A varnished wood floor is a wooden floor protected by a film-forming varnish. The wood is durably protected against scratches and other external wear caused by daily foot traffic in your living space. The varnish provides a very aesthetic finish to the flooring. Thanks to the action of the varnish, the floor becomes very easy to clean. When renovating a varnished floor, sanding the wood is an essential step. Anova Bois shares all the tips for properly sanding a varnished wood floor.
Why and When to Sand a Varnished Wood Floor?
Over time, daily wear causes the varnish applied on the floor to lose its shine. The varnish product also gradually loses its ability to protect against scratches and unsightly marks. Poor maintenance of a varnished floor accelerates the damage to your flooring. Using harsh and abrasive cleaning products, occasionally applying wax to improve the finish, or wet cleaning are bad practices for caring for varnished floors. They can cause irreversible stains or scratches on the floor’s finish.
A renovation of the wood floor protection then becomes necessary. Sanding the floor is mandatory before applying a new coat of varnish, lacquer, wax, or oil. This process smooths and levels the wood surface to restore its raw appearance. Sanding the varnished floor also removes residues from damaged varnish. The finish to be applied will then adhere effectively and durably to the wood surface. Fortunately, with a quality varnish, the interval between maintenance sanding is very long.
To find a great wood varnish for your floor at a good price, you can browse Anova Bois’s specialized catalog. All products are made in southern France and undergo rigorous quality testing. Odorless, non-yellowing, and non-toxic, these water-based varnishes respect your health and the environment.
The Necessary Equipment for Sanding a Varnished Wood Floor
For sanding your damaged varnished wood floor, you may need the following items:
- Floor sander,
- edger sander,
- sanding belt or abrasive paper (grits 40, 60, 80, 100, and/or 120),
- orbital sander,
- vacuum cleaner,
- scraper,
- mop.
You should wear gloves, a dust mask, and protective goggles before starting. You may also wear hearing protection if using a sanding machine. The floor sander allows you to quickly treat large surface areas of flooring, whether old or new. It works with an abrasive belt chosen according to the condition of the floor to be renovated.
The edger sander is an orbital sander that allows you to work along the edges of the room.
The orbital sander (triangular sander) facilitates fine sanding of the wood in corners, edges, and other areas inaccessible to traditional mechanical sanders.
How to Sand a Varnished Wood Floor?
Once you have the required equipment, here are the steps to follow for successful sanding of your damaged varnished wood floor. Carefully read the user manuals for each tool.
Preparing the Floor and the Room
All the floorboards must be in good condition. You should hammer down any nails protruding from the floor to protect the sander. Remove all furniture from the room. Close the doors and open the windows to optimize ventilation and dust extraction. Before starting the sanding of the varnished floor, dust the workspace thoroughly.
Use Proper Sanding Techniques
The grit of sandpaper determines its sanding ability. The higher the grit number, the finer and less aggressive the abrasive sheet is. For example, a 40-grit sandpaper is three times more abrasive than 120-grit paper. With the floor sander, edger, and orbital sander, you will use 40-grit abrasive for sanding very damaged varnished floors on the first pass. You’ll need 60- or 80-grit abrasive for working on slightly damaged surfaces.
For the second pass with your sanding machines, you can use fine-grit sandpaper (80 and 100, or even 120 depending on the case). If a further sanding pass is required, only use 120-grit sandpaper. Start sanding from the center of the floor and move toward the corners and edges of the room. Sand the floor strip by strip in straight lines, always following the direction of the wood grain.
Post-Sanding Cleaning of a Varnished Wood Floor
After each sanding pass, you should vacuum the floor. When sanding is complete, clean the floor with a mop or sponge slightly dampened with water. Using a scraper, remove any dirt trapped between the floorboards. A final cleaning with a shop vacuum ensures the surface is completely clean and ready for the application of the new finish.
You can apply 3 coats of the new finish (varnish, lacquer, oil, etc.) on the sanded surface following the direction of the wood using a brush or roller. Between coats, allow a drying time ranging from 2 to 48 hours depending on the product chosen. After the final protective coat has dried, wait at least 24 hours before using the renovated floor.