How a hardwood floor refinish works

Before the job

• Clear the rooms completely, including anything on the walls you'd hate to get dust on
• Take down curtains that touch the floor
• Plan where pets and people will be. Nobody can cross the floor while coats dry.
• Arrange heating or air conditioning to stay steady. Big swings in temperature or humidity slow drying.

Day by day, for a typical main floor

1. Sanding. Three passes with the big sander, from coarse to fine grit, then edging along walls and scraping corners. Dust containment systems capture most of the dust, though some fine dust is normal.
2. Filling and stain. Nail holes and gouges are filled and sanded flush. If you're staining, samples go down first, then the full floor.
3. Finish coats. Sealer and two topcoats. Water-based coats can go on a few hours apart; oil-based needs overnight between coats.
4. Drying. The floor is left to harden before anyone walks on it.

After the job

Use felt pads under every furniture leg, and lift heavy pieces rather than sliding them.

A note on Ottawa winters

Dry winter air shrinks hardwood, and small gaps between boards open up in January and close again in summer. That's normal. Seasonal gaps shouldn't be filled, because filler cracks and pops out when the boards swell back. A humidifier in winter helps keep gaps small.