Best Way to Restore Hardwood Floors Without Sanding

Restoring old hardwood floors can be a lot of tough work. The sanding alone can be backbreaking because you have to make sure you go with the grain. If you, don’t you end up ruining your floor and costing yourself a lot of money.

To learn how to restore your hardwood floors and avoid the tough sanding portion of the job, just continue to read our article. It has that information for you. This task does take a lot of patience as wood floors are always finicky to work with. Make sure to take your time so you do not ruin your flooring.

The Best Methods to Use

There are several methods you can try. Some are better than others and get the job done without too much hassle. Here are those methods you can use:

1. Buffing and Recoating

There is some work to this option but in the end, you should be happy and satisfied with the results.

Step 1: Check Your Floor– If it has a wax finish then this method will not work for you. You need to have a floor that has a lacquer or oil finish to it.

Step 2: Remove All Items– This includes furniture, carpets, lamps, and so on. Then if you need to make repairs to the floor now is the time to do it.

Step 3: Clean the Room- Once you are done clearing the room and making repairs, you need to clean it. This is a good project to start early in the morning. Sweep or vacuum, then mop to make sure all dirt, etc., are removed

Step 4: Scuff the Surface- Take a buffing machine or you can do this by hand and scuff the surface of the floor. You are trying to remove imperfections, but you do not need to use a lot of pressure. A light touch will work

Step 5: Vacuum Once Again- This is to remove all the material you scuffed off the surface from the previous step. Do not sweep this time.

Step 6: Apply the Lacquer or Oil Finish- Make sure the finish on the floor is compatible with the finish you are about to apply. If not, you may have decolorization or delamination

Step 7: Let the Finish Dry- This could take up to 3 hours, sometimes longer depending on the brand you use.

Step 8: Apply the Second Coat and Let Dry– When the second coat is dry, you can put the room’s furnishings and other items back inside.

2. Chemical Etching Kit

The good news about this method is that you can skip the buffing stage that the previous method used. The bad news is if your floor is too badly damaged, you won’t be able to skip sanding.

Also, this method is not for those floors with a wax finish on them. To do this right, you will need to buy a refinishing kit, and this may be a bit costly so prepare yourself for sticker shock.

After you get your kit, gather all the supplies you will need, and the kit will tell you exactly which ones you will need to use. Once that is done, clean your floor. The key is to make the room dust free and if you do not want it to dry too quickly, close the blinds.

At this point, you are ready to apply the chemical etcher. Make sure to read all the instructions carefully and use the included abrasive pad. Follow the grain of the wood and when you are done, let the floor dry for 30 minutes.

After the floor has dried, you need to mix 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with 1 gallon of warm water. Then you need to mop the floor. The dishwashing liquid will neutralize the etcher as well as remove any excess residue.

Again, wait for the floor to dry and then smooth out any scratches by applying a stain using an artist’s brush. Once you are done, dry the areas you touched up with a hairdryer and seal them with the finish that was in the kit.

Next, and the final step, apply the finish to the rest of the floor using the applicator that came in the kit. Smooth out any bubbles and then let dry. Replace the furniture etc. the next day to make sure the floor dried correctly.

Some Final Words

These are the 2 best methods you can use to restore those hardwood floors in your home that need a little work. There are other methods, but they may not be as effective although they will be easier to do.

When floors are too damaged, you will not escape the sanding portion of restoring them.