Hardwood floor refinishing in Manhattan is not something that can be accomplished overnight, there is a great deal of work involved. The process involves sanding the boards, staining the prepared floor and finally providing the completed floor with a sealer for a long lasting finish. The results will differ from one floor to the next based on the density of the wood as well as the age of the floor.
The most labor intensive part of the process is the actually sanding of the floor, sometimes called ‘stripping.” The machine that is used is a drum sander, this machine is heavy and unwieldy; this is one real reason why professional floor refinishing in Manhattan is the norm. Sanding begins with rather course sandpaper fitted to the machine. After the entire floor has been sanded, the course paper is exchanged for a finer grit paper and sanded again. This process continues until the floor is perfectly smooth and all of the previous finish has been eliminated. Although this process is time consuming, there is no other way to prepare the floor for the new finish.
The prepared floor is now ready for the finish. The floor can be simply sealed if the natural grain of the hardwood is the desired look. When a darker appearance is desired, a stain can be applied; a good stain can darken the wood anywhere from a golden maple or oak color to the deepest mahogany. Depending on the depth of color desired this may take several coats of stain.
Once the floor has reached the desired color the final step is to apply a sealer to the wood. The most common sealer used is polyurethane, normally two or three coats are needed for a perfect sealed finish. Applying the sealer is also a time consuming process to do it right. The first coat can be applied by roller or brush and then allowed to completely dry. Once the first coat has dried the floor must be sanded with fine grit sandpaper, this roughens the floor or “keys” it for the next coat. This sanding and application of additional coats is repeated as many times as is necessary to arrive at the desired sheen and shine, furthermore, multiple coats adds to the durability of the finished floor.
Floor refinishing in Manhattan is a long, drawn out process; many people choose a floor finishing company to undertake the process as they have the correct tools and skills to do the job right.
Over time hardwood floors wear and will need to be refinished. Floor refinishing in Manhattan is best done by professionals who have the experience and skills to bring your floors back to life. You are invited to contact New York Wood Flooring for complete repair and refinishing services.