Hardwood floor buffing is a standard renovation approach involving the removal of wood scuffs and scratches. It’s an affordable and simple wood floor revamping technique suited for DIYers and professionals alike. Through buffing, you can replenish your wood floor polish and make it more durable. The following are steps on how to buff hardwood floors yourself and everything else you need to know.
What Exactly Is Wood Buffing and Why Do You Need to Do It?
You can buff your hardwood flooring if it has scratches or scuffs. Buffing is mostly done to treat minor imperfections and fine scratches in the sealant layers of your hardwood floor. It’s the perfect way to treat the tired appearance of hardwood floors, remove stubborn stains, and give the hardwood floor a new look.
The process is less time-consuming and doesn’t require using sophisticated equipment. It’s one of the fun DIY projects you can handle when free. To complete the buffing project, you need a rotary machine or buffer.
The best time to buff your hardwood floor is you have an old floor that has been sanded multiple times. Remember, the more times you sand your wood flooring, the thinner it becomes and the more fragile it becomes. Buffing will save you time, boost the floor’s appeal while adding a protective layer to your wood floor.
Things to Know Before You Buff
Before we discuss how to buff hardwood floors yourself, we will outline some basic things you should know. First, get any wax or oils on the wood floor removed. Removing wax and oils from hardwood floors is easy. With the best wood spirits or wax strippers, you can clean the wax and oils in minutes. You can get any of these chemicals from your local store or online. Follow the application instructions carefully to effectively clean the wax and leave the wood floor intact and attractive.
Second, you must thoroughly clean the hardwood flooring. Dust the floor first before you clean it. Use the right cleaning solution and warm water. A clean wood floor surface will absorb polishes better and will always keep the attractive shines longer. Once the floor is clean, allow it around 15 minutes to dry out. Do you use cleaners like Pine Sol? If so, you may want to find out if it is a good option for your home.
Third, learn how to stay safe while using the buffer. Like other power machines, buffing machines operate at high speeds and can trigger serious injuries if mishandled. Likewise, the solutions added to these machines are quite toxic, and accidental ingestion could mean serious trouble. Use protective gear, including respirators, safety glasses, and gloves, to keep yourself safe. In addition, observe the recommended safety guidelines for handling buffing machines and chemicals.
How to Buff WoodFloors: Step by Step Guide
Since your wood floor is clean and free from oils and wax, we should go straight to the wood floor buffing steps.
Step 1
Place your wood floor buffer on a flat surface, especially the wood floor. Using a wrench, unscrew the nut holding the pad to the buffer. Get a 200-grit sanding screen and fasten it on the pad. Once the sanding screen is tightly screwed to the buffer machine, place it in an upright position and then plug it into a power outlet.
Step 2
Hold the buffer by the handles and then power it on. Slide the machine through your hardwood floor as you apply gentle pressure on it. Apply the pressure tactically, ensuring you don’t over press it downwards.
Step 3
Keep buffing the floor, ensuring you start from the middle towards the edges. Observe the machine’s screen and make sure to replace it if it gums up. If the buffer keeps gumming up, you will have to stop the screening and clean your hardwood floor. The gumming up is mostly triggered by dirt, oils, or wax.
Step 4
Once you’ve cleaned the entire floor, you have to clean up the fine dust particles. Use a damp cloth to get the work done fast and efficiently.
Step 5
Now apply the floor polishing compound. Mix the polishing compound with water and apply it on the hardwood floor using a rag or spray it from the container. Read the product instructions to know how the polishing compound should be applied.
Step 6
Unscrew the sanding screen from your buffing machine and then screw in your lamb wood buffing attachment. Buff the polishing compound you just applied above following the same screening techniques we mentioned above.
Step 7
Vacuum clean the hardwood floor. Vacuuming will clean off the dust accumulated on your baseboards, walls, and window sills. Ensure every part of your room is free from dirt. If the buffing process has left some stubborn grains on your surfaces, consider using a damp towel to remove them easily.
Step 8
Your next move is to apply the hardwood floor finish. Follow the given instructions to mix the finish properly and then transfer it into a tray. Decide which applicator to use. Choose an applicator with a long handle and fibers that won’t stick in the finish. You’ve to apply the finish following the grains of the hardwood floor. Always start the application from the corners of your room towards the center. Remember, two coats will give a stronger and denser finish. After applying for the first coat, allow it time before applying the second one. Once you’re done with the buffing, allow some time for everything to dry up before you bring back your furniture. You must not let kids play in the room before the finish has dried up.
NB: If you don’t have a buffing machine, you’ll rather rent one. Buffing machines are quite expensive, and I’m you won’t be buffing your hardwood floor every month.
Final Thoughts
For many people, buffing is the perfect way to refurbish an old, tired, and scratched hardwood floor. It saves the high costs and time of sanding the hardwood floor, enabling you to revamp your floor in a matter of hours. If you prefer to buff their hardwood floors yourself, the following tips will act as a guideline to make your work much easier. As you learn how to buff hardwood floors yourself, don’t forget to use the right products and observe safety precautions.