Do I have to use a sander to refinish my hardwood floor?
There are a few ways to refinish your hardwood floors. The more accurate way is to use a sander. The sander will essentially strip away a layer of the wood, leaving a raw, highly absorbable layer onto which you can apply wood dye and a sealer. The other, short-cut way to refinish your hardwood floors if to merely clean the existing wood using a harsh stringent and then apply several coats of polyurethane protecting coat to the top layer. The second way will retain the original floor color and also trap some of the dirt that the cleanser did not use, so it is not highly recommended amongst true hardwood floor enthusiasts.
Can I stay in the house while the floor is being refinished?
Of course, but it is not recommended. When you refinish your hardwood floors, the chemicals you use will be very toxic and may cause long-lasting neurological damage. Furthermore, especially if you are sanding, the dust from the wood can enter your lungs and settle in your body.
Most floors can be refinished in a week or less. It is strongly advised that you leave your home for the duration of the time that your floors are being refinished. Many families enjoy refinishing their floors while they are on vacation so that they can return to a brand new (looking) home, without having to inhale the toxins.
How long will the process take?
It will take under a week to refinish most floors. Of course, the time it takes to refinish your floors depends largely on the size of your house and the method by which you refinish your floors. If you avoid the sanding, then your floors can be finished in as little as a weekend. Longer processes are generally required for an authentic refinishing. Most people find that the lengthiest part of the whole process is actually relocating furniture for the duration of the refinishing.
If you are applying the polyurethane coat, then you will need to allow at least 24 hours between applications for it to dry. Each floor will need at least 3 coats in order to truly be a lasting protective layer. Therefore, you will need a minimum of 3 days for the coats to dry, once the floor is clean.
Sanding can usually be done in only one afternoon, if all of the items are removed from the floors so that the sander can move about freely.
Are there any short-cuts?
The best short cut to actually sanding and applying new stain to your hardwood floors is using the polyurethane coat. The coat is applied on top of deeply cleaned wood floors. Each room should get three coats. In between coats, the layer needs to dry and then be lighting sanded. Using polyurethane to refinish the floors will make the floors shine and appear to be nicely waxed, but it will not actually remove any dirt or layers or hardwood.