Sanding and refinishing a wooden floor

Wooden floors are used a lot in everyday life. As a result, traces of use can become visible on the floor, such as scratches or damage. If maintenance oil no longer produces any results, you can sand and refinish the wooden floor. Even if the floor is still in good condition, you can choose to refinish the wooden floor with a new color.

To restore or recolor a wooden floor, the floors can be treated with various products, such as oil, hard wax or lacquer. By properly maintaining the floor, you can enjoy the comfort of a wooden floor for longer. Our experienced parquet fitters can take care of the sanding and refinishing of the floor for you.

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Treating wooden floors

You can treat a wooden floor with products such as oil, hard wax and lacquer. With hard wax and lacquer, a protective layer is applied to the wood. However, the oil is often polished into the wood, so that there is no layer on the wood. Hardwax and lacquer can give the wood a shiny appearance, whereas oil gives a matte appearance.

The advantage of an oil over the other products is that oil can be applied locally. The floor does not need to be sanded first.

The cost of sanding and oiling a wooden floor depends on the number of square meters. But it is in any case much cheaper (and more durable) than replacing the wooden floor. In addition, you can have optional activities carried out. Think, for example, of replacing or repainting the skirting boards or covering a staircase in the same (new) color as the wooden floor.

Costs for sanding and oiling a wooden floor: in addition to regular vacuuming and removal of the floor, we at Uipkes Wooden Floors advise to maintain the floor periodically. Regular maintenance keeps the floor in good condition and you can enjoy it for a lifetime. This means that sanding the floor is no longer necessary.

The floor can be sanded if you wish to change the color or if there are visible wear spots. We can explain the options in a consultation or by sending an email to info@uipkes.nl. Sanding and oiling the floor costs approximately € 36 per m2.
Costs for sanding and lacquering a wooden floor: With a varnished floor, the protective layer is on top of the wood. As a result, the floor is closed against dirt and moisture. Over time, this can become damaged and bald spots can occur.

The floor must always be sanded before you can apply a new layer of lacquer. Applying the lacquer is done in three times, 1 time base coat and 2 times top coat. In the meantime, the floor should be lightly sanded. Sanding and painting costs approximately € 39 per m2.

A wooden floor from Uipkes Wood Flooring is always oiled. The floor no longer needs to be sanded and you get a floor for life.

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FAQ About Sanding, Oiling and Lacquering

View the frequently asked questions about sanding and treating wooden floors below.

Can you repair light damages to the wooden floor?

If your wooden floor only has some minor damage, signs of use or wear, it is usually not necessary to sand and oil the floor. It is then sufficient to clean the floor and then treat it with a maintenance oil. If afterwards it turns out that this is not enough, you can always decide to sand and oil the floor.

Can your repair local damage to the wooden floor?

The advantage of oil-finished wooden floors is that they can be touched up locally. Local damage can therefore be repaired by only sanding the damaged wood and treating it with oil.

When is sanding and oiling or lacquering the wooden floor not an option?

If your wooden floor is damaged to such an extent that renovation no longer gives the desired effect, the floor must be replaced. This can be the case, for example, if several floor parts have bulged due to too much moisture.

In addition, cracks and shrinkage seams can occur in the floorboards if the wood has become too dry. This can happen if the humidity is below 40 percent for a longer period of time. It is best to have a wooden floor specialist assess whether sanding and oiling is actually not an option.

How often can you sand a wooden floor?

That depends on the top layer of the wooden floor. Most wooden floors are made of parquet. An engineered wood floor is a layered floor with a top layer of solid wood. The top layer is usually between 3 and 6 millimeters thick.

Logically, a floor with a top layer of 3 millimeters can be sanded less often than a floor with a top layer of 6 millimeters.

When is sanding and oiling of the entire floor necessary?

Sanding and oiling the entire floor is necessary if the floor is poorly maintained or has wear spots and/or damage in several places. In addition, sanding and oiling of the entire wooden floor is necessary if you want to give it a different color.

Wooden floors that have been finished with lacquer can only be sanded and lacquered in their entirety. Local repair is not possible..

Can you help clear the space for sanding and oiling?

The preparation for sanding a wooden floor can be a major operation if you have a lot of or heavy furniture. We can help to move furniture to another space at the same floor level.

If this is not possible, we offer the option of sanding and oiling the floor in two times by moving furniture to one side of a room and later treating the other half of the floor. Consult with our advisors to find a suitable solution.

Can the bevels be re-milled?

Yes, that is possible. After we have sanded the floor, we use a milling machine to make the bevelled edges beautiful again, so that the floor as a whole looks sleek again.

What optional activities can you do?

In addition to the wooden floor, we can also sand and oil other oak elements. For example, think of convector grilles, window sills and sills.

If you have the wooden floor sanded and oiled, it is worth considering re-cladding the stairs with wood and finishing it in the same color as your floor. In this way, the floor seamlessly transitions to the stairs and together they form a beautiful whole.

Sanding and oiling wooden floors: do it yourself or outsource?

The main advantage of sanding and oiling / lacquering your wooden floor yourself is that you save on the labor costs of a parquet installer. However, there are the following drawbacks:

The chance of making mistakes when sanding is quite high. For example, you need to know how to properly adjust the sanding machine, otherwise you could damage the wooden floor.
If you cause damage, you still have to call in a parquet installer to repair the damage. You will then lose more money than if you had outsourced the sanding and oiling.
You incur costs to rent a sander.
Treating the wooden floor with oil and giving it the desired color can be quite a challenge. Previous treatments of the wooden floor can affect the final result.
Sanding and oiling yourself takes a lot of time, especially if you've never done it before.

What are the advantages of having a wooden floor sanded and refinished?

Do you really dread applying the maintenance oil? Then we can help you with this. We can provide maintenance for you periodically or over a longer period of time.

The advantages at a glance:

The same experienced parquet installers who install the floors take care of the sanding and refinishing.
The treatment is carried out professionally: The floor parts will be well protected and the floor will be as good as new again.
During the process, the floor is checked for damage and minor repairs are solved free of charge.

Given the advantages and disadvantages, it is in most cases the most sensible option to have your wooden floor sanded and oiled by a parquet professional. If you really want to do it yourself, first take the time to read up on how to do the work. Do you want to provide your existing wooden floors with a unique Uipkes color or buy a new wood floor? Visit one of our showrooms or send an email to info@uipkes.nl.

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Before sanding and oiling a wooden floor some preperation needs to be done. For example all rooms need to be empty and cleaned

Preparations for sanding and oiling

Before the parquet installer starts working for you, do the following:

Make sure you vacuum the floor well. Don't forget the radiators, they often contain a lot of dust that can get on the floor during oiling.
Remove baseboards (including kitchen baseboards), cords and furniture so that the parquet installer can easily reach everything.
Prepare enough food and drinks if your wooden floor is also in the kitchen. The oil has to dry thoroughly before you can walk on the floor. So you can't reach the kitchen.
Test the new color first on a piece of floor where there is normally furniture. That way you can see whether the new color meets your expectations before the entire floor gets the new color. The smoke treatment of the original floor can affect the new color.

After sanding and oiling

Allow the oil to dry for at least 24 hours before walking on the floor.
If you want to put down rugs, wait at least three weeks before doing so. That way the oil can harden properly.
Do not slide heavy furniture over the floor in the first weeks and apply felt pads under furniture to prevent damage when sliding.
Wait about two weeks before mopping.

A floor for life

You can sand and oil a Uipkes wooden floor if maintenance with the maintenance oil no longer gives the desired result or if you want to change color. So you can consider a treatment once every 20-25 years.

The wooden floors of Uipkes Wood Flooring can be sanded 3-6 times (depending on the wood product.) This way, a wooden floor from Uipkes will last a lifetime and it can even be a floor for the next generation!

Tip from Uipkes: Make sure that there is a good mat by the door so that the worst dirt does not end up on the wooden floor. Place felt pads under tables, chairs and other furniture to protect the floor from damage. For chairs, check whether specialized parquet wheels are fitted.

Want more information?

Would you like more information about maintaining or sanding a wooden floor? Or do you want us to carry out the maintenance/sanding for you? Visit one of our showrooms in Alphen, Amsterdam or Naarden. You can also plan a videocall. For questions you can contact us or send an email to info@uipkes.nl.

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