If you’re thinking about floor sanding, questions are probably going to start to surface about how to sand right up to the edges, and whether the sanding is going to damage the skirting boards or not.
This article will address these common questions and shed some light on the machinery and tools we use to get the job done.
When considering the process of sanding a floor, it is important to remember that the edges of the room will need to be blended with the main body of the floor. So for example, when the main body of the floor has been sanded with a 40 grit paper (the most common starting grit), then the edges will also need to be sanded with a 40 grit. This will need to be repeated with each in the series of grits, or we run the risk of having a visible difference between the centre and edges of your flooring. We continue this cycle until reaching 100 grit paper.
Always remember to thoroughly vacuum before each grit change as any grime or dirt which is not removed will be ground into the floor when the next level of grit is applied, causing scratches to the wood that can be easily avoided. It sounds like a tedious and labour-intensive task, but the difference in result is more than worth the additional effort.
Once we have ensured all scratches are removed for a fine finish, we then go over the entire floor once more using a 100 grit, before finishing with the final step in the process: sanding the corners. You can see more detailed information on this complex aspect by reading our post: ‘How to Sand Corners of a Floor’.
Our edge sander of choice is called the Lagler FLIP. It’s fairly light in weight (thanks to it’s highly durable glass-fibre reinforced plastic used in the motor casing, handle and attachment), very powerful, surprisingly easy to use, and (like the rest of our machinery) is virtually dust free! Like all Lagler machines, the FLIP has been designed down to the last detail with ergonomics, simple handling and maintenance in mind and can be easily applied to a variety of edge sanding requirements with its selection of additional attachments. The FLIP is also the first Wood Dust Certified edge sander in the world, with dust emissions at less than 1mg per m3 ensuring a safe working environment and making it our edger of choice.
The Lagler FLIP is designed to sand to the very edges of the floor, and has a small wheel which runs along the skirting board to protect it. That being said, no tool is completely perfect, so on occasion it can still be possible to clip the skirting board with the edge of the machine, leaving a small mark.
As we always use machines that are virtually dust free, we always advise our clients to have all their decorating work done before sanding commences. Occasionally the paintwork on the skirting boards may need a slight touch up, but this is far easier to do than risk getting paint on a freshly sanded floor (and potentially having to call a professional back in to re-sand areas that have been splashed by paint. An all too common occurrence). If you’ve chosen to sand your own floors, or are using decorators that don’t use dust-free machinery, then you’ll need to weigh up the difficulty of doing this on a case-by-case basis.
If you’d like to know more, or have any questions about anything floor-sanding related, please feel free to contact us.
For any more help and advice please feel free to call us on 01962 733016 or email info@winchesterwoodfloors.co.uk and we can get your flooring project off the ground today!