How to Refinish Hardwood Floors

Refinishing hardwood floors is hard work and costly. Some people opt to hire a professional, but most of the equipment is available at your local hardware store and rental center and the steps are staightforward. Refinishing floors requires many steps.
The first step is to move your furniture to another room or outside. Then remove the existing floor. Remove anything that isn't nailed down and sweep the floor thoroughly. Remove any leftover carpet staples with diagonal pliers. Use a hammer and nailset to sink any exposed nails that may damage the abrasives or sanding machines. Leave the baseboards unless you plan to replace them. If so, use a shim behind the pry bar to avoid damaging the walls. Next, to avoid spreading dust, hang plastic covering over the doorways and place towels under the doors and over the vents. Lastly, walk the whole floor checking for squeaks, cracks, and any other repairs that should be done before sanding.
Next, you will need the necessary equipment to re...