Frequently Asked Questions - Floor Sanding

 

When sanding wood floors, how do I improve the area where the edger and drum sander meet?

Answer 

Using a sanding disc (one grit finer than previous step) on the buffer over the entire floor can improve blending of edged and drum-sanded areas.

The drum/belt sander does not reach the edges of the wood floor I'm sanding. What do I do?

Answer 

Edger discs are used on a hand-held edger machine to blend the floor perimeter with the rest of the floor. This prevents a “ picture framing” effect when applying stain.

 

Do not try to make the edger cut more aggressivley by putting extra pressure to the front end. This can lead to ridges and marks which are hard to remove.

 

For a softer finish when edger sanding, use a maroon non-woven back-up pad in conjunction with your abrasive disc. The extra cushion will give the surface a smoother finish.

If a wooden floor is uneven, cupped, or crowned, should I sand it differently?

Answer 

If the wooden floor is uneven, cupped, or crowned, make the first rough sanding at a 45° angle to the direction of the flooring. Make all succeeding cuts parallel to the direction of the flooring.

What grit of sandpaper sheets or rolls is optimum for sanding?

Answer 

You should use the finest grit possible to achieve the desired results. Using too coarse a grit can lead to unnecessarily spending too much time trying to remove coarse grit scratch marks and can also reduce the thickness of the flooring.

I use screens to abrade between coats. How is the SandDollar more effective?

Answer 

  • The SandDollar has the life and durability of a screen, but leaves a finer scratch pattern. Screens tend to be too aggressive for residential work, especially with newer construction using more windows and recess lights that magnify swirl marks in finishes.
  • The SandDollar has grain bonded to a foam backing which allows the grain to glide over high spots in the finish and not impress too deep of a scratch into the finish. This allows it to leave a very fine scratch pattern, much finer than a screen, and at the same time scratching the surface enough to get a good mechanical bond between coats of finish.
  • Some contractors like to use worn screens to abrade finishes. There are multiple problems with this practice. Once the labeling wears off, you don’t know what grit you are using. You also don’t know how worn the screen is, so you wind up with inconsistent abrading, and you may only dull the finish without putting a proper scratch to have a good mechanical bond. The color coding on the SandDollar won’t wear off, so a contractor will always know what grit he is using, especially if he is reusing the pad.
  • The SandDollar uses just four different color-coded pads to abrade all finishes, between coats or in recoat applications, greatly simplifying the abrading process. A contractor can keep these four pads in his truck and be able to handle almost any job situation he may come across.
  • The SandDollar pad is flexible enough to conform to uneven surfaces, making sure the finish is abraded consistently and evenly. This also minimizes the chance of cutting through the finish on high spots and edges of boards, which is especially important on recoat jobs and stained floors. You are more likely to cut through the finish with a screen.
Why should I switch from maroon pads and PSA strips to the SandDollar?

Answer 

  • PSA strips have a short life. They tend to last approximately 150 square feet before needing to be changed.
  • Because they wear so quickly, most people tend to over use them and wind up dulling the finish and not properly abrading it. This can lead to finish-adhesion problems.
  • PSA strips may tear or curl up very easily. This means the contractor has to stop frequently to change strips, increasing time spent on the job.
  • This system usually isn’t aggressive enough to abrade finishes properly in “screen” and recoat applications. Existing cured finishes are tough to abrade, and this system may only dull the finish which could lead to finish-adhesion problems.
What advantages does SandDollar offer compared to PSA strips on a maroon pad?

Answer 

  • SandDollar pads have a long life (approximately 1500 sf/pad).
  • They are extremely durable and tear resistant.
  • Because of the unique design of the SandDollar pad, the chance of cutting through the finish is almost eliminated.
  • The A/O grain bonded to the foam backing allows the pad to properly abrade the finish while still producing a very fine scratch pattern. Contractors can get a great-looking finish without running the risk of adhesion problems caused by improper abrasion.
  • The coarse (Blue) pad excels at prepping the finish in a recoat application, while still producing a very fine scratch pattern.
  • The SandDollar pads resist loading, but can be easily cleaned by vacuuming off or rinsing with water and then reused.
  • They are used just like a screen or maroon pad, using a white pad or maroon pad as a driver.
  • They can be used on any kind of finish: oil, water, or acid cure; but are not recommended for pre-finished floors.
  • The cut-outs in the pad are to help with dust extraction and to minimize loading.
  • Traditional PSA strips can tear and curl under easily which could leave adhesive residue on the finish. Also, if hook and loop strips are used, the paper can curl under and the hooks can scratch the finish. With the SandDollar there is no guessing at how many strips to use, what grit to use, and how to place the strips on the pad.
Does Norton have a clean-release masking tape?

Answer 

New and improved Blue Masking Tape meets or exceeds market standards The medium adhesion backing means just enough tackiness to stick well to surfaces without the risk of pulling off paint from the wall or leaving adhesive behind.

This premium grade, clean release tape comes in various widths for maximum versatility. Ideal for masking hardwood gym floors for game-line painting, as well as masking and hanging plastic sheeting for dust control.

Micro-Fiber Mop Kit tips.

Answer 

Our new Micro Fiber Mop Kit is an excellent leave-behind product for the homeowner. The cleaner works well on both real wood and laminate surfaces.

Makes conventional mops outdated! Using the micro fiber mop and floor cleaner as a cleaning system after floor installations provides the best, most cost effective way to remove grease, oil and dirt to leave wood floors with a glistening shine.

Any tips for using Micro-Fiber products?

Answer 

Micro-fiber is virtually scratch resistant but may pick up debris that can scratch. Clean micro-fiber products often for best results.

Do you have any tips for Between Coats sanding?

Answer 

Don’t over use your abrasive product when abrading between coats of finish. A worn out abrasive will still dull the surface, but it may not be putting the proper scratch into the finish to get a good mechanical bond for the next coat of finish. If the surface isn’t abraded properly, you can wind up with finish peeling, flaking and chipping. It’s a lot less expensive to use a few more abrasive products on the job than to go and re-sand a job because of finish failure.

Any tips for buffing on stain?

Answer 

Buffing on stain is a technique that is gaining in popularity due to the time savings over traditional methods and the use of fewer materials, like rags and stain.

Our screen driver pads in tandem with our maroon conditioning pads create the perfect system for applying stain with a rotary buffer. The unique design of the screen driver pad allows it to hold and apply stain evenly on the floor without slinging. 

The maroon pad (with 7" center removed) is placed on top of the screen driver pad. This center hole creates a “trough” where the stain is poured. This system is then driven with either a screen driver or maroon pad on the buffer drive plate. The screen driver and maroon pad remain on the floor during the process. The operator only needs to tip back the buffer to add more stain to the “trough.” This makes for less mess during the process.

Typical Process

  • Edges are cut in and wiped off by hand in appropriate size section of floor
  • Stain is applied to main section of floor with buffer
  • A clean screen driver pad is put on the buffer to buff off excess stain left on floor
  • Move to next section of floor

Note:

  • Not all stain can be applied with this method, check with stain manufacturer
  • Do not work too large of an area to avoid lap marks
  • Dispose of used pads properly, they are flammable
Any tips for using screen discs on floor buffer machines?

Answer 

Remember the buffer sands at the 3 o’clock position as you look down at the machine. Make sure you screen the unfinished wood with the screen cutting in the same direction as the grain.

What are Universal Vacuum Hole (UVH) orbital edger discs used for?

Answer 

The ceramic alumina hook and loop random orbital sanding discs offer the same tough and aggressive performance as our professional edger discs. The Universal Vacuum Hole (UVH) configuration allows the disc to be used on either the 5 vacuum hole or 8 vacuum hole sander.

Why would I use screen floor edger discs instead of paper?

Answer 

Used with a Maroon Conditioning Pad, screens can be an optional step in the edging sequence to provide a much finer finish than a paper disc.

Why would I use a screen driver pad with double-sided floor sanding discs?

Answer 

Always use a screen driver pad with a double-sided disc to prevent slippage, and get the flattest surface possible. You can sandwich a screen driver pad between two double sided discs to increase stiffness for an even flatter surface.

Why would I use a screen driver pad with double-sided floor sanding discs?

Answer 

Always use a screen driver pad with a double-sided disc to prevent slippage, and get the flattest surface possible. You can sandwich a screen driver pad between two double sided discs to increase stiffness for an even flatter surface.

Why would I use double-sided discs instead of standard single-sided floor sanding discs?

Answer 

Double sided discs make hard plating simpler and easier by eliminating the need to mechanically fasten the disc to the bottom of the buffer. When using single sided large discs in hard plating, it is recommended to apply two discs at a time making sure the slots at the center hole of each disc are offset. This will help prevent the disc from prematurely tearing at the center hole

Why is Norton Red Heat better for sanding off old floor coatings?

Answer 

Sanding old coatings can be labor-intensive and require a lot of material, especially if the coatings gum up the paper quickly. Heat and friction cause the old coatings to soften and then stick to the paper. Norton Red Heat can be effective for removing these old coatings since the ceramic grain is super sharp and cuts cooler; so, it doesn’t heat up the finish as much which tends to minimize loading. 

What’s the easiest way to mount floor sanding sheets or covers?

Answer 

To mount, place a paper or screen sheet on the floor, then place the non-woven driver pad on top. Next, tilt the machine back on a 45 degree angle and then lower it squarely on top of the driver pad.

Any tips for minimizing loading when drum sanding?

Answer 

When sanding off old gummy coatings, try to only lower the drum and sand while walking backwards. This can help minimize belt loading.

Can I edge floors with a belt sander?

Answer 

To make edging easier, you can cut cross grain with the belt sander along wall joints and between kitchen islands. You need to use a fine grit, usually nothing coarser than 80 grit, and a low drum pressure. Make light cuts. This will remove most of the finish and help flatten the floor, without leaving deep scratches. This can dramatically reduce the time spent edging.

What is FastTrack Service?

Answer 

FastTrack is a special order service for sanding belts. Items are identified as FastTrack in the catalog by FT following the part number. FastTrack belts must be ordered directly from customer service.

5-day Manufacturing Leadtime Order Requirements: • Minimum order qty: 1 case per order • Maximum order qty: 3 cases per order NOTE: Standard manufacturing leeway of 10% ±.

What belt grit order should I use for sanding pre-finished floors?

Answer 

When sanding pre-finished floors, common sense would say to start by using the coarsest grit available to sand off a very tough coating. In reality, the opposite is true. By starting with a coarse grit, you will get decreased product life and performance.

The proper sanding technique for pre-finished floors involves sanding the floor first with a finer grit, usually 80 grit. Sand the finish lightly with 80 grit, just to scratch the surface. Then come back with a coarser grit, usually 40 or 50 grit is coarse enough to remove the finish. Using this technique will greatly increase product life and cut rate. This technique works for the edger as well as the belt sander.

The ideal product to use is Norton Red Heat. It’s ceramic grain and micro-fracturing properties give it a longer life and faster cut rate on the hardest surfaces.