Refinishing job
#1
Refinishing job
I am about to refinish a wood floor in a pre-Civil War building. The floor is rough, and is painted with a thick coat of grey concrete paint. I have done another floor like it, and the paint was a pain, quickly gumming up the abrasive pads.
Is there a good way to remove this paint prior to the first sanding?
Also, I always tend to have small waves in my refinished floors. I've noticed similar waves in just about ecvery refinished floor I have seen. These are not divots caused by uneven movement of the drum sander, but uniform little waves. Is there something I can do to reduce or eliminate these waves?
Thirdly, is it possible to replace the disc edger with a belt sander, or will a belt sander never be aggressive enough?
Thank you experts in advance for any help you can give me!
Dan
Is there a good way to remove this paint prior to the first sanding?
Also, I always tend to have small waves in my refinished floors. I've noticed similar waves in just about ecvery refinished floor I have seen. These are not divots caused by uneven movement of the drum sander, but uniform little waves. Is there something I can do to reduce or eliminate these waves?
Thirdly, is it possible to replace the disc edger with a belt sander, or will a belt sander never be aggressive enough?
Thank you experts in advance for any help you can give me!
Dan
#3
Painted floors
Dan.
Paint is always common in older homes and is very difficult to remove. Unfortunately the only effective way it can be removed is through a sequence of sandings. Strippers just are not effective enough. Go slow and be patient. As far as the wavy look you are talking about these are chatter marks left by the drum sander caused by the way the paper is loaded onto the belt. They are removed by screening with a buffer or orbital square buffer. An easy remedy to remove them. When we refinish we screen after every grit of paper we use with the same grit. Ie 60 grit drum screen with a 60 grit screen. Ken has some of my pics from an 1820 restoration and there are more on my site as well.
I DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT recomend that you use a belt sander in place of an edger. When you come to an area of the room where the flooring is not parrelell with the wall useing a belt sander will groove the floor and you will have a devil of a time getting those marks out.
Philly
Paint is always common in older homes and is very difficult to remove. Unfortunately the only effective way it can be removed is through a sequence of sandings. Strippers just are not effective enough. Go slow and be patient. As far as the wavy look you are talking about these are chatter marks left by the drum sander caused by the way the paper is loaded onto the belt. They are removed by screening with a buffer or orbital square buffer. An easy remedy to remove them. When we refinish we screen after every grit of paper we use with the same grit. Ie 60 grit drum screen with a 60 grit screen. Ken has some of my pics from an 1820 restoration and there are more on my site as well.
I DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT recomend that you use a belt sander in place of an edger. When you come to an area of the room where the flooring is not parrelell with the wall useing a belt sander will groove the floor and you will have a devil of a time getting those marks out.
Philly
#4
Thank you very much - extremely helpful advice!
I had tried to use a stripper on paint on another floor, and it made things worse in the spot I tried it (made it gummier), but I just didn't know if I was using the wrong kind. I suppose I'll have to use brute force and patience.
I had tried to use a stripper on paint on another floor, and it made things worse in the spot I tried it (made it gummier), but I just didn't know if I was using the wrong kind. I suppose I'll have to use brute force and patience.