How can you sand a wooden floor manually? How to scrape a floor: all the methods from A to Z. Algorithm for performing work on scraping a floor by machine with your own hands

Nothing compares to the coziness that wooden floors - parquet or simple planks - give to your home. Natural wood warm, lively, beautifully textured, and lasts a long time if properly cared for. It happens that floorboards and parquet blocks dry out, become deformed, and cracks appear on them. Heavy furniture or strong impacts leave chips. The once beautiful floor is rapidly losing its respectable appearance. But don’t think that replacing a wooden floor is the only way out of the situation. Such repairs are expensive and troublesome. Sanding a wooden floor will help restore the room to its former attractiveness. At a relatively low cost, all identified defects will be removed, and the floor will be pleasing again.

What does the term "scraping" mean?

The name of this type of work comes from the tool with which it was performed - a scraper. The device has a handle and a scraper rigidly fixed on it with a slightly curved blade of a special shape. Sanding a floorboard or parquet involves removing a very thin top layer along with damaged areas, remnants of the paint layer, and stubborn dirt. But today cycles are rarely used. Sanding machines can easily cope with this task.

When is scraping required?

First you need to understand whether this gentle procedure will be enough. You can limit yourself to scraping if the plank floor is damaged, shallow dents have formed on it, there are stains, or the old coating has been partially erased. Scraping is the ideal solution if you want to change the coating and apply varnish instead of paint. If individual floor elements have become unusable (cracked, deformed), then after replacing them you will also need to cycle the entire room.

If the damage is too deep, you will have to think about completely replacing the flooring. If you need to repair parquet, then in this case the removed layer will have to be made as thin as possible.

Call the experts for help or try it yourself

There is nothing complicated about sanding an old plank floor. But there are several moments when you should not overestimate your capabilities, but it is better to turn to professional craftsmen. These include:

large scraping area;
serious multiple damage to floor boards (more than half the thickness of the board);
the presence of parquet, especially with ornaments or rare woods;
the parquet “went screwy”, split, and was sanded many times;
boards often get wet (for example, the floor in a country house), there is obvious signs mold or woodworm traces.

All these defects are easily identified visually. Excessive humidity can be determined by laying plastic film on the floor for a day. If condensation appears on it, then scraping is pointless; complete disassembly, drying and waterproofing will be required.

The wear of boards and parquet dies is determined using an awl. It is stuck into the boards at an angle of 45º. Depending on the type of wood, the immersion depth should not exceed 3-7mm. If the awl goes deeper, then the floor will have to be completely changed.

All these problems require a thorough and large-scale solution, so it is better to entrust them to professionals. If there are no serious defects, then you can try to do the scraping yourself.

It is better to completely empty the room of furniture and remove the chandelier. If this is not possible, the furniture is moved to one wall, the floor is treated free space, then the furniture is moved to the looped area and work continues. In this case, the furniture must be tightly covered with film. Sometimes you have to take the door off its hinges. The doorway is also tightly covered with film.

After this, the floor itself is inspected. Sanding of a wooden floor is carried out only on a leveled surface with defects eliminated. The joists and subfloor are checked. Creaky floorboards, deformed and broken boards are replaced, and protruding nail heads are recessed into the board. Large gaps between the boards are filled with scraps, a mixture of sawdust and glue.

Sanding a painted floor requires special training. There are usually several layers of paint, especially in older houses. The paint is first removed using a scraper (preferably an electric hair dryer, which heats up all layers of paint and helps remove them easily), white spirit and a stiff brush. You'll have to clean it all the way down to the wood. If there is mastic on the floor, it must also be cleaned off.

Protruding floorboards are leveled using a plane. After that problem areas putty, allow to dry for two days and sand with sandpaper.

Tools and materials

Floor scraping will require thorough instrumental preparation. Necessary tools and equipment:

a scraper or surface grinder (you can rent one);
hand scraper for cleaning baseboards or hard-to-reach areas;
scraper or electric hair dryer;
sandpaper of several grain sizes;
powerful vacuum cleaner;
brush with hard (metal) bristles;
brushes and rollers;
special putty for wooden floors;
scissors, screwdriver or hammer;
personal protective equipment.

When choosing a sanding machine, pay attention to the degree of stripping. Deep cleaning is not necessary, especially for parquet.

Before starting work

Be sure to use the funds personal protection. Working even with modern sanding machines without dust is impossible. In addition to comfortable work clothes, wear gloves, a respirator and goggles. Since the machine is quite noisy, earplugs are a good idea. The hair is completely tucked under the hat.

The windows in the room are opened to let in Fresh air, and there was less dust.

Work technology

Start working with the coarsest sandpaper. The sheet is inserted into the drum of the machine and firmly secured. You should not turn on the car too abruptly, especially if you have little experience. The device is slightly tilted to the side, turned on and slowly lowered onto the boards. If you do this suddenly, the machine may fly out of your hands and cause injury. Throughout the entire work, the machine is not released from your hands.

It is very important to follow the direction of work. Sanding the floor boards starts from the corner opposite the door. The car is driven diagonally. Each track is overlapped. Pass the floor several times, and before each repeated pass change the sandpaper to a finer-grained one. Periodically, the sandpaper and dust collector are cleaned of wood dust, and if necessary, torn sanding sheets are replaced.

If the parquet has a classic herringbone laying, then the final sanding with the finest-grained paper is carried out not diagonally, but along and across. The plank floor is sanded clean in the direction of the board. Figured parquet is scraped with perpendicular tracks, the finishing pass is performed spirally and only with a surface grinding tool.

Move evenly, without stopping in one place, to avoid excessive removal of the top layer.
At the walls they work with a manual scraper or a special machine for borders with a medium-grained nozzle. Also, expensive parquet is sanded manually, using smooth circular movements,

At the end of sanding, the floor is thoroughly vacuumed and wiped with a rag. The room must be closed for a day so that the floor material can “rest.” Only after this can you begin decorative coating with varnish or paint.

How much does beauty cost?

There is nothing super complicated about looping. But if repairs are scary, it’s better to think about the help of specialists. The price of the work depends on several factors:

floor area;
coating material;
the degree of wear of the wooden floor, its age;
urgency and so on.

You should not invite craftsmen who claim a minimum cost for 1 without checking square meter. Most likely, the cost is not included Supplies or preliminary repairs. All this must be discussed before starting work.

Modern high-tech grinding machines can significantly reduce the cost of work. Such devices work on all types of wooden floors and reduce the amount of dust to a minimum. In this case, the processing will be very careful, which is important for an expensive or antique coating.

The craftsmen will also perform all repair and preparatory work, replace damaged joists and sections of the subfloor. If necessary, they will select boards and dies that best match the texture in order to restore the parquet pattern. Since all work is usually carried out as a complex, the price per m2 turns out to be quite affordable. Many companies provide a guarantee on their work and significant discounts for repeat applications. To maintain a wooden floor in impeccable condition, it is recommended to carry out sanding at least once every 7-8 years; as a result, comfort and beauty in the house will not cost much.

What is looping and why is it needed?
What will you need?
Which varnish is better to use?
Performance of a rented scraping machine
Beginning of work
How to cycle further?
Floor cleaning
Floor priming
Applying varnish
Final works

Old parquet has a worn or completely disappeared layer of varnish. Individual parquet boards may become deformed, interparquet seams may crumble, and potholes, cracks, and chips may appear. In such cases, restoration is required. Cycling the floor - bringing it to a condition close to new. For this upper layer sanded (scraped) - the remaining varnish is removed and the surface is leveled.

When sanding is completed, you should end up with a smooth parquet floor, not protected by a layer of varnish. Then the parquet is primed and varnished. The restoration of the old is completed, the surface is almost new.

What will you need for the job?

Manual scraping of parquet is less expensive, but takes much more time, so it is better to trust the technique. The main equipment includes a sanding machine and an angle grinder. For a sanding machine you will need sandpaper.

You should take it in different grain sizes: to perform rough work for manual sanding, sandpaper with grain number 30 is more suitable, and for finishing, final stages– with grain number 120.

If the parquet is in poor condition and you have to restore it manually, you can purchase 60-grit sandpaper for better sanding.

For an angle grinder, you buy a grinding wheel for processing wood. The diameter should match the saw rotor. During operation, it may form a large number of wood dust and debris, so prepare the necessary tools in advance - a dustpan, a broom or brush, a vacuum cleaner.

Which varnish is better to use?

For home needs, the most preferable option is matte varnishes on water based. They are practically harmless, dry quickly and do not form a shiny surface. Semi-gloss varnishes are also used. The use of glossy varnishes is undesirable. Firstly, in bright, sunlit rooms, shiny surfaces give glare and reflections, which further strains vision. Secondly, such a coating is subject to rapid abrasion.

If there is an uneven load on the floor surface, abrasion will be different, which will sooner or later affect appearance the entire floor. Some places will remain fresh and shiny, while others will be slightly worn out. For example, there is relatively little movement at the edges of the room and in the corners, but in central parts rooms – intense.

Where can I get scraping equipment?

It is not necessary to buy a scraping machine. It will be much more effective to rent equipment from rental companies for several days. During this time, one or two craftsmen carry out the entire volume of work as in small room, and in the apartment as a whole.

Performance of the scraping machine

The rental company should check the car for its suitability for operation. First, pay attention to the rubber band of the drum. It should only be new. If the part shows signs of use, ask for a replacement. A worn out rubber band may break during use.

Then you need to make sure that the air passages are clean - they should not be clogged with debris.

Ask to attach a dust bag to the air duct and turn on the machine. This must be done carefully so that dust does not get into your eyes.

Electrical equipment and network load

The scraping machine has a lot of power and consumes a lot of energy. You need to make sure that the wiring in the apartment - sockets, internal and external cables, electrical extension cords - can withstand such a load. All electrical equipment rated for 16 A. Otherwise, you will need to connect the car directly to the electrical panel in the entrance, bypassing the apartment wiring.

Preparing the premises for work

All objects and things located on the floor must first be removed from the room. Wall paintings, clocks, shelves are well protected from dust and debris. Sockets must be freed from other electrical appliances.

Then you begin to inspect the floor: the skirting boards are removed along the perimeter and the parquet is thoroughly cleaned. All metal objects and hard material, such as nails or screws, are removed. If these rules are not followed, there is a risk of tearing the rubber band of the drum when using a scraping machine.

Beginning of work

The correct technology for scraping parquet begins with the fact that a piece of coarse sandpaper is cut with scissors to fit the width and length of the drum circumference of the sanding machine with some margin and overlapped into the drum. Then a dust bag is tied with a rope.

The regulator sets the height of the drum above the floor. The smaller it is, the deeper the scraping of the floorboard goes, and the larger it is, the finer it is. If the floor has significant unevenness and potholes, then deep scraping is required on the first pass. Subsequently, the scraping is made finer.

The equipment is placed at the edge of the room and connected through extension cords. The principle of passages is as follows. The car is driven from one end of the room to the opposite. Then they return to the place where the scraping began, move it to the already covered width of the parquet and repeat everything. This is done until the entire room has been passed from one side to the opposite.

If the room is large, then more than once you will need to replace the sandpaper in the drum. The direction of scraping should be different from the direction of placing parquet flooring on the floor. Best option– angle 45 degrees.

Working with an angle grinder

After sanding the floorboard, you need to perform work in places that are inaccessible to a conventional machine. Such places include the edges of the room, its corners, parquet under heating radiators.

First, a disc is inserted into the angle grinder to sand the wood. The grinder has high shaft rotation speeds - about 11,000 rpm.

The disk must be positioned strictly parallel to the floor surface. If it is located at an angle to the parquet, then you can easily leave a deep scar on the floor. Such a mark is then extremely difficult to level with the rest of the surface.

Carrying out the floor putty process

You can use the most common wood glue. There is also a special putty for such work. If you use glue, after scraping you need to collect some sawdust from the floor and mix it well with the glue until a thick consistency is obtained.

Then, covering the entire area of the room, rub the putty with a spatula into the cracks, holes and other irregularities in the floor that could not be cut off, and remove using a sander. After completing the work, a pause is made to give the putty time to dry.

How to cycle further?

After puttying, they move on to sanding again. This time the drum of the machine is filled with fine-grained sandpaper and the entire floor is covered with it in the same way as the first time.

The only difference is the direction of scraping relative to the placement of the parquet itself. The directions of the parquet flooring and the sanding must match, as in the photo. At this stage, the final leveling of the entire floor area occurs. In addition, the surface is cleaned of excess putty mass. This final stage, which required the participation of a scraping machine.

Cleaning

The surface should be cleaned very carefully after sanding. To begin with, use a dustpan, broom or brush to collect all large debris - sawdust, wood chips, sandpaper scraps, putty residues, etc.

Then wait the time it takes for the dust to settle on the floor. Then use a vacuum cleaner to remove all dust from the floor. Only dry cleaning is carried out in the room, since wet cleaning can negatively affect the physical properties of the parquet.

Floor priming

You can use the inexpensive and familiar to many primer “Berezka”, or other universal or specially designed products for wood processing. Primer consumption can be read on the container. Treating the floor surface will make it harder and reduce the amount of varnish during further manipulations.

The primer is applied in the same way as paint - using a roller or brush, sequentially passing from one wall to another over the entire area of the room. Upon completion of the work, you need to give the floor time to dry again.

Applying varnish

If there is a possible shortage of varnish to complete the work, it is quite acceptable to dilute it with the appropriate component - a solvent.

In this case, the applied layer becomes thinner, but this method will allow you to complete the work without purchasing an additional container. Apply the varnish using a regular brush. Further stages include sequential passage of all rooms - this is not difficult to do.

The floor is usually varnished twice. In this case, each layer must have time to dry completely. The entire room must be isolated from drafts during varnishing. The windows are closed. This will allow you to maintain the microclimate in the room at the same level, which will contribute to obtaining a better result in the end.

Final works

The last thing you need to do is to ventilate the room well. You can then bring in furniture and reopen wall items that remained wrapped up in the room during scraping.

Neither of existing materials cannot compare with natural wood either in quality or in visual appeal. Of course wooden house with a wooden floor is environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing and as comfortable as possible, but in five years there will be no trace left of its former beauty.

And if the walls can still be somehow “brought to life”, covered with a new layer of varnish, then what to do with the floor covering, which is subjected to heavy loads, is completely unclear. But experienced builders know a fairly simple way to return wooden floor its former beauty. It's about about sanding a wooden floor.

The name of the process - scraping - comes from a special scraping tool that was used for a long time to remove the top layer wooden covering. A scraper is a small handle with metal plates attached to it.

Cycling was carried out until the first grinding machine was invented, which has now completely replaced the cycle.

Such a machine can be of two types:

drum;
disk

The use of drum machines is advisable only in cases where a large area of wooden flooring is to be processed. The disadvantages of the machine include the unevenness of scraping, which is why even the most experienced builder will not be able to maintain the entire floor surface at the same level. For this reason, today such a device only removes old paint and carry out rough sanding of the wood.

Disc machines, unlike drum machines, do not have such disadvantages. Having appeared relatively recently, this equipment has already gained popularity thanks to its absolutely flat surface, which remains after processing, without any stripes or differences. The cost of drum machines is quite high, so they are used mainly by professional and repair teams.

Note! According to the manufacturers, scraping machines are capable of restoring a wooden floor by 90%.

First, find out whether the old wooden floor can be sanded. To do this, conduct a thorough inspection. If you find that there is too much gap between the boards or they are damaged, first replace the defective covering elements. Only after this start working.

What will be required at work?

For scraping you will need:

scraping machine;
screwdriver;
curb sander or hand scraper;
abrasive sheets of varying hardness;
polyethylene film;
mineral alcohol (necessary for removing varnish).

Note! If you plan to scrape parquet, then the grinding machine must be a disk grinder (1 or 3 disks), but, for example, for wooden planks A drum-type device is also quite suitable.

Stage one. Preparing the premises

First, remove furniture and carpets from the room. Take down framed photographs and paintings as well bookshelves It is better to protect it from dust by covering it with a large piece of film.

Dismantle interior door. Cover the opening with film, securing the edges with tape to prevent dust from penetrating into adjacent rooms. On the contrary, open the windows so that all the dust comes out.

Stage two. Preparing the floor covering

If there are minor gaps between the floorboards, then they need to be filled with filler, for example, sawdust. To remove old varnish, use mineral spirits and a scraper.

After this, wash the floor and let it dry thoroughly for 2-3 days.

After preparation, all that remains is to purchase good headphones and a respirator. When scraping, the noise level and dust generation increase significantly, so think about safety measures.

Stage three. Cycling

There is an opinion that scraping is an extremely complex and labor-intensive procedure. In reality, the hardest part is keeping the sander in position.

1. Start of the process

Start by using coarse sanding sheets. This will help remove the remnants of the old coating, remove all defects and unevenness of the material.

Note! When working, always hold the wire from the scraping device on your shoulder so as not to accidentally damage it.

Before starting the machine, tilt it slightly, then carefully lower it to the floor. You will notice the work of the tape immediately, since the device will be more difficult to hold in your hands. Move across the room, holding tightly to the handle of the device. Having reached the opposite wall, smoothly lift it and turn it 180ᵒ.

Cycle twisted boards a little differently. Move diagonally, that is, from one corner of the room to another. Do this several times, then repeat the procedure, but in the opposite direction. The smoothness of the floor will be perfect after this.

3. Sanding with medium-grit sheets

After sanding the twisted boards, replace the previous sheet with a medium-grain one. Move along the boards. Start with this if the floor surface is not too damaged.

When you have finished processing, make sure that no areas were missed. Then take a fine-grained sheet and repeat the entire procedure.

After treating the floor, all that remains is to scrape it off near the walls. A curb scraper is perfect for this; start with medium-grain sheets and end with the finest disc.

Note! A regular sanding machine will not work for this as it does not have the same precision as a border sander.

5. Shutdown

This is where the looping ends. Sweep the floor and wipe it with a dry cloth, then apply the topcoat.

Note! You cannot leave a wooden floor untreated after sanding, as it will quickly become damaged during use.

It’s worth talking about this separately important stage preparing the floor covering, such as filling cracks. Use special putty pastes for this, which can be:

ready;
those that need to be mixed with a special putty composition.

Note! You should not follow the advice of would-be specialists who insist that you only need to putty on cracks and other damaged areas - this will not give the desired effect.

Mix the putty thoroughly and apply it to the required surface. Wait until it dries (this will take about an hour), then follow the instructions.

Note! Do not immediately arrange the furniture! Wait until the varnish is completely dry and crystallizes.

Note! Water-based varnish coatings have no odor, but this cannot be said about polyurethane coatings, for example.

As a conclusion

It is worth noting that not in all cases a wooden floor can be restored by scraping. It is recommended to entrust the process to specialists, but the work can be done independently.
For a detailed introduction to the scraping procedure, watch the proposed thematic video material.

Sanding with further varnishing is great way restore worn wood floors without the need to re-floor. However, scraping is a very expensive, very labor-intensive process that requires fairly high skill. Sanding a wooden floor with your own hands is also possible, but before doing it, you should learn the nuances and features of such work.

Before and after scraping.

When is it not possible and when is it possible to cycle?

Sanding a parquet floor is more profitable than replacing it only if the floor is evenly worn down. It makes no sense to scrape the floor in the following cases:

The parquet has dried out, the lock has swelled or split;
The presence of evaporation or midge from the base floor and rot on the parquet board;
The presence of noticeable potholes or unevenness on the floor;
When there is less than 5 millimeters left from the top of the boards to the tongue;
There is a wood-boring beetle in the room.

Some factors can be determined by eye. Weed on the ceiling and walls is noticeable by the peeling of the re-glued wallpaper. The bug is detected by the appearance of small holes containing pieces of wood dust on the baseboards or floor. . And fungus and moisture from below can be detected by simple testing.

The floor is checked for moisture by covering it with plastic film, pressed down around the perimeter with weights and slats. If condensation appears under the film during the day, we can talk about the uselessness of scraping. In such rooms, the old floors are removed, the main floor is waterproofed, the room is dried out and a new floor is laid.

Before scraping, the floor undergoes a moisture test using film.

The condition of the parquet boards is checked with a simple shoe awl, which is used to prick the parquet flooring in the corners. With medium pressure, the tip should enter no more than 3-5 millimeters into oak parquet, and up to 7 millimeters into ash, walnut or birch parquet. A deeper penetration indicates the presence of mold.

Equipment and costs

Do-it-yourself floor scraping, which you can see in the video, requires tools and equipment such as a surface grinder for finishing sanding before varnishing and a drum sander for removing (scraping, stripping) old varnish and rough leveling of surfaces, an industrial vacuum cleaner for removing dust before varnishing, an angle grinder that cleans the edges of corners and floors, 3 discs for a surface grinder, emery cloth, parquet varnish.

Do not use household vacuum cleaners to remove dust before varnishing. Their power does not allow them to “suck through” the floor. After them, it is impossible to achieve a mirror smooth surface.

An alternative option involves manual, dust-free and silent scraping. Before varnishing, cleaning can be done even with ancient Soviet “Rockets” - the device produces small shavings. However, for an area of 10 sq.m. a novice master will spend up to 12 hours of time and a lot of effort.

To perform parquet scraping you need to think about protective equipment. Indeed, during work in the air of the room, the density of fine dust will be very high. And it is necessary to protect the respiratory system and eyes with the help of safety glasses and a petal respirator; hair can be covered with a helmet or scarf.

The noise level emitted by the grinding machine poses a danger to the hearing organs, so it is worth stocking up with ear muffs. You should wear tight clothing that buttons up to the neck, with cuffs that fit snugly at the wrists.

When performing work, you must use personal protective equipment.

If possible, it is advisable to remove all things from the room or wrap them up plastic film. Windows are opened wide during work.

Features of scraping

The basic principle of the machine method of scraping parquet is to prevent the wood from moving for a long time across the grain. This can lead to chipping and gouging of boards.

Looping various types parquet has its own characteristics.

Stripping (cleaning) parquet made of straight-layer wood laid in a herringbone pattern. Performed at a 45-degree angle to the parquet flooring. Carrying out finishing sanding – across and along the parquet floors. Therefore, the procedure is performed in 2 passes. Sanding of figured straight-layer parquet is carried out in 2 mutually perpendicular directions, two-pass operations.

Decorative parquet is scraped using spiral and circular movements from the edge to the center. For those who do not know what this is, you need to warn that the procedure is carried out only with a surface grinder. Peeling may require up to two passes: a delay in one area to process “stubborn” areas is not allowed.

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Elements artistic parquet often made from fine-grained wood of valuable species. This parquet is scraped by parquet masters high level either manually or with a small angle grinder in a circular motion, gradually moving from section to section, taking into account the design of the pattern and the properties of individual elements.

Performing scraping

Do-it-yourself floor scraping is done in a certain order. Furniture is taken out, baseboards are removed, the floor is swept with a broom and vacuumed with a household vacuum cleaner. Then coarse sandpaper 36-40 is tucked into the drum and the entire area is covered twice according to the pattern, with the exception of inconveniences and corners. Work begins from the far wall with gradual approach to more traveled areas. Dust from the dust collector is poured into a plastic bag.

A set of necessary tools for scraping.

The remaining stains of varnish (distinguished by dark spots) are removed with circular smooth movements from the edges to the center with an angle grinder. Using an angle grinder, the varnish is also peeled off in niches and corners, with pendulum smooth movements from the boundaries of the treated surfaces to the wall.

Finish grinding is carried out with a surface grinder: the main floor area is covered according to the scheme. When there is a noticeable boundary of the area processed with an angle grinder, the niches and corners are again passed through.

Dust must also be collected from all finishing stages.

The putty base is mixed with dust. Using a putty spatula, the entire floor area is evenly puttied. The process of filling potholes and cracks after varnishing can result in the appearance of unsightly stains. Using a drum with 60-80 sandpaper, after the putty has dried, the floor is smoothed; in inconvenient areas, an angle grinder is used.

Floor varnishing. When the varnish is completely dry, remove the rising wood pile with a drum of 100-120 sandpaper or using a surface sander. Inconvenient areas are also processed with an angle grinder.

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Using a vacuum cleaner, carefully go over the ceiling, walls and floor twice. The floor is varnished in 2 layers, the subsequent ones - after the previous one has completely dried. If the parquet is valuable or, on the contrary, old and no repairs are planned in the near future, then it is varnished three or four times.

A microfiber roller is the best tool for varnishing. Multilayer high-quality varnishing can only be done using a roller. But it's not cheap. Finishing can be done with a drum with 100-120 or 60-80 sandpaper. However, the result will not be an “ice mirror”. However, plywood parquet or herringbone cannot be ironed to such an extent with a machine.

Plank floor

The procedure for sanding a wooden floor does not require the use of a surface sander: it is still impossible to smooth it to an ideal result.

The natural deflection of the boards can be 1-2 millimeters, but its radius is compared with the radius of the tension rollers tape machine or sanding drum. Rollers or a drum with a tape can resonate, and instead of smooth floors, you can get a brake track for reckless drivers.

Manual scraping is performed using a scraper: a piece of plane with a blade curved with a hook.

Manual looping.

First, the piece of iron is released: it is heated for 10-15 minutes on a gas flame until it glows dark cherry and is left in the air to cool.

Then it is clamped in a vice together with a piece of pipe and bent with uniform, frequent and light blows of the hammer. After this, having aligned the blade until it is even on the circle, it is hardened, heated to light red and lowered into water. Sharpening is performed by removing it onto a wedge from the outside of the bend.

The productivity of manual sanding doubles or more, while the work itself becomes easier when used as a scraper - a special tool used to clean seams in the plank lining of small vessels before replacing the caulk. For scraping, the scraper must be prepared; for this, its edges are made smooth on sandpaper, tempered, bent, hardened and sharpened, like a scraper made from a plane iron.

In the process of repairing wooden floors, the procedure of self-sanding is a very labor-intensive, dusty, noisy and complex job. Not everyone is able to understand how to properly cycle a floor with their own hands. In addition, it is not always possible to restore the floor using sanding. If possible, it is still recommended to trust the scraping to professional craftsmen.

Parquet is the most expensive and noble floor covering. But even the highest quality wood and varnish wear out over time. In most cases, it can be restored. Although such work is labor-intensive, it will still cost less than laying the floor again. The article will talk about how to cycle the floor with your own hands and properly coat it with new varnish.

Parquet restoration or replacement with a new one?

The process itself, although labor-intensive, does not require special skills. Anyone can scrape a floor, the main thing is to follow the technological process.

Sanding involves removing the top, damaged layer of wood. Depending on the thickness of the parquet strip and the degree of its wear, scraping stages range from 5 to 8.

Floor defects for which scraping is impossible:

wood-boring beetle damage;
swollen planks, which is especially common after flooding;
dried out areas. So, if the width of the gaps between the planks is more than 5 mm, even putty will only be a temporary measure. In a couple of months, this area will crack again and require another restoration;
there is serious damage. If they are located only locally on a small number of planks, then first these areas are replaced with new ones and only then all stages of scraping are carried out, including the first, roughest;
thickness less than 5 mm;
there is fungus and mold present.

Advantages of scraping an old floor with your own hands:

there is no lengthy process of removing the old coating;
lay down new parquet Only masters can do it, but you can cycle the old one on your own;
the opportunity to preserve, albeit old, but valuable and noble flooring.

DIY floor scraping tools

There are two main methods of floor scraping: with hand tools and special equipment. Tools are selected depending on which method is preferable.

Manual scraper. This wooden instrument, consisting of a handle and a narrow blade. With its help, the top layer of wood is removed, which is pre-soaked with water. Of course, the process will be very slow and difficult. But there will be no noise or dust during operation. And the cycle itself is inexpensive and accessible to everyone.
You can speed up the process, but without buying special equipment, using Bulgarians equipped with speed control. But when working with a tool that has to be held suspended, it is almost impossible to make a flat horizontal surface. In addition, at low speed the grinder will not cope with a thick layer of varnish and old wood, and at high speed it will not cope with any wrong movement will result in nicks, pits, etc.
Grinder- a special tool, it is large, heavy and noisy. But you can complete a large volume at one time, and do it efficiently. Such equipment is available for rent, and renting it for a day will not cause much damage to the budget.

When working with a grinder, a lot of dust is generated. A household vacuum cleaner does not have enough power and when applying varnish, the decorative coating may be damaged due to dust impurities. Therefore, it is worth taking care of rent industrial vacuum cleaner.

Do-it-yourself electrical equipment for floor scraping

Belt parquet sanding machine. If the question is how to cycle a parquet floor without dust, then this machine is indispensable, since the package always includes a bag for collecting sawdust. This expensive equipment is available in different capacities. The principle of operation is a drum on which sanding paper is placed.
Parquet sanding machine. Instead of a drum, it has discs with replaceable abrasives. Used for finishing sanding with fine-grained sandpaper.
Surface grinder. Designed for hard to reach places, people call it “boot”. It is recommended to choose models equipped with a dust bag. This is a completely affordable tool; there are household models on sale that cost from 2,500 rubles.

In addition to the equipment itself, you will need many consumables: sanding belts, a knife or scissors, gloves, masks, etc.

The procedure for preparatory work for scraping the floor with your own hands

First of all, you need to remove all the furniture from the room. Some people find it easier to leave it and move it as the sanding work progresses. But in this case, you will have to rearrange it at least 4 times, and this risks scratches on the floor. Even if you move it through the air, it is not only very labor-intensive and exhausting, but you also cannot avoid the formation of “overlaps” - areas where the level of grinding will differ.
Cycling is a rather dusty process. Therefore, there is no need to pre-wash the floor; just vacuum or sweep up large debris.
For the same reason, the room must be constantly open windows or windows to create the necessary air exchange.
For high-quality sanding of the entire floor, you should ensure good lighting throughout the working day.
When working with parquet sanding equipment, care must be taken that the plugs can withstand a load of 15 amperes or more.
May also require renovation work floor before scraping. If the parquet was installed to the floor with nails, then their heads may damage the abrasive paper on the drum. Therefore, first they are driven in with a recess of at least 5 mm, and the resulting holes are leveled with wood putty. It must be completely dry before use.
Also, for ease of work, all skirting boards and thresholds are dismantled.

Of particular danger are wires laid on the floor along walls or in cable ducts of baseboards. If it is impossible to disconnect and remove them, it is recommended to glue the wires to paper masking tape to Wall. It will hold them firmly, and when peeled off it will not harm even freshly painted walls or wallpaper.
An important point is the noise level of the work performed. Sanding with grinding equipment can only be done on weekdays during working hours. Weekends and evening time can only be used if the consent of neighbors, especially those living on the floor below, is obtained in advance.

Do-it-yourself manual floor scraping

To make your work easier, it is important to buy the right cycle:

It is better to purchase a tool in specialized stores, this guarantees the quality of the blade steel and the degree of its sharpening;
It is more convenient to work with a scraper, which has a wider and shorter handle;
The optimal blade width is 5 cm.

Stages of work

The floor is well moistened with water.
When working there will be a lot of sawdust with pieces of old varnish, so put a respiratory mask on your face.
For ease of work, the floor is visually divided into strips.
Looping begins from the center and gradually moves towards the wall.

The top layer is first removed along the fibers and then across.
Since the work is done by hand, it is very important to remove even layers and completely eliminate differences in height.
This process is lengthy and will take several days even when working in a small room.
Then the parquet is sanded. To do this, use a grater with sandpaper. Using circular movements, the surface of the parquet is leveled to smooth out all the unevenness that remains from sanding.

Floor scraping without special equipment video

Algorithm for performing work on scraping a floor by machine with your own hands

If the sockets in the apartment are not able to withstand a load of 15-16 amperes, then the equipment is connected directly to the distribution panel in the entrance.
The floor is cleared of debris and the nails are deepened. If necessary, replace individual strips.
Machine scraping involves several stages of processing with sandpaper grain size from 24 to 120 R. This depends solely on the quality of the floor and is selected individually. Just as in the case of manual sanding, the floor is moistened with water from a spray bottle.
First, rough sanding is performed with sandpaper with a grain size of up to 40 R. This ensures that the protective varnish, paint and top layer of wood are completely removed. At the same stage, differences in height and other irregularities are leveled out. If they are present.
Work starts from the center and loops across the entire area where the equipment reaches. Then everything difficult places(under the battery, corners, etc.) pass with an angle grinder. It is possible that the most difficult and inaccessible areas will have to be sanded manually.

Now comes the polishing stage. An abrasive with a grain size of 60-80 R is placed on the drum and also passed from the center over the entire area. The purpose of this stage is to smooth out possible scratches after rough cleaning or removal of remnants of the top layer.

Tip: passing large area stripes, each new approach should be carried out with a slight overlap on the previous one, so that there are no unpassed sections.

On restoration floor covering Small gaps, cracks, depressions and other defects will inevitably remain. That's why next step will become their putty. To do this, it is better to use a special wood mastic or car putty.
Now the finest abrasive is put on the drum - from 120 R and above. He will smooth out the putty. The result is an even and smooth coating.

DIY floor scraping video

How to properly varnish a sanded floor

Having completely finished the final sanding of the recycled parquet, all dust is carefully removed and the floor is wiped.

Tip: if you remove wood dust with a household vacuum cleaner, the filter will quickly become clogged and the suction will become ineffective. Therefore, cleaning is carried out either industrial vacuum cleaner, or buy replacement filter and a dust collector for household use.

In total, there are 4 main methods of applying varnish to the floor covering:

velor roller. It distributes the varnish evenly, which is especially important if it is tinted. It is recommended to choose a short pile - 4-5 mm. For uniform painting, the varnish is first applied lengthwise and then crosswise, performing cross-shaped movements. To work, you will need a paint bath, into which you pour a little varnish and, when dipping it with a roller, squeeze out the excess composition. After the first layer, when it dries, it is necessary to sand with fine-grained sandpaper, since the roller lifts the wood fibers;
paint brush. The most uniform application will be obtained if you work with a wide brush. It distributes the varnish well over the surface, but also lifts the wood fibers. Therefore, after the first layer it is also sanded; it is advisable to choose paper number 400-600 units;

metal spatula. It is used if you need to apply a thick varnish. The thin and sharp surface of the spatula will distribute the composition well and immediately cut off all wood fibers that may rise. Therefore, the process is significantly reduced, since there is no need for additional grinding;
spray gun. This method is undoubtedly the best. The speed and quality of the applied layer cannot be compared with handmade brush or roller. The varnish goes on evenly and thinly, which allows you to do 3 layers with the same amount of composition as 2 layers with a brush. Each subsequent layer is applied perpendicular to the previous one.

Applying parquet varnish with your own hands. Stages of work

First, a primer or tint is applied to the floor (if clear varnish is used in the future). Allow 24 hours to dry.
If at this stage defects in the planks were discovered, you can still putty them with a special parquet putty. But to achieve a perfect match with the color, you will have to make the repair composition yourself. IN construction stores Special liquids for tinted mixtures are sold; they are mixed with sawdust from the dust fraction to the consistency of plasticine.

After the putty has hardened, these places are sanded and again thoroughly dusted.
The first applied layer of parquet varnish is made as thin as possible. Even a quick-drying composition must be given at least a day to dry.
The surface is carefully inspected; if there is any roughness from raised wood fibers, the floor is sanded to perfect smoothness. For speed of work, sanding can be done using a belt. grinder. At the end of the work, the floor is wiped of dust.
Next, apply the second and third layers of varnish. The interval after each application is at least 24 hours.
For completely dry and the varnish will take at least a week to polymerize, and only after this period can you walk on it and place furniture.

Tip: often, after applying and drying parquet varnish, there is a feeling of stickiness. To get rid of it, just wipe the floor with soapy water.

It is also worth adding that the number of layers of varnish also depends on the characteristics of the wood. If the parquet is made of soft wood - pine, birch or if, then 2 layers are applied, if it is made of hard wood, such as larch or oak, then 2 layers are enough.

Parquet varnishing defects and their causes and elimination

The varnish does not dry out and remains sticky. Main reasons: too low temperature in the room, there is no ventilation, the base of the floor is cold, the hardener in the two-component varnish is of poor quality or its quantity is insufficient, the old mastic was not removed properly when preparing the floor. In the latter case, there is only one way out - to cycle again. If the reason is any other of the above, then it is enough to increase the temperature in the room or ventilate it well.
White streaks. The reason lies in the combination of high humidity in the room and too cold varnish composition. To eliminate it, you need to heat the floor (ideally turn on heated floors or direct it to problem areas heat gun). When the floor warms up, the sagging is removed with a solvent and a fresh coat of varnish is applied.
Varnish delamination. The cause of varnish peeling can be poorly washed tools when applying subsequent layers of coating, poor sanding, poor dust removal after sanding, or incompatibility of solutions. If you are injured small areas, then they are sanded, sanded and varnished by hand. But it happens that peelings appear on a large scale all over the floor; only a new sanding will help here.
The appearance of small swellings. The reason for the formation of bubbles is a layer of varnish that is too thick, the temperature of the applied composition is too low, or direct exposure to sunlight during polymerization. To eliminate it, the surface is sanded to remove the varnish and reapplied, eliminating all errors.

Wrinkling of the varnish layer. This mistake most often occurs when layers are applied too quickly and the previous one is not given enough time to dry. Also, there are varnish compositions that most often cause wrinkling - this is a composition based on oil-based artificial resins. The defect is eliminated only if it is located on a large scale. The varnish is completely sanded off from the entire floor area and a new one is applied.

Options for updating parquet without sanding

In some cases, single parquet defects can be corrected without sanding. For work you will need the following tools and materials:

varnish It can be alkyd, epoxy, acrylic or water-based. The main thing is that it is resistant to abrasion;
putty composition to match the color of the floor;
putty knife;
ruler;
hammer;
a hook rule to pick up the slats;
awl.