The article has been published in Delphi.

Sanding a wooden floor is one of the stages of floor restoration, the main purpose of which is to prepare the wooden surface. Sanding removes the protective layers of the wooden surface - be it varnish, oil, paint or oil wax - and makes the surface smooth and clean before getting a new finish.

Sometimes, due to damage to the floor, a thinner or cracked floorboard or a loose parquet block may need to be reinstalled or even replaced. The main causes of floor damage are moisture, wear and tear or lack of rigidity.
Sanding a parquet floor requires the skills of the sander to notice details. Because the parquet blocks and pattern can be in different directions, sanding parquet presents greater challenges than wooden floors.

It is possible to use water-based or solvent-based varnishes, as well as oil wax and oil in different shades, for finishing the parquet floor.
The top layer of wooden parquet can be 2.5 - 6 mm. This is the minimum at which we can talk about table parquet when it comes to sanding. This thickness allows for a specific number of sandings during the life of the parquet.
It is important to sand only the top layers in order to preserve the most beautiful wood pattern. If the floor is in very bad condition, sanding alone may not save the floor.

"If the floor is covered with varnish, then worn places, which are mostly tracks, chair table bases, cannot be repaired. If it is covered with oil wax, it is possible to perform renovation oil waxing. For example, a new layer of colorless oil wax is applied to the walkways with a roller, several layers can also be applied if necessary. However, you should monitor your floor and, if possible, prevent this situation from occurring," says Ivo Vahkal, CEO of Lihvimeister OÜ.

How many times of sanding can be done during the lifetime of a wooden floor? Ivo Vahkal is proud that there are no restrictions for solid wood floors. For other floors, for example slatted parquet, 3-4 times. It depends on how straight the floor is, because the drum sander sands more in higher places and so the veneer can come off. In exceptional cases, of course, more. All types of wood can be sanded, including exotic wood floors.

What mistakes are made? "In most cases, a disc sander is rented, and it is assumed that the entire floor can be finished with it, right up to the final sanding. However, to create a beautiful floor, professionals use 4-5 different machines, depending on the floor. Therefore, at each stage, a corresponding machine is used, which you must also know how to handle. A very common mistake is related to oiling. Oiling the floor can be done, but it is forgotten that after oiling, the excess oil must be collected from the floor. The consequence is that the floor remains stained and the excess oil does not dry. By reacting immediately, it is possible to save the situation," explains the specialist.