Refinishing Bamboo Floors: Quick & Easy DIY Methods

Refinishing bamboo floors may be an option you’ve been considering. You can get the same benefits from bamboo floors as you do from hardwood floors.

Because of these reasons, it’s critical to keep them in good working order on a regular basis. Bamboo flooring might be tricky to identify when they need a new coat of polish.

Bamboo floors are similar to typical hardwood floors in that they can be misleading. Don’t freak out if you notice scuffs or discolorations on your flooring.

You don’t absolutely need to refinish them just yet. On the other hand, even if a surface appears smooth and consistent, it may require some minor touch-ups.

You may not be able to tell if your flooring is in good repair just by looking at them. Is it possible to refinish Bamboo Flooring? It is a great place to start if you’re ready.

Make sure to check with the manufacturers to see if the finish is compatible with your tools, methods, and finish. Let us know more about refinishing bamboo floors.

Basics Of Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is sometimes referred to as “fake wood.” Because bamboo isn’t actually made of wood, we get why you’d be concerned.

There are certain differences between the construction of bamboo flooring and that of other forms of wood flooring, though. As a result, we prefer to refer to it as a substitute for hardwood flooring.

It doesn’t matter how you look at it; bamboo flooring functions and looks just like wood flooring. Even herringbone parquet patterns can be created using this tool!

Bamboo flooring may be refinished in the same manner as hardwood floors; thus, the answer is yes.
As a result, bamboo flooring comes in a variety of forms. In addition, the refinishing factors for each of these items are distinct.

Keep Reading: Remedy On Dog Urine Soaked Into Hardwood Flooring

Types Of Bamboo Flooring

Many types of bamboo flooring are suitable for sanding, staining, and finishing, depending on the type you have installed in your home.

That’s why you’ll find vertical, strand woven, and horizontal bamboo flooring, to name a few. Thin bamboo strips are chopped, cooked, and dried to create horizontal bamboo.

Glue and pressure are used to join the strips into a board after they are finished. Various finishes and profiles are available, and the vertical grain pattern is clearly visible at the end of each board.

Similar to horizontal bamboo flooring, the vertical bamboo floor is pressed together vertically instead of horizontally. With a significantly smaller grain, these boards have an entirely distinct appearance.

Unlike horizontal bamboo, which has a vertical bamboo and natural pattern stands out. The most robust sort of bamboo flooring, strand woven, is also a one-of-a-kind product.

Wood manufactured from bamboo fibers is more long-lasting than oak or hickory, but it is processed into a pulp first and then compressed under high pressure into solid blocks.

These blocks are used to cut planks that have an irregular grain. It is possible to find solid bamboo flooring in a variety of configurations, including vertical, horizontal, or strand-woven.

Engineered bamboo flooring is another option. As a result of its greater thickness, you can refinish flooring rather than being a multi-layered product.

Sanding engineered bamboo flooring can be impossible because it only has a single piece of bamboo on top of the subfloor.

Always check with the manufacturer to determine if your flooring can be refinished before buying it. It is possible to refinish engineered flooring with a top layer of 3mm, although caution is required at 2mm.

If you sand too deeply or accidentally reach the board’s core, you’ll have to replace it. Certain types of flooring, such as older planks or models with click-lock profiles, make this more difficult.

If you don’t know how thick your flooring is, or if you don’t have the time or inclination to tackle a DIY job, you’ll want to read on.

Types Of Finishes

Polyurethane

Polyurethanes have risen to industry-standard status since their introduction in the 1970s. Water-based polyurethanes are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and easy to use by the average do-it-yourselfer.

Three to four layers of coats are recommended. Fast-drying, slight odor, and no yellowing like oil polys make water-based polys excellent. Oil polys, on the other hand, are less expensive.

More durable and cheaper than water-based polyurethane, oil polyurethanes emit a little off-gassing odor when opened (not harmful). You can also read our guide on getting rid of the floorboard’s musty smell.

It’s best to leave your family and dogs out of the house for at least 10 hours when the floors are dry.

Keep Reading: Complete Guide To Fix Warping Hardwood Flooring

Oil Sealer

Floors have been sealed and finished with oil for generations. The ease with which oil sealers may be applied and the ease with which they can be touched up in specific areas make them an excellent choice.

The color and grain patterns are enhanced since the oil gets into the wood or bamboo. If you’re looking for a scratch-resistant finish that doesn’t require recoating every two to three years, oil is the way to go.

Wax

Before polyurethanes became popular in the 1970s, the most common way to finish a floor was with wax. Wax (liquid or paste) is a fantastic alternative for homeowners who desire a low-sheen finish but don’t like a high finish of a gloss.

The natural finish of wax is likewise low in VOCs and toxicology. It’s essential to keep in mind that wax will darken the wood, so if you don’t like that effect, go with a clear layer of sanding shellac instead.

Required Supplies For Refinishing Bamboo Floors

It’s not uncommon for the sealer and stain to account for the majority of the total cost of a bamboo refinishing project. A low-VOC stain on the wood is an excellent choice, but it’s entirely up to you.

If you’re going for an environmentally friendly alternative, be sure to pick one from the same category. Be aware that Strand-woven bamboo flooring isn’t exceptionally stain-resistant.

Staining vertical or horizontal bamboo is easier than staining vertical or horizontal bamboo. You may get a sense of how a stain will look on the floor by testing a tiny area of wood that has been sanded.

If you want to have things light and natural, the finish can also give a splash of color. You’ll need a sander to begin the refinishing process because you need to remove the topcoat.

The only way to scuff bamboo is to use a handy orbital sander and medium and fine-grit paper because bamboo is too hard to do by hand.

The next step is a specialist floor sander, which can be leased from home improvement stores but may do more harm than good if not handled by an expert.

Sanding any surface generates dust, which necessitates the use of cleaning chemicals before sealing the floor. You’ll need a shop vacuum, rags, and paintbrushes or rollers to put the tint and finish.

When it comes to cleaning up disasters, large-sized plastic drop cloths are crucial. Because of the way bamboo flooring is created, you’ll want to wear a simple respirator and eye protection when installing it.

It is important to keep the area where you will be working isolated from other parts of your home if you do not have an effective dust extraction system.

Keep Reading: Solution For Black Water Stains On Hardwood Flooring

Preparation Phase

When refinishing bamboo floors, the first step is to set the room in order. There is no question that moving any furniture will necessitate some assistance, yet you are capable of completing the next step on your own.

Refinishing the edges of bamboo flooring requires the removal of all baseboards and trim. As an alternative, you can finish the flooring to the baseboards with sanding, staining, and taping.

You’ll have to stand it apart by hand to remove the trim, but this may be less time-consuming than ripping it out. You can use this method to get rid of any baseboard, trim, or transitions in a room by following the procedures outlined.

Sealing off the area where you’ll be working is also a smart idea to keep dust from spreading. To prevent dust from entering the ductwork, block off any openings in the room with painter’s tape and plastic drop cloths.

Refinishing Bamboo Floors – Complete Proces

Evaluate The Surface

The top layer of engineered bamboo flooring must be strong enough to withstand sanding. However, even if the floor was previously sanded, removing a door threshold will allow you to see through to the subfloor and determine whether it needs further attention. Only if the wear layer is thicker than 1/16 inch (2 millimeters) should you proceed.

Consider All Safety Measures

Cover the doors and air intake vents with plastic sheeting and switch off the central air system for at least a couple of days after the floor has been refinished to keep the remainder of the house at a safe temperature. During the sanding operation, open the windows and use a respirator.

Prepare The Surface With Sandpaper

Install a 60-grit flooring sander with the same sandpaper and sand the bamboo at an angle to the grain. Remove the room’s baseboards. An angle of 7 to 15 degrees is recommended.

Splinters are less likely to form when you don’t follow the grain of the wide-plank flooring material, and any swelling-induced elevated edges can be knocked down. It is best to use an edger with a similar grit to sand the corners. When you’re done, sweep and vacuum the floor.

Make Two Passes Of Finish

Switch to 80 grit paper for the second pass and 100 grit paper for the third pass on the edger and the drum sander. Run the drum sander straight along the grain to get rid of the scratches and get the floor ready for finishing.

You can use the edger after each pass of drum sanding to finish sanding around the borders of your floor. Vacuum the floor between each pass.

Keep Reading: Easy Remedy For Hazy Hardwood Flooring

Clean Up

To clean the floor properly, use a tack cloth to wipe it down with a vacuum cleaner after the final pass. You can use a 100-grit sandpaper and pad sander to grind any splintered areas while you’re wiping. After you’ve tacked the floor, give it time to dry completely.

Use A Sealer & Two Layers Of Finishing Coats

Polyurethane sealer is only a higher-solids variant of a water-based polyurethane finish product that serves as an undercoat. You can use a paint pad or an applicator, that is, a long, weighted foam tube, to apply a final sealer coat to the surface.

In order to sand the sealer and apply two layers of finish, use a 120-grit sanding screen and then a floor buffer. You can use the buffer to sand the first layer and wait before applying the second.

Final Verdict

This is our comprehensive guide to refinishing bamboo floors. We have covered all considerable areas along with the safety areas, precautions, and ways of doing it appropriately.

Read the article thoroughly so that you can perform this DIY job properly. If you have any confusion, you can always get in touch with a professional, but before that, do try the way we described here. All the best.

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