Some questions about refinishing wood flooring.

[hedgehog]

We laid down some pre-finished wood flooring about 15 years back. It's good thick oak with I think 1/4" of surface above the interlocking grooves. I know when we put it down we figured we could sand and refinish it later.

So, 15 years of six kids and a husband tracking sand across the floor (I would never do such a thing of course), multiple dogs and cats and assorted mishaps and most of the finish is gone. A light sanding would take off what's left in the corners. Some pieces have cracked or splintered down the length; we'd have to fix those.

So, how much does it cost to have a wooden floor sanded and refinished? Is operating a floor sander something a relatively skilled person could do? (My husband refinished old cars)

Most importantly - how long would I have to keep the dogs and cats off a newly finished floor? What finish would be recommended? I'd like to go for something to bring out the oak grain with a light sheen.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. Is operating a floor sander something a relatively skilled person could do?

Maybe. Maybe not.

I consider myself relatively skilled and I tried it in my kitchen without very good results. In my own defense, the floor I was doing was meant to be a temporary fix so I may not have put 100% effort in to it - but it IS hard work and takes a bit of skill. Of course, someone who finishes cars might have what it takes.

In my market (Chicago) the floor finishers are pretty competitive. I had my entire 1200 square foot condo done for around 1400 dollars. My new neighbor downstairs was considering tackling the job with her parents because they received prices from a downstate refinisher over $4k. When I told them a more realistic neighborhood price they packed up all the supplies and returned them to the store.

I would, at the very least, get some names from friends or Angie's list and get three bids to compare versus DIY.

Good luck and post pictures!