Q&A

Can you use a buffer to sand hardwood floors?

Can you use a buffer to sand hardwood floors?

You can use a floor buffer, to do a light sanding pass, when you’re refinishing hardwood floors. Leave all heavy sanding for drum sander and floor edger. Use floor buffer to abrade in between coats. This will ensure that you have a good bonding surface, for your new wood floor finish.

Should you use a buffer on hardwood floors?

You can buff hardwood floors by hand, but it may be easier to rent to an electric buffing machine. A buffing machine helps work the wax into the hardwood to help provide a protective layer against moisture, dust and dirt. The buffer will spin clockwise, so go with this motion buffing left to right to work in the wax.

What does buffing do to hardwood floors?

Buffing mainly addresses damage and imperfections in the sealant layers protecting your hardwood floors. You may want to buff your floors instead of sanding them if the finish of the floor is looking dull and scratched. You can also buff floors made of other materials, like tile, to bring back their luster.

Can you sand a floor with a polisher?

There are two common ways to sand floors: a drum sander and a floor polisher, often called an orbital machine or a buffer. Drum sanders are powerful tools designed for serious, deep sanding. The base of an orbital floor polishing machine spins quickly, and the weight of the machine does most of the work.

What is the difference between buffing and sanding?

There is a clear difference between floor buffing and sanding. Sanding gets rid of damaged polyurethane sealer and part of damaged wood. Sanding involves the restaining of planks and sealing them with a new coat of polyurethane. In contrast, buffing only involves polyurethane sealer and does not touch the wood.

What is the difference between a buffer and Sander?

Sander = sandpaper on the end. Buffer = buffing pad on the end.

How do you buff and shine hardwood floors?

Sweep or vacuum, then mop with a commercial wood floor cleaner or solution of a quarter-cup of dish soap and a gallon of warm water to lift any lingering grime. Give the floors a final pass with a clean, water-dampened mop to remove any cleaner residue. Dry completely with a soft, clean towel.

How often should you buff your hardwood floors?

To keep your hardwood floors looking shiny and presentable, you should polish them every 2-4 months. Floor polish fills scratches and protects the finish against future damage and over-cleaning.

Can a polisher be used as a sander?

An orbital polisher rotates at a much slower speed than that of an orbital sander. This helps prevent burning through the paint, especially along the edges of the vehicle. It is still possible to use an orbital sander for polishing, provided you have the right attachments.

What is the difference between buffing and refinishing hardwood floors?

They both fall under the general umbrella term for “refinishing” and are used for the same purpose: to bring wood floors back to life. The difference is that they address various levels of damage. Buffing may only address the polyurethane layer, but generally, the wood is protected by this layer.

How much does it cost to refinish hardwood floors?

The average cost to refinish hardwood floors is $3.75 per square foot with most homeowners spending between $3 and $5 per square foot to have their wood floors sanded, stained, and finished. A 20×16 (320 square foot) living room floor will cost about $1,230 to refinish, while a 12×12 (144 SF) bedroom floor will cost about $540 to refinish.

Can You refinish bamboo flooring?

Fortunately, you can refinish bamboo flooring to eliminate such visual flaws. The first thing you’re going to have to do if you want to remove visual flaws from your bamboo floors is to sand the bamboo down. This will help remove the original finish as well as buff out any surface scratches.

What is wood flooring?

Wood flooring is any product manufactured from timber that is designed for use as flooring, either structural or aesthetic.