Hi,

I have just had a professional floor sander in to sand the floors in two
rooms and a hallway. The boards run continuously through these areas and
they have been laid in such a way that in the hallway they run across
the width of the hall. What the chap has done in the hallway is to sand
along the grain of the wood where he could, doorways permitting, and
across the grain where there wasn't enough room to run the sander. He
did warn me he'd have to do this but I didn't realise I'd end up with
some scratching where the sanding was done across the grain.

My question is: is there anything that could have been done to avoid
this? Maybe he could have done the whole hall with the edger but would
this have given a different finish thus looking odd given the fact that
the boards run continuously through the house? I suppose it would have
taken a long time as well.

It's too bad at all and is only really noticeable in one small spot when
the hall light is switched on. No-one else has noticed it yet - I am too
fussy! I doubt I'll complain to him as the rest of the job is excellent
but I'd just like to know if anything else could have been done.

Cheers,
Grant

On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 11:50:39 +0100, Grant Fitzgerald
wrote:

Hi,

I have just had a professional floor sander in to sand the floors in two
rooms and a hallway. The boards run continuously through these areas and
they have been laid in such a way that in the hallway they run across
the width of the hall. What the chap has done in the hallway is to sand
along the grain of the wood where he could, doorways permitting, and
across the grain where there wasn't enough room to run the sander. He
did warn me he'd have to do this but I didn't realise I'd end up with
some scratching where the sanding was done across the grain.

My question is: is there anything that could have been done to avoid
this? Maybe he could have done the whole hall with the edger but would
this have given a different finish thus looking odd given the fact that
the boards run continuously through the house? I suppose it would have
taken a long time as well.

It's too bad at all and is only really noticeable in one small spot when
the hall light is switched on. No-one else has noticed it yet - I am too
fussy! I doubt I'll complain to him as the rest of the job is excellent
but I'd just like to know if anything else could have been done.

Cheers,
Grant

IMO, heavy duty floor sanders can only be justified when near
perfection is required. Even then, it's rarely achieved, as you've
already noticed. Sometimes when near perfection is achieved the
floor owner can be disappointed because it gives the floor an
artificial appearance.

I've found that in none-extreme circumstances a good, soapy scrub
followed by a light sanding is sufficient to provide a base for wax,
oil or varnish that's easy to achieve and inexpensive in terms of the
machinery required. Best of all it usually produces a floor with a
pleasing visual character.
Sometimes where the "Do It" part of D-I-Y is concerned, not to can be
more effective. B&Q wouldn't agree I'm sure.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the EGG to email me.

Hi Grant

He could have perhaps used the edger for parts of the hall but if he
was using the normal orbital sander that is normally used as an edger
then you would have run an equal risk of disc marks on the floor.

Interested to hear what others say.

Regards
Jaz

Grant Fitzgerald wrote:
I have just had a professional floor sander in to sand the floors in two
rooms and a hallway. The boards run continuously through these areas and
they have been laid in such a way that in the hallway they run across
the width of the hall. What the chap has done in the hallway is to sand
along the grain of the wood where he could, doorways permitting, and
across the grain where there wasn't enough room to run the sander. He
did warn me he'd have to do this but I didn't realise I'd end up with
some scratching where the sanding was done across the grain.

My question is: is there anything that could have been done to avoid
this? Maybe he could have done the whole hall with the edger but would
this have given a different finish thus looking odd given the fact that
the boards run continuously through the house? I suppose it would have
taken a long time as well.

It's too bad at all and is only really noticeable in one small spot when
the hall light is switched on. No-one else has noticed it yet - I am too
fussy! I doubt I'll complain to him as the rest of the job is excellent
but I'd just like to know if anything else could have been done.

He did tellyou, after all! It *might* have been possible to have scraped
the boards, or to have carefully used a small belt sander, or even hand-
sanded, but it would all have been extra work/money. You could buy a new
lamp-shade for your hall.

Chris Bacon wrote:

He did tellyou, after all! It *might* have been possible to have scraped
the boards, or to have carefully used a small belt sander, or even hand-
sanded, but it would all have been extra work/money. You could buy a new
lamp-shade for your hall.

Yes, the previous owners have left me with an attractive fluorescent
strip light on the hall wall, hung at quite a jaunty angle. New lighting
will be installed shortly!

Cheers,
Grant

On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 11:50:39 +0100, Grant Fitzgerald
wrote:

My question is: is there anything that could have been done to avoid
this?

Go across the boards all the way down the hall, wet them before the
extra sandings, then take extra care with the fine grits. A careful job
done across the grain is quite acceptable, and consistency of doing this
all the way across looks better than a half-and-half.

A lot depends on the quality of the timber. Pre-1900 harder pines will
take this quite well, 1930s won't.

--
Cats have nine lives, which is why they rarely post to Usenet.

Nope, no other/better solution. The edge sander would indeed have given a very different look (and perhaps even more marks - circles).
Did he sand the floor once, twice or three times and with different grits (40 - 80 - 100 or 120 or 140)?

Grant Fitzgerald wrote:

It's too bad at all and is only really noticeable in one small spot when
the hall light is switched on. No-one else has noticed it yet - I am too
fussy! I doubt I'll complain to him as the rest of the job is excellent
but I'd just like to know if anything else could have been done.

Not WRT what _could_ have been done, but having sanded our 100 yr old
boards about 5 years ago, after several years domestic & canine abuse,
the cross grain scratches becime pretty insignificant and just add to
the distressed and worn (and natural) appearance.


--
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"Grant Fitzgerald" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have just had a professional floor sander in to sand the floors in two
rooms and a hallway. The boards run continuously through these areas and
they have been laid in such a way that in the hallway they run across
the width of the hall. What the chap has done in the hallway is to sand
along the grain of the wood where he could, doorways permitting, and
across the grain where there wasn't enough room to run the sander. He
did warn me he'd have to do this but I didn't realise I'd end up with
some scratching where the sanding was done across the grain.

My question is: is there anything that could have been done to avoid
this? Maybe he could have done the whole hall with the edger but would
this have given a different finish thus looking odd given the fact that
the boards run continuously through the house? I suppose it would have
taken a long time as well.

It's too bad at all and is only really noticeable in one small spot when
the hall light is switched on. No-one else has noticed it yet - I am too
fussy! I doubt I'll complain to him as the rest of the job is excellent
but I'd just like to know if anything else could have been done.

Cheers,
Grant

He could run over it with a random orbital sander with 120 grit discs.
By definition it doesn't sand along the grain yet I have achieved a visually
scratchless appearance using one. The only problems I had was where I
used a plain orbital detail sander in the corners, and in a few places when
I stained the boards I saw the dreaded whirlygig patterns, caused when a
bit of dirt gets trapped under the sander plate. I simply cleaned the area
around these scratches and used the detail sander again to carefully
erase the scratches. An indispensible bit of equipment when using
these sorts of hand held sanders is knee protectors btw!

Andy.