Refinishing Oak Hardwood Floors

Oak hardwood floors are one of the things that can make a home seem extraordinary. It has the natural beauty which does not go out of fashion through time and you are adding to the value of your house if you have oak floors installed. However, although oak is known to be very durable, it can lose its shine over time. It needs to be refinished once the polyurethane covering on its surface starts to wear out.

What You'll Need:

• 20 to 60 grit sandpaper
•  Hand sander
•  Putty knife
•  Long-handled roller
•  120 grit sandpaper
•  Wood filler
•  Rag

 A refinishing job is also important to protect the wood itself from everyday wear and tear. You will only require a weekend to do the job yourself and if you do not possess some of the equipment needed, you can rent it out from your local hardware outlet. Although a bit challenging, the results of your effort will be well worth it.

Step 1 - Prepare the Room

Remove all of the items from the room that has the floor for refinishing. Once the room is free from any obstacle, take out the moldings from the room edges and sweep the floor to make sure that there is no dust around.

Step 2 - Inspect the Floor

Inspect the entire flooring that you will be refinishing. If there are any staples or nails on it, make sure that you are able to remove all of them before doing the refinishing. Nail holes should be filled up with wood putty. Use the spatula to do it. Ensure that you fill out evenly to make the flooring as even as you can. There is no need to sand it since you will be sanding the entire area anyway to remove the old finish.

Step 3 - Prepare the Sander

Take out the instruction manual for the drum sander and assemble it as directed. If the flooring has been heavily worn down, choose 20 grit sandpaper. If the wear is moderate, you can use a 60 grit sandpaper.

Step 4 - Sand the Floor

Sanding should be started from a corner of the room. Move in the direction of the wood grain and allow the drum sander to work for you. Go about the task back and forth until you have the entire area covered. To ensure that everything has been sanded down, overlap each pass by 1 inch.

Step 5 - Sand the Room Edges

Room edges should be sanded down by hand since they cannot be reached by the drum sander. Use the same sandpaper grit that you used on the sander.

Step 6 - Fine Sanding the Room

After you are done with sanding the edges of the room, repeat the sanding process for the entire room, but this time, use a 120 grit sandpaper. This will be your preparation for the staining.

Step 7 - Clean the Floor

To remove the dust that resulted from sanding, sweep and vacuum the entire area. Never use water on the bare wood.

Step 8 - Stain the Floor

Take a rag and the stain color of your choice and work it over the entire floor area using a circular motion. Ensure that you have the room properly ventilated as you do this as the stain fumes can be toxic. Allow the stain to dry for 6 hours minimum.

Step 9 - Apply Polyurethane

To protect the wood and show its luster, apply a coat of polyurethane. Apply the chemical using a roller with a long handle. Allow the first coating to dry for 6 hours before applying a second coating.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

10 Benefits to Using a Peroxide Cleaner

Peroxide Cleaner, or Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is a pale blue liquid that is slightly thicker than water and appears colorless when not in its purest form. It has strong burning properties, and is a powerful bleaching agent. It is used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, and even as a propellant in rockets. Hydrogen peroxide only contains water and oxygen and does not contain toxic residue. Hydrogen peroxide is a useful household agent with the following benefits and usage.

1. Removes Carpet and Clothing Stains

Pour a small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the problem surface of your shirt and let it set for a few minutes before finally putting the shirt in the washer. For cleaning carpets, dab a clean cloth with hydrogen peroxide and apply on the stained area of the carpet in smooth, circular motion until dirt is removed.

2. Bathroom Disinfectant

Put your washcloth, loofah and sponge on a basin of hot water with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit there for an hour. Rinse and put to dry.

3. Use for cleaning toilet bowls

Get rid of those stains by pouring half a cup of hydrogen peroxide on your toilet bowl. Let it sit for a few hours. Flush the toilet bowl. Now there are instances when a little bit of stain remains. Just scrub it off. You will notice how easy the stains get rubbed off. You can do this every few weeks.

4. Removes Bathroom and Shower Mold

Just spray down the surface with hydrogen peroxide whenever you take a shower. You can use a spray bottle. Wipe the sprayed surface often to prevent the gathering of mold.

5. Disinfectant for wounds or bites.

Wash your shallow wounds or bites with hydrogen peroxide to disinfect affected areas. You can use cotton to dab it over the surface.

6. For all-around cleaning.

What you need is a little spray bottle filled with considerable amount of hydrogen peroxide. Spray it on your sink, floor, garbage cans, hard to reach areas like the corners of your cupboard, tables etc. This not only kills bacteria, it also insures to prevent unpleasant odors from building up.

7. Cleans Dentures and Retainers.

Before going to bed, you can use hydrogen peroxide diluted in water to soak your dentures or retainers. Rinse the dentures before using. Make sure to replace the water every night.

8. Removes Drain Clogs

Overtime slime and other refuse tend to build up on your drain. You can get rid of this by pouring a tablespoon of baking soda over a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Pour the contents on the drain. The foaming and fizzing will remove the blockage from your drain.

9. Lightens Your locks

Mix ten drops of hydrogen peroxide with one liter of water and use the mixture to rinse your hair on regular basis. You will notice how your locks will light up.

10. Used as mouthwash substitute

A small amount of hydrogen peroxide in a glass of water effectively gets rid of germs and odor causing bacterias that cause bad breath.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com