Take down any long curtains so they don’t get in the way while you work.
To make things easier, use a razor knife to cut through the carpet so you can remove it in sections. Wear work gloves if you want to get a better grip.
Some of the carpet pad may come up with carpet depending on how old it is.
Tack strips have nails that point up, so stand back while you’re prying the boards in case they break and watch where you grab them.
Adhesive remover is flammable, so make sure any sources of sparks or fire are removed.
You can buy special vent covers that still allow air flow while preventing dust from getting inside.
Many sanders have a dust discharge that you attach a vacuum hose to. Otherwise, you can tape a shop-vac hose to the handle and run the vacuum while you sand to catch the dust.
When you’re working on a wall that doesn’t follow the grain of your floor, pull the sander away from the wall so you follow the same direction.
If you don’t have a detail sander, you can use a sanding sponge instead.
Try to sweep up as much sawdust as you can before you sand so you don’t have to clean your vacuum as much.
If the floor still feels a little rough, use a 120-grit screen to go over the floor again. You can use the orbital sander or you can sand by hand if there are only a few rough spots.
Clean any dust on the window sills, windows, and any other molding in the room with a damp cloth.
Mineral spirits is flammable so don’t keep it near an open flame or heat source.
You can buy wood stain from paint and home improvement stores. Buy a lambswool applicator from a local hardware store or paint shop. Work quickly so the stain doesn’t have time to dry. If the edges of the sections dry before you work on the next section, your floor will look like it has stripes.
If you want to stain your floors darker, apply another thin coat of stain.
You can also wear a paper face mask to protect yourself from the fumes.
You can buy polyurethane sealer from your local hardware or home improvement stores.
You can buy stain applicators from your local hardware store.
Make sure you overlap each stroke slightly to get an even finish.
If the floor feels sticky or tacky, then let it dry for longer.
You can find hardwood floor cleaner at most home improvement stores. If you can’t find any, you can mix your own with 10 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. If you don’t have a terrycloth mop, you can wrap a towel around your mop head instead.
The sanded floors will look considerably lighter than the rest of the room since you’ve sanded down past any existing finish.
Use a maroon buffing pad since it has the correct grit to sand the rest of the floor. Keep the buffer on constantly, but stop every 5 minutes to vacuum the pad. Tilt the buffer up and use a vacuum extension to pull the dust off.
If you don’t have a felt-bottomed attachment for your vacuum, a brush attachment will also work.
This process is known as “cutting in. " Working on the edges first makes it easier to work without missing any tight spots.
Pour as much stain as you can spread in 10 minutes or else your floor may look striped or uneven.
