Sanding
To achieve a professional finish, the entire floor has to be prepared, and the job approached methodically and systematically, starting with the correct equipment.
The sanding process
In the case of softwood floors (e.g. Victorian/Georgian pine), all loose boards must be properly fixed, and all damaged/split boards must be repaired or replaced. In the case of parquet/wood block floors, loose or defective blocks must be re-fixed to the sub-floor repaired or replaced. More on 'renovation'.
Once the floor has been fully prepared, the sanding process begins using coarse grades of sandpaper belts (e.g. 24 Grit) and continues down through the grades, finishing with 120 / 240 grit, depending on the type of floor.
If required, mid-way through the sanding process, the gaps between the boards (or blocks) can be filled using either resin or wooden 'fillets' depending on their width. More on gap-filling.
Victorian and Georgian floors usually require cross-sanding before sanding with the grain of the boards. This is due to the 'cupping' and 'cambering' of the boards over the years, manifesting in high and low spots over the entire floor. Careful 'cross-sanding' carried out at a shallow diagonal effectively levels the floor. It evens out the surface in anticipation of the finer grades of sandpaper and ultimately provides a better final finish.
Once the entire surface area has been sanded to the desired finish and fully vacuumed, the floor is ready to be finished. More on 'Finishing'.
Breath easy with 'dust free' sanding machines
When you get the floor in your home sanded, the Bona Dust Care System captures the dust generated on the spot. That means your bookshelves, electronics, curtains, and furniture don’t need to be covered before sanding or cleaned afterwards. In fact, the Bona dust-free sanding unit delivers air quality that’s better and cleaner than the ambient air found in most homes.
“Modern ‘dust free’ sanding machines dramatically reduce the dust created during sanding”