If you are remodeling an older home or office space, chances are the wood floors could use some refreshment. Old floors often show signs of misuse, neglect, poor or improper cleaning and unreasonable wear and tear. Rather than relying on harsh chemicals to eat away at these years of use, sanding away the top layer of wood will reveal the natural beauty of untouched layers below.
There are many benefits to having wood floors. Their versatility and durability combined with their beauty and elegant appearance make them the top choice for many homeowners. The ability to completely refinish them after years of use is a lesser-known benefit. While it may seem complicated, floor sanding machines make the job much easier than you might think. Contractors that do frequent remodels may find the upfront investment cost is well worth it in the end. Given that the unblemished wood may rest more than half an inch below the surface, sanding floors down by hand can be a miserable task.
Water stains are one of the main reasons to sand a wood floor, as they are extremely difficult to clean. In some cases, they will appear as large, opaque white spots in the finish. If floors have had standing water on them for any period of time due to flooding or being exposed to the elements, they will need to be sanded down and refinished to be restored to their former beauty.
Wood floors are not the only material that may require sanding. In certain industrial environments, concrete floors are common because they are extremely durable. In some cases, the floors may accumulate debris or additional hard material due to spillage or accidents. Over time, these messes will need to be removed, and a floor sander may be required to help grind away this unwanted material.
One of the benefits of having your own equipment to achieve a professional sand on your floor is time saving. Even if your team of maintenance staff is small, a floor sander can make their jobs much easier, saving them time and energy for other projects. In a normal circumstance where the job might take up to a week, the time saved on floor prep could cut that time frame in half.
While sanding your floor might be necessary to restore it to its intended appearance or utility, it is not a job for an amateur. Removing too much depth from the floor can be devastating to its integrity. Particularly in the case of wood floor, sanding too deep can ruin it completely, making a new floor surface necessary. If you are restoring old floors, that might not be a risk worth taking. In that case, professional services are a good option.