I ll show you my secrets on how to prep wood for stain right here.
Do i need to sand my wood floor after staining.
And when it does go wrong the only solution is to re sand the floor and start all over from the beginning.
Sanding levels the edges of the floorboards which can vary from one another by as much as 1 4 inch.
Staining floors especially for first time do it yourselfers is a tricky business.
You don t need to sand after staining.
After the old stain is gone applying new stain is relatively simple.
Follow the grain of the wood.
A little basic knowledge of sanding and preparing wood before staining will help your staining project go faster and easier.
Sand wood before staining.
Select a stain that won t raise the grain of the wood or you ll have to sand the floor after applying the finish.
Not sanding a freshly laid hardwood floor and finishing it as is makes the installation less messy and time consuming but it would be a mistake.
Sanding will also help open up the pores of the wood so that they can absorb stain better.
Always sand down to clean wood if you have enough meat left of the wood before applying any stain.
Lower numbered grades denote.
Allow to dry for one hour.
It all starts with sanding.
Floor finishes can emit harmful vapors so be sure the area is well ventilated as you work.
The higher the number the finer the grade.
If you worry about the grain raising after staining i would recommend wetting the surface evenly with water after doing initial sanding then finish sand when dry.
Unlike paint which just sits on top of the wood and can be sanded off wood stain penetrates into the fibers of the wood like a sponge absorbing water.
Try to apply as even a coating as possible.
You need a smooth surface with no blemishes because stain will highlight scratches and dings in the wood.
Any scratches will be enhanced by stain.
Here are four big reasons why.
Make sure you sand the wood well before applying stain.
Stain makes sander scratch shockingly visible.
The grade or grit of sandpaper is based on the number of sand granules per square inch of paper.
After the stain has dried the final step is to finish it off with a lacquer polyurethane wood finish or alternative oil or sealer.
That s why we do our utmost to talk you out of staining your wood floors.