Sanding Wood Floors

Project: Modern Colonial, Episode 21, Part 1



Flooring specialist Howard Brickman joins Bob to sand old growth white oak floors and demonstrate his techniques for achieving a smooth, even finish. He uses a variety of sanders and buffers before finally applying several coats of Tung Oil. At the sister project, Brickman tackles the pine floor in the master bedroom. Offsite, Bob tours the Hancock Land Company's sustainable forestry operation in Casco, ME, with noted environmentalist Patrick Moore and learns how they balance their harvesting operation in order to keep the forests healthy.
Part 1: Sanding Wood Floors
In the sunroom, Howard Brickman is at work sanding the floors. Starting with a drum sander, he begins sanding the floor at a 20-degree angle to get the surface flat and smooth. Next, he runs the sander with the grain to maintain an even finish. (Brickman stresses the importance of using the proper sequence with the abrasives).

For this particular floor, Brickman will use 2 different grits, although it is not unusual to use 3 or more. After finishing with the drum sander, Howard uses an edger/spinner to get in close to the walls. The key to using the edger is to practice smooth, elliptical motions that keep the surface even.
Part 2: Touring the Hancock Land Company Sustainable Forestry Operation
Part 3: Finishing a Wood Floor

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