How to Stain a Hardwood Floor

Step1 First, you need to go through and fill in any cracks or imperfections with wood puddy, and then go over the floor with the sealer.
The next thing you need to do is sand the floor. You can rent a floor sander from the hardware store or look in the phone book for equipment rentals in your area. You will need a truck and someone to help you lift the sander. Make sure that the store gives you proper instruction on how to use the machine. You may also need a palm sander for hard to reach places. Before you begin be sure to cover all outlets, and any ventilation ducts, there will be a lot of dust! You will want to start with a 24 grit sanding paper. Follow the instructions and sand the floor then go and sand the hard to reach places with the palm sander. When you have finished you will want to clean up the dust.Go over the entire floor with tack cloth and then Use a large push broom and then finish with a vacuum cleaner. Next, You will need to repeat all of this with an 80 grit paper. Again, clean up all the dust. Cleaning the dust is very important for a good finish. Be sure to clean the entire room of dust not just the floor. Step2 Once you are certain that all of the dust is cleaned up, you can take a rag and begin applying stain, I would suggest to use a rag to apply the stain and mix the stain frequently. Use another rag to wipe the excess. Once the whole floor is finished allow it to dry completely. Step3 Once the floor is dry you are ready to apply poly. Be absolutely sure when applying the poly that your home is very well ventilated. When you are finished, make sure that nobody walks on the floor for 2-3 days because the poly will be tacky.

• Once the floor is sanded if there are any stains you can clean them first with bleach. This should remove or at least lighten the stain.
• No floor will look absolutely perfect, all wood has imperfections adding to its uniqueness.
• When sanding you should wear a mask, it is extremely unhealthy to breathe in the dust.
• Make sure that your home is very well ventilated the vapor that these chemicals give us can cause you to pass out it is really not good for you!
• make sure that the floor is really clean or the dirt will show through your finish.
• Ask for help emptying the room of furniture.
• Follow all directions for the sander and the chemicals properly