Taking old carpet up often reveals a pine flooring underneath. Because of the work involved in refinishing wood floors, people frequently decide to install carpet instead. However, following a few simple steps will yield worthwhile results and give you a floor with lasting beauty. An electric floor sander will make this task easier, although you can sand by hand or with a small electric sander (which will be needed for edges and corners). You will need several different grids of sandpaper, from course to fine. You will need a good wood sealer, wood stain, a paintbrush, and a semi-gloss clear coat of paint, and a floor applicator to apply it with. You will also need a can of paint thinner and a can of mineral spirits. Wood putty that can be stained and is the color of your flooring will be required if you have large cracks between the boards. You will need a hand trowel to fill in cracks. A vacuum cleaner is also helpful. Read on to learn how to refinish pine floors.

1. An investment in a very good paintbrush is essential for this task. Good paintbrushes leave fewer brush marks and don’t lose their bristles in the stain.

2. This task goes quicker with more than one person working on it. If the size of the room allows it, getting someone to help you will make the job go easier, as well as faster.

Before getting started with this project, you should set aside about two days to complete it. This timeframe depends on the size of the room, whether furniture that may be in the room can be moved, and the weather. In more humid climates, it will take longer for the stain to dry. The first day will be spent in preparing the floor, sanding and cleaning. The second day will be spent staining and putting on the final coat.

This project is easier with all the furniture out of the room. If possible, start with an empty room, otherwise; you will have to finish the floor in sections and move the furniture as the floor dries. If the floor has carpet installed, you will need to rip all the carpet up and make sure all the carpet tacks are pulled up. In the case where there has been tile on the floor, you need to make sure all the glue is off. Sanding will eliminate the need for scraping off the glue. Sanding is also good for removing old finishes. If the floor has small cracks between the boards, you can mix the dust from sanding with the wood sealer and fill in the cracks, using a hand trowel. Larger cracks will have to be filled in with wood putty. After the sealer or the putty is dry, you will need to sand the floor again to smooth everything out.

Vacuum up as much of the dust as you can before staining. You may need to use some mineral spirits and a soft cloth to wipe up access dust. Be sure the floor is dry before staining. Apply wood stain with the paintbrush. For a darker floor, apply two coats of stain. Be sure to let the first coat dry before applying the second. For added smoothness in the floor, use the floor sander to lightly sand before applying the second coat. Also, make sure to rid the floor of dust before applying the second coat. Let the floor dry thoroughly before the next step. Clean the brush in paint thinner immediately so that the stain won’t dry in the paintbrush.

Apply a clear coat, such as polyurethane to the floor with a floor applicator (looks similar to a padded mop) that has lambskin or other soft material. Be sure to get into corners with the applicator and cover all areas. You may have to apply some of the clear coat with a soft cloth in places where it is difficult to reach with the applicator. The clear coat will protect the finish and bring out the natural grains in the wood. Allow to dry thoroughly before walking on your new floor.