How to sand & varnish floorboards part 1 - preparation & sanding

In part one of this film , we're going to show you how to prepare and sound your floorboards .

So they're ready for varnishing like most diy task to achieve a really good finish .

You'll need to put a little bit of time and effort into the preparation .

First , sweep the entire floor thoroughly , then check the general condition of the boards .

You'll be spending quite a lot of time on your knees .

So it's a good idea to wear knee pads .

If you have any damaged boards , you might need to replace them .

Try obtaining a reclaimed board of a similar type and color .

This will blend in better than a new board .

If you need to lift a floorboard to replace it , take a look at our film , how to lift old floorboards .

Check that each board is firmly fixed and that there are no protruding nail or screwheads .

If there are drive these below the surface using a hammer and a nail punch or by tightening the screws .

If there's a gap between any of your floorboards , you'll get a better finish .

If you fill in the gaps before you start sanding the boards , we're going to use this thin filler strip that has been cut from a reclaimed floorboard , just drop it into the gap and the joy will stop it from falling through to do the job properly .

You're going to need to use a professional sanding kit .

Here , we have a drum sander and this edging saner which are available from your local tool hire center .

We also have this corner sander which is available to buy .

You'll need all three types of sanda to get the job done .

When using this equipment , always follow the instructions to prevent damage to the floor and avoid any injuries before you start sounding , seal any doors to other parts of the house by taping plastic sheets over them to protect against the spread of dust .

First sand , the main floor area used in the drum sounder fitted with a medium grip paper , it's going to be noisy and it's going to be extremely dusty to wear overalls , goggles and a mask and ear defenders or earplugs start by aligning the machine diagonally to the floorboards , raise the drum and when it reaches full speed , lower it and start sanding .

The purpose of this stage is to smooth any irregularities and remove any old finish .

Keep moving .

And when you reach your ball , lift the drum before stopping , never let the drum rest on the floor while the sounder is on as it will sound a hollow into the floor , then sand the balls diagonally in the opposite direction .

After that work along the grain of the boards .

Once all that's done , you can start on the edges with the edging Saer , hold the edging saner firmly and using both hands work around the edge of the room .

The last job for this stage is to use the corner sander to sand into the areas that the edging sander couldn't reach .

Now , it's time for a good sweep up so that we can inspect the floor .

This has come up really well .

However , you might want to repeat the process if you're not happy with the result to get a better finish , fill in each nail and screw hat using a wood filler that matches the floorboard color as far as possible .

We're using this pine color wood filler , which takes around 30 minutes to dry .

Once it is set , it's easy to sand and won't shrink or crack wood fillers come in a range of colors .

So you'll be able to choose one that is the closest match to the wood you're working with .

Now that the fill has set sand .

Each area flush used in the corner sand are fitted with a medium grade sandpaper .

Give the floor a thorough sweep again .

Check for any rough spots as you go .

If you do find a rough spot , just sand it smooth .

That's most of the hard prep done .

So you'll soon be ready to varnish the floor to learn how to do that .

Watch part two of this film for more ideas and know how visit diy dot com .