Bill's Floor Sanding

Our mission is to create beautiful floors.

This is the essence of a warm and inviting home; smooth, natural looking floors which capture the warmth of sunlight with a welcome home feeling.

Bill's Floor Sanding Process is unique and important in achieving the outstanding results which are our hallmark. Preparation and work methods were developed from FOUR GENERATIONS of training and experience.

Preparation

Floors are checked for nails, carpet staples, tacks and any other material. Certain areas may be sealed off. Furniture and wall-hangings are the homeowners responsibility, unless we are hired for this.

Sanding

Our average floor will take 3 sandings:

• The first coarse sanding removes any existing finish, stain, paint, or oils. Exposing clean, bare wood is the goal.
• The second sanding is a finer sanding which removes scratches, and smoothes the surface.
• The third sanding (buffing) is done with a superfine-grade carborundum screen.

Edging

Sanding and scraping of edges, corners, and radiator areas are done with special equipment. Hand scraping or sanding of difficult areas may be necessary.

Cleaning

Nail holes are puttied and any other specialty detail work is completed. A final, slow, vacuum process takes place to remove all remaining particles.

Staining

If a floor is being stained proper ventilation is needed. Stain is applied using a bush or a rag. Generally a brush is used for heavier or darker application. Extreme care is needed to achieve color tone as the floors can not be made lighter once stained.

Finishing

The finish, or coating, process includes application of three coats. There are basically two types of urethane finishes: oil-based and water-based.

• The first coat is applied with a special applicator. It must be applied thick enough for an even base coat, without pooling or collecting.
• After the first coat is dry, a light buffing is done to prepare the surface for a second application.
• The second coat is applied. The finish must adhere evenly to the base coat. A second buffing is done after sufficient drying time. Humidity may affect the amount of drying time needed.
• The third (final coat) is applied. Technique is critical to achieve a smooth finish, without spotting or pooling.

Completion

After the third coat is dry, a final inspection is done to make sure the result meets our standards. The customer is advised of the curing period and how to treat the floor in the next few days. Some floors may take seven to days to completely cure.

Types of Finishes

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Oil-based

Oil modified urethane is often called "poly" and is the most common wood floor finish. It is very durable and adds a rich, amber tone due to its golden blond color. Oil-based finishes have a stronger odor when drying and take between 4-8 hours to do so.

Water-based

Water-based finishes are durable and faster drying (2-3 hrs). Generally clear in color, they are environmentally-friendly nearly odorless. Water-based finishes are more expensive and not recommended for high-traffic areas.

Moisture-cured

Moisture-cure urethanes are closely related to oil-based urethanes; extremely durable, but difficult to apply. They are the opposite of most finishes: drying with the presence of moisture rather than absence of it.

Stains and Penetrating

Oil-based stains can be applied before any type of finish. They may also be buffed in and used as an oil finish. There are also water-based stains, which are generally used in more selective applications.