Hi, I just had my hardwood floors redone for the first time ever last week. They are 7 years old now and had been damaged in several areas when the prior owner moved out. I just wanted to check myself for what expectations I should have of the person who did the work. Specifically, while the floors look perfect from above, when you look at them along the floor you can see lines from where the sanding is uneven in spots. It is almost imperceptible to the touch, but can be seen from angles of 0 degrees to 45 degrees, but not beyond that. They aren't everywhere or anything, but there are a few each about 2-4 feet long. He did an excellent job of removing all the prior damage, but is it normal to expect some of this? Or does it suggest the person I selected was not the best? Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!

Here is a picture showing some of what I am talking about - is this worth addressing or to be expected? Thanks!!

P.S. Sorry for the glare, but the blinds don't go all the way up the window

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78640952@N ... hotostream

..Let me say this....

if you go by NWFA/NOFMA guidelines..

floors are to be viewed and judged for quality( or lack of ) from a standing position in normal lighting.

that said..

no one here can tell you what your level of quality is right or wrong..either you will pay your bill or not..

To me..looking at this, i would say..the guy did a good job, he cut a softer wood and his machine rode hard to one side a few times.. it happens to the best..machine errors never stop happening..I've been doing floors 20 years..and i still catch things occasionally..( usually after the fact) that i say..that could have been better..but it does not mean the job was not a good job.

What James said and you cannot judge by viewing in reflective lighting. Floors are not expected to be a piano top or table top finish. That floor looks great IMO.
Those arrows need a close-up pic if you really want to know what they are. One looks like a split but can't tell from so far away.

I'm pretty much with the other guys. Your arrows indicate what we call "side cutting" It's possible that he used a Galaxy sander or a Bona sander both of which tend to side cut because they have flat drums. if I were a homeowner, I might be inclined to ask that the boards with side cuts be fixed and blended back in but other than that , it seems he did a reasonably good job.

I actually started my company with a Bona 10 inch belt sander and learned to hate it because of the side cutting tendencies . I replaced it with a hummel sander which is pretty much a perfect sanding machine. So at one time , I also had side cutting issues related to the machine I owned.

Hey guys, I really, really appreciate all your replies. Having never had my floors refinished before and not knowing anyone who had them done I had no idea what to expect. I probably was expecting the finish to look as good as a brand new floor with no imperfections, but I can see what you are saying about the side cutting effect. I will definitely change my mindset and be very happy with my floors. Thanks again all!!!