Putting in a new install of red oak 31/4 hardwood flooring and was wondering if the sanding procedure was the same for new floor as for a refinish? Do you still start with 36 grit than 60-80-100 then screen and maroon pad in between coats?

thank you
Todd

not if the milling is decent. remember any scratch made by a corser paper has to be taken out somewhere else down the line. If there is no need to knock down a bunch of overwood an d high end joints then there is no need for really rough paper. I'v seen many new unfinished wood floors that can be hit with 50 or 60 as the initial cut.

When milling is good, I 60/80 with belt machine, then edge with 80 and screen with 120 and coat.

Grit selection can vary depending on the quality of machines used and as mentioned, how flat or wavy the sub floor / flooring is. I use a Hummel sander and depending on square footage, will typically start with a 40 grit with my machine set to full down pressure and then go right to 100 grit with my machine set to minimum down pressure.

One other factor is the square footage. If you have something like 1000 square feet and try to level it with only 1 or 2 "60" belts, you run the risk of wearing the belt down and polishing the floor instead of cutting it and getting it level. my old boss used to do this and it really showed on his stain jobs.There was always a big difference between the field and the edges. He was truly a hack.Each professional has to choose a method and then deal with the nuances of that method

Once you have the floor leveled and fined off, you buff.I use a Bona Disc buffer with 120 grit screens.Be careful not to over use each screen as they can start to polish the floor .You do not want that to happen.

For buffing between coats , I use a Clarke square buffer with 220 grit screens. For a disc style buffer, use 220 grit screens .The red pads work but don't last long and can be expensive if used all the time.I simply prefer the square buffer.It is perfectly suited to buffing out coats.

hey thanks for the help on this. I'll let you how it turns out.

Todd Thomas
Thomas Construction
Oak Ridge, TN