Hardwood floor ''sanding'' the natural way.

[chopped]

I'm not sure if this is a new hint or not. But I wanted to pass it along. I have a 'real' oak floor with Polly over it. put in 1980. Ive put maybe four coats of Polly on it over the years. with just a quick sanding with a belt sander.(very lightly) well this time I decided to sand it right down. Being cheap, I used a belt sander,and it was sloooooow going. So then considered a chemical stripper followed by more light sanding.Not to keen on this idea.
So I got the most course belt paper i could find and it still was slow, So I went to my driveway sand box and brought up some sand. I poured it ont he floor, and started sanding the sand right under the belt sander. Ripped it right down alto faster.I could only imagine if I were still working and had acess to a floor buffer.lol
Anyways had to keep moving the sand over the front of the belt sander, but with one person sanding and the other sweeping the sand to the front of the sander it went fairly well.. And the sand initially was wet so there wasn't much dust. Tomorrow I plan to also use a spray bottle to keep the sand somewhat wet to control some of the dust factor.
As I said maybe this is a trick people use, but Ive never had anyone tell me about it.

 

[SPIKER]

one thing is beware of grinding the sand into the floor cracks and wood's surface

 

[moored4]

If it worked great! The only ideal I have, is, if this sand did come from your drive way and by chance had any metal particals from grinding on a welding project the those metal particals could get inbeded in the floor and later show up as dark rust spots in the finnish. I know steel wool will do that.

 

[forgeblast]

I would get a mask, there might be silica in the sand. Not too good for breathing it in.

 

[2manyrocks]

I've never heard or read of doing this.

Sanding hardwood floors is the most dusty job I know of.

 

[gengine]

Sanding wood floors is a lousy job. I second the dust mask. My former boss at the cabinet shop died from emphazyma from breathing in saw dust. I guess it puts little slivers in his lungs that his body was never able to get rid of. Of course, he had been breathing it in for 50 some years, but never smoked in his life.
The sand, as mentioned, may find it's way into the grain, as oak is a very open grain wood, as well as the cracks between boards. But hey, if it works and you like the outcome, then more power to ya!
When we last did ours a few years back, I rented a floor sander for $30 bucks, and had 1700 sq.ft. Stripped and fine sanded in a day. I had to use my belt sander and the orbital for the edges, which took about half the next day, and vacuuming took up the rest. Then there was three days for the poly. The best floor sanders have three or four 6" discs. The roller kind tends to leave divots and grooves. Good luck, and I hope it turns out great!

 

[chopped]

Guess i can clarify the driveway sand. Its winter time here and i have a barrel of unfrozen sand I use. virgin if you will lol sandy fill its called. very few if any snones to it.I agree on the mask I have fans to suck some of it out the window.
and with two people I sweep the sand to the sander, and then also I plan to use a spray bottle to keept he sand and dust down..
All good concerns..

 

[babypp2]

I never smile. You want a smile, go rent a smile

 

[chopped]

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[MotorSeven]

Chop, why would you not just rent a floor sander? They ain't that much and you could get the whole thing done in a day...standing on two feet:thumbsup: