# Refinishing Hardwood Floors

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refinishing-hardwood-floors/460464>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 18, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refinishing-hardwood-floors/460464 "2008-08-18T19:54:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refinishing-hardwood-floors/460464/21 "2008-08-19T20:09:27Z")

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I’ve done a bit of re-finishing, and I had a killer back-ache, as the 100# sander was designed to be used by people shorter than 6’, so I was constantly stooping to hold the handle. If you have a free weekend, you should be able to get it done, if you have minimal DIY skills. Also, consider that gloss finish will show flaws more than satin. I think both look nice.

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**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refinishing-hardwood-floors/460464/22 "2008-08-19T22:47:42Z")

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I helped my mom refinish the bedroom floors in our house when I was 16 (she’d had professionals do the rest of the house). In addition to putting lots of minor divots in the first floor we did (we got a lot better with practice), we managed to start a small fire when she pulled the damned electric cord for the sander directly into the path I was sanding on.

Sawdust burns real good, in case you’re wondering. I’m just glad that we hadn’t started putting down the finishing chemicals, yet; the whole house would’ve gone up like a roman candle.

That was one of Mom’s more successful home improvement projects, come to think of it.

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**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refinishing-hardwood-floors/460464/23 "2008-08-20T20:30:49Z")

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I’ve done 3 houses myself (with a buddy). Total of 8 rooms and a hallway. If you don’t mind starting on a back room you don’t care as much for, until you get the knack, then I think it is a DIY project.

Expect 2 or more weekend and a lot of dust to get the job done.

I started with a rented drum sander. Long, slow passes, coase, medium, fine. Then used a rotary buffer with coarse, medium and fine screens. Used a small hand sander for the dges and corners.

I do not reccomend any kind of poly-whatever. Danish wood oil looks better, is easier to apply and lasts longer in my opinion.

Good luck!

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