Hello Jacksonville! This is Paulo from Master Pro Floor. Today, I’ll be giving you a quick overview of our floor finishing process.
The wood floor sanding and finishing process we perform follows a series of detailed steps to ensure the floor gets the best possible finish, whether it’s in a natural color or with stain application.
1. Preparing the Space
The first step is the removal of the shoe molding around the floor, which is the trim near the base of the wall. This allows us to sand properly up to the edges. With the space ready, we start the sanding process.
2. Sanding Stages
We use three types of sandpaper, starting with a rough one and gradually switching to finer ones to smooth the surface.
- 36-Grit Sandpaper: This is the initial sanding paper, used to remove the top layer of the floor, including any old varnish, stain, or major imperfections. If the floor is wavy or uneven, the 36-grit also helps level those areas. For this stage, we use two machines:
- The Big Machine (or “Hammer”), a large machine used to sand the central areas of the floor.
- The edge, a smaller sander used to reach corners and edges where the larger machine can’t go.
- 80-Grit Sandpaper: After the initial sanding with the 36-grit, we use the 80-grit to smooth out any lines left by the rough sandpaper. This process is repeated with both the Big Machine and the Hedja, ensuring the surface is level and smoother.
- 220-Grit Sandpaper: The next step involves the use of 220-grit sandpaper, a fine grit used to give the final finish to the wood. At this point, we use the buffer, a machine that performs circular motions to smooth the floor completely. For corners and smaller areas, we use a small circular sander.
3. Cleaning
After all the sanding is done, we carefully clean the floor using a vacuum, removing all the dust from the sanding. This step is essential to ensure that the floor is completely clean and ready for the finishing process.
4. Finishing Application
Now we move on to the floor finishing phase, which varies depending on whether the client wants the floor to have its natural wood color or if they want a stain (paint) applied.
a) Natural Floor
If the client opts to leave the floor in its natural wood color, the next step, after vacuuming, is the application of a layer of sealer. The sealer serves to seal the pores of the wood and prepare it for the varnish application. The process goes as follows:
- We apply one layer of sealer and wait 1 to 2 hours for it to dry completely.
- After the sealer dries, we apply the second layer of varnish. The varnish adds shine and protects the wood.
- Between the coats of varnish, we again use 220-grit sandpaper with the buffer to smooth the floor and remove any imperfections that might have appeared. We vacuum again before applying the third and final coat of varnish.
b) Stained Floor
If the client chooses to apply a stain to change the color of the wood, the process will differ slightly depending on the chosen color:
- Light Colors (e.g., Golden Oak): If the chosen stain is a light color, such as Golden Oak, after vacuuming, we directly apply the stain to the sanded floor. The stain will penetrate the wood and give it the desired color. After the stain dries, the process continues as follows:
- Application of the sealer to seal the stained wood.
- Application of two layers of varnish, with sanding between coats using 220-grit paper, just like the natural finish process.
- Dark Colors (e.g., Dark Walnut or True Black): If the stain color is dark, such as Dark Walnut or True Black, the process will have an additional step. After vacuuming, we apply alcohol to the floor using a spray. The alcohol helps open the wood’s pores, allowing the dark stain to penetrate better for a more even and deeper color. The process continues as follows:
- After applying the alcohol, we apply the stain.
- We wait 40 minutes to 1 hour for the stain to dry completely.
- After that, we apply the sealer.
- Finally, we apply two layers of varnish, sanding between the layers.
5. Finalization
After the varnish is applied, we allow enough drying time to ensure the floor is fully cured and ready for use. We reinstall the shoe molding to complete the process.
