Beautiful, well-maintained hardwood floors can increase the value of your home. If you've recently discovered hardwood floor underneath your carpet, or it's time to bring back the luster and shine of your floors, this page will walk you through how to refinish a hardwood floor step-by-step.

You can save yourself a lot of money by refinishing hardwood floors yourself. It's a fairly easy and inexpensive do-it-yourself project that requires a little elbow grease and about three days total drying time. You can get everything you need to refinish your floors at your local hardware store, and many even have rental deals on high-powered sanders that will help you get the job done even faster.

• Before you get started, you will want to prepare the room you are planning to refinish.

1. Remove all furniture from the room.
2. Sweep away all dust and debris so you can start with a clean surface.
3. Make sure you remove any left over carpet tacks or nails, as they may damage the floor and/or the sander.

• Many home improvement centers offer rental sanders that you can use to sand your hardwood floors quickly and easily. You may also use a hand sander, but this will take much longer.

1. Open windows so you have plenty of ventilation.
2. Start sanding with 20-grit sandpaper.
3. Sand along the grain of the wood.
4. Evenly sand the entire surface of the floor.
5. Use a hand sander to sand corners and hard to reach spots.
6. Repeat the process with 60-grit sandpaper.
7. Repeat with 80-grit sandpaper
8. Tighten the grain by buffing with 120-grit sandpaper.
9. Clean up dust with a broom or vacuum.
10. If you mop the floor, use mineral spirits, not water, as water will damage the raw wood.

• Once you've finished the sanding process, it's time to start staining. Make sure you have enough ventilation, as stains and polyurethane are toxic when continuously breathed in a closed area.

1. Choose your stain.
2. Stain with a partner, one staining as the other wipes away excess.
3. Allow stain to dry overnight.

• After your stain has had time to dry, you will want to seal the floor.

1. Use a natural brush.
2. Start in the corners and work your way out.
3. Smooth out brush marks with lamb wool or a foam applicator.
4. Allow sealant to dry for 12-24 hours.
5. You may need to buff the floor if the wood raises.
6. Apply a second coat of sealant.

• You may apply anywhere from three to four coats of sealant.

• Refinishing your floor can alter the entire feeling of a room. Though it can take a few days to complete the overall process, doing it yourself is fairly simple and inexpensive. Start the process by sanding the entire floor with 20-grit sandpaper, repeating with 60-grit and then 80-grit sandpaper. You can tighten the grain by buffing the floor with 120-grit sandpaper. After clean-up, apply stain to your floor and allow it to dry overnight. When the stain is dry, begin the sealing process by using a natural brush. Smooth out brush marks with a lamb wool or foam applicator. You may wish to apply up to four coats of sealant. When you're finished, buff for a beautiful shine.

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• Introduction
• Step 1: Prepping the Floor
• Step 2: Sanding
• Step 3: Staining
• Step 4: Sealing
• Conclusion