Hardwood Flooring--Refreshing Your Old Floor

To refresh your hardwood floors and make them look like new, you will need the following items:* Vacuum* Floor buffer* Light sanding screen* Broom* Dustpan* Mop* Mop bucket* Fan(s)* Duster* Polyurethane* Sponge brushClear the roomStart by clearing the room of any furniture and floor decor. You want to have unfettered access to the entire hardwood floor. It's also a good idea to either block-off the space and/or put Fido outside. The less feet you have to contend with, the better. Get CleaningNext run a vacuum over the entire hardwood floor to pick up as much dirt, lint and dust bunnies as you can. Then, fit a floor buffer with a light sanding screen. Run the floor buffer over the hardwood, beginning in the far corner of the room and working toward the door/entryway.Use a broom and dustpan to clean up after buffing. Start in the same corner again and work toward the door, then go back over your steps in the opposite direction, sweeping up all the dust.Mop UpMop the floor after sweeping using a mop and mop bucket. Again, go from the far corner to the doorway. The reason for this is to "train" yourself and avoid painting yourself in a corner when applying the polyurethane. Mop over the floor at least twice, changing the water often. This will prevent spreading dirt. Let the hardwood dry completely before proceeding. You might want to use a fan or two to speed up the drying process. Clean, paint and buffNow comes the actual work. It's not difficult, but it will be a bit time consuming. First, run a duster over the floor to pick up anything that may have fallen while drying. Any dust or other debris will become "trapped" in the polyurethane and show-through.Start in the far corner. (Yes again.) Brush on a light coat of polyurethane with a sponge brush. Apply the polyurethane in the same direction as the wood grain. Slowly work your way to the doorway, out of the room. Let the first coat dry as long as recommended by the manufacturer. Apply a second coat if needed.You can then buff the floor with a microfiber cloth, if desired. Move the furnishings and decor back in gently once the polyurethane has completely dried and your solid wood flooring will be back to new!