Can I Use a Random Orbital Sander to Refinish Hardwood Floors?

Can I Use a Random Orbital Sander to Refinish Hardwood Floors?

Hardwood floors provide a beautiful addition to your home. They give an inviting and warm feeling that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. But after some time, the luster in your hardwood floor can get lost. Neglected hardwood floors not only lose value, but they’re also not alluring to the eyes. If you’re considering refinishing your wood flooring, a random orbital sander is the most ideal to use.

Using Random Orbit Sander

A random orbit sander operates by simultaneously spinning and moving the sanding disk in an ellipse. The random action of sanding stops swirl marks, and the grain direction is also not an issue during sanding.

Random sanders come in sizes of 5 or 6 inches that pertain to the used sanding disk size. For DIYers, five-inch sanders are commonly the most utilized as they provide much maneuverability. Unlike the orbital finish sander that has square pads, random orbit sander has circular pads. A hand palm controls the sanders, and a light touch is all that you need to operate the sander.

Random orbit sanders incorporate a vacuum system that becomes active whenever you turn the sander on. When you’re using the equipment, fine wood particles get sucked via through holes in the sander’s surface and put into a detachable canister. Even when using a vacuum system, you’re supposed to wear a respirator mask and safety goggles.

Refinishing the floor

For a successful refinishing, you need to identify the suitable floors to carry out the task and which require more extensive assistance. You ought to initially access the floor attentively for damage.

For a wood that’s warped, stained, cupped, or that squeaks when you apply force on it, refinishing alone isn’t sufficient. You should first replace or repair the damaged wood before doing refinishing on the wood surface. In such circumstances, consider visiting a professional to offer more advice on the wood to save, and the one to replace or rework upon.

After confirming the floor is an inappropriate structural state, check whether the floor is ready for a refinish. You can check it by dropping some little water on the wood.

Choosing a Sander

When you have prepared your room, you may sand the wood to a smooth and even surface making ready to use a sealer. What is your ideal decision for a sander? Some home improvement masters propose the use of the random orbital sander if you’re occasionally resurfacing your wood flooring.

But if you’re new to using the tool, you shouldn’t confuse an orbital sander with a random orbital sander. The major difference is that in an orbital sander, the sanding paper moves in a circular motion. In contrast, the paper in a random orbital sander moves in an elliptical pattern while additionally moving side to side.

Floor Sanding

Before commencing with a machine sander, you may need to hand sand between boards to prepare for machine sanding. This is an additional step that professionals usually take. It aids in getting the grooves between the boards and matching the board’s color once the task is finished.

While you begin machine sanding, you should select the sandpaper coarseness that you’re using. As you proceed, you then change to a finer grain.

You should commence with a sufficient grain to remove wood surface scratches and the old finish. While you want to remove the old cover, you don’t want to sand away the unnecessary wood.

Hardwood Floor Staining

The wood stain provides the floor with its attribute color. Staining might need different coats and is used as a blend of stain and sealer. It’s often one part stain and nine parts sealer. After applying the stain, allow it to dry and lightly sand it. Vacuum it again before you apply the finish. You again apply that in multiple coats.

You also don’t want the stain to become too thick or too thin. It must consistently cover the floor and not pool or lump up in other parts. Decide on where you like to begin and where to finish. Ensure you work towards an exit to avoid you traversing the stain once you’re done.

Hardwood Floor Finishing

After staining, you will need a urethane finish applied to your floor. First, apply a 200+-grit (fine-grain) buffer on the floor. Again, this goes smoothly, but you must make sure you control the buffer fully. Some buffers need the addition of arm strength for effective control.

Before you apply the finish, you must vacuum the whole floor. Your goal is to have no hairs and zero dust in ensuring that nothing gets into the finish.

Applying urethane is done in a way that resembles the stain. If you utilize an oil-based urethane, your flooring becomes yellow with time. Water-based urethane cover is more costly.

Hardwood Floor Maintenance

Avoid using soapy or vinegar cleaners on wood floors since they get dull after some time. You must also keep away from steam cleaners since they use a lot of water. When this is combined with the steam heat, the wood tends to warp.

Make your best to moderate the humidity of the room. Low or high humidity might damage the wood.

Reasons for Choosing Random Orbital Sander

One of the biggest merits of using a random sander is that it leaves no sanding patterns or lines behind. Due to its due motion, you never apply it in the same area twice. You also don’t worry about the wood grain direction when working on the wood.

Most of the random sanders have different speed settings. That means the tool can merely do anything. However, due to their shape, they don’t work well in corners or along edges like the orbital sander can do.

The equipment is the best choice when you want to remove a lot of materials. If you’re working on a big piece of furniture or floor, the sander may work on various layers. It’s simultaneously also a good pick when finishing work since it leaves a smooth surface.

Pros:

• It doesn’t leave sanding marks behind;
• You don’t worry about the wood grain direction;
• Most comes with different speeds;
• Can remove huge bits of substances

Cons:

• Don’t easily work along edges and can’t get into corners;
• There’s need for special sandpaper due to round sanding disc

What kind of sander do I need for hardwood floors?

There are various types of sanders that you may apply on hardwood floors. The following are the five types that you can use.

1. Heavy Duty Sanders

You can also apply drum sanders. The heavy-duty sanders are applied where there’re roughest jobs. They can tackle any kind of floor. And since it can strip huge parts of the floor during the process, you thus need to take care.

2. Smoothing Sanders

These are vibrating sanders that smoothen your wood after you have applied earlier equipment, such as a drum sander. Generally, vibrating sanders are easier to manage and lighter as compared to the drum sander.

3. Edge Sanders

Edge sanders are used to work on the wood edges. They can reach out to those areas where other sanders cannot reach. Edge sanders are generally smaller as compared to drum sanders since they’re handheld.

4. Belt Sanders

Belt sanders are electric, and they have got a rotating brush that’s abrasive. These kinds of sanders ideally operate on round surfaces, and they can sand, level, or trim all sorts of areas.

5. Sander Vacuum

While sander machines might create some mess, most of them come with bags to hold dust. A sander vacuum can help in buffing up your floor after sanding it. It likewise gets rid of the entire dust that’s behind.

Can I use an orbital sander on polyurethane?

It’s possible to use an orbital sander on polyurethane. With poly, you have to sand between coats unless there’s a particular “no sand” time window that’s indicated by the producer. However, random orbital sanders are much aggressive. For varnish, utilize 320 with brushed on and by hand, apply 400 grit on wiped.

However, polyurethane doesn’t need more intense sanding between layers. It only needs some little roughing between subsequent layers. You can utilize a handheld orbital, but sanding between poly coats is not stripping off the old floor. It’s scuffing of the previous coat as you prepare to fix the next one.

A pole sander would perhaps be a probably an easier step, such as the type for drywall seams. Apply a fine grit paper to run it above the entire floor. You don’t require a lot of pressure. On pole sander, consider utilizing steel wool and clean thoroughly before applying the next coat to get a mirror finish.

Bottom Line

If your hardwood floors are looking tired, you don’t have to replace them since you can sand the floor. For an immensely satisfying work, you need the right preparation. You also need the right equipment, and for this case, a random orbit sander is recommended. The apparatus comes with multiple benefits as compared to other types of sanders.