How to Scrape a Hardwood Floor

If you have a hardwood floor that is covered with many years accumulation of dirt and grime it is possible to restore it to mint condition. The best process to use is hand scraping this will not only remove the dirt and grime but also any adhesive mastic that was used to glue down either linoleum or floor tiles. For the do-it-yourselfer this can be a challenging project, but one well worth doing.

The number one tool on this job is patience, and here is a list of the other tools that you will need. But the first thing you’re going to have to decide is whether or not the floor really needs to be scraped. This is done by allowing a drop of water to fall on the floor if the water beads up or soaks in slowly you may get by with a good cleaning and polishing. However, if the drop of water soaks in quickly that means the wood fibers are already exposed, and you will have to refinish the floor.  The required tools are: a paint scraper, a putty knife, a pail of water, a sponge or cloth and a dry cloth to wipe up behind you.

If you have decided to refinish keep these things in mind. Floor sanding removes a lot of wood from the surface of your floor, so your flooring must be at least three quarters of an inch thick; otherwise you are apt to stick your foot through the floor. Floor sanding is also extremely dusty even if the sanding machine is equipped with a vacuum. You should also keep in mind that a tongue and grooved floor cannot be sanded as often as a floor made of straight edged boards (planks). Some of the newer floors are as thin as a quarter of an inch and do not tolerate sanding. If your hardwood floor is covered with a covering you have to remove the covering first to expose the floor.

Any home-improvement project requires a great deal of preparation. Refinishing a hardwood floor is no exception. Every thing in the room where the floor is going to be refinished must be removed, and this means every thing. If the floor extends into a closet everything in the closet will also have to be removed.

Then you will have to cover the light fixtures to keep dust from collecting in them. This can be done with a taped on plastic bag. Most light fixtures will fit into a plastic grocery bag that you get for free every time you buy groceries.