improvements&highlight=refinish](http://www.nyspeed.com/showthread.php?60741-Some-home-improvements&highlight=refinish) turbociv did it without a machine in one of his rooms, so hopefully he chimes in or answers my pm. ---
**Author:** ![TurboTSi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@TurboTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTSi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/15 "2010-03-25T08:46:17Z")
double post ---
**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:** [March 25, 2010, 8:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/16 "2010-03-25T08:54:36Z")
Its a pretty simple process, sanding wood then refinishing. Your going to have to do the whole floor if you want it to match up. Throw a couple rugs in the entranceway and call it a day unless you want to tackle a big project. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2010, 9:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/17 "2010-03-25T09:16:28Z")
> [@TurboTSi](#): > > I found the thread I was referring to… [http://www.nyspeed.com/showthread.php?60741-Some-home-improvements&highlight=refinish](http://www.nyspeed.com/showthread.php?60741-Some-home-improvements&highlight=refinish) > > turbociv did it without a machine in one of his rooms, so hopefully he chimes in or answers my pm. That thread says he replaced one floor with that fake pergo stuff and sanded and refinished the other floor. I didn’t see anything about a machine, but I sure wouldn’t want to sand a floor by hand. It would take a month if the old finish is worth a damn. If the water staining is bad just suck it up and sand it. You can rent a machine for as little as $100. I may actually redo the one I refinished a couple of years ago. I didn’t putty the gaps between the planks so only the top got sealed. A glass of water spilled and got left there. Water soaked in through the cracks and swelled the planks. FML. This time I’m going to do it properly filling in all of the gaps, then put on like 233524387 coats of urethane. Anybody know if there are floor sanders that have a flat surface and where to rent one? I used a big drum sander the first time and once it’s all nice and shiny with the sun coming in in the morning I see nothing but ripples. Fawk. ---
**Author:** ![BadnewsMike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/badnewsmike/32/7419_2.png) [@BadnewsMike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BadnewsMike)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 9:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/18 "2010-03-25T09:29:41Z")
the one used on my floor had 4 pads (like 4 orbital sanders) left no ripples like my parents (my mom used a drum sander) I think you can rent one from home depot. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2010, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/19 "2010-03-25T09:33:22Z")
Yeah HD shows a drum and an orbital on their website. It says the drum is good for taking it down to nothing, but the orbital is good for finishing after the drum or a buff and refinish type job. Since I’ve got to level out warped boards I’ll probably use them both. If I could get away with just the orbital I’d do that. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118/20 "2010-03-25T09:56:15Z")
fry, how long did it take you to do, and how massive of a mess was it? [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/who-here-has-refinished-hardwood-floors/152118.md?page=2)