Wood floor
Floors & tile

Hardwood and laminate floors

DIY OK
Install solid or engineered hardwood or laminate, or sand and refinish an old wood floor.
Sheet A-1 · Wood floor

12′ × 12′ floor

DIY OK
Floor
144
sq ft
Sanding
4
grits, 40–100
Finish
1
gal, 3 coats
Machine
orbital
rent it
14–20 h of work
A day or two of sanding, then 3 coats with 2–4 h between them; furniture back after 2–3 days.
Draft
The rules behind this Sheet are waiting for a licensed pro’s sign-off.
Engineered floors: check the wear layer
Pull a floor register and look at the board’s edge: an engineered floor can be sanded only if its top layer of wood is thick enough (about 2 mm or more for a light sanding). Thin layers get a screen-and-recoat instead.

Drawing

Plan + sequence
1
Passes with the grain Orbital: slow, overlapping passes. Every grit, wall to wall.
2
Edger band Along every wall with the same grit as the big sander.
3
Corners Scraped by hand with a carbide scraper, with the grain.
Sand with the grain, every grit wall to wall; the edger matches each grit along the walls.

What to buy

12 items · 4 if needed
Save to your jobs to check things off in the store.
Paint
Water-based floor polyurethane
3 coats
1 gallon
Clear, low-odor floor finish that dries in hours. Three coats is typical on bare wood.
Floor finish applicator
T-bar + microfiber pads, or ⅜″ microfiber roller
1 set
A T-bar with microfiber pads or a ⅜″ microfiber roller for water-based finish; a lambswool pad for oil-based.
Plastic sheeting 9×12
for doorways and vents
1 sheet
Covers furniture.
Painter’s tape 1.41″ × 60 yd
1 roll
1 roll
Masks trim and ceilings.
Flooring
40 grit
Orbital floor sander sheets · 40 grit
2 sheets
Hook-and-loop sheets for a square orbital floor sander. Each grit takes a few slow passes.
40 grit
If needed
Edger sanding discs · 40 grit
2 discs
Keep the receipt — return it if you don’t use it.
Discs for the floor edger, grit for grit with the big sander.
60 grit
Orbital floor sander sheets · 60 grit
2 sheets
Hook-and-loop sheets for a square orbital floor sander. Each grit takes a few slow passes.
60 grit
If needed
Edger sanding discs · 60 grit
2 discs
Keep the receipt — return it if you don’t use it.
Discs for the floor edger, grit for grit with the big sander.
80 grit
Orbital floor sander sheets · 80 grit
2 sheets
Hook-and-loop sheets for a square orbital floor sander. Each grit takes a few slow passes.
80 grit
If needed
Edger sanding discs · 80 grit
2 discs
Keep the receipt — return it if you don’t use it.
Discs for the floor edger, grit for grit with the big sander.
100 grit
Orbital floor sander sheets · 100 grit
2 sheets
Hook-and-loop sheets for a square orbital floor sander. Each grit takes a few slow passes.
Wood floor filler
If needed
matched to the wood
1 quart
Keep the receipt — return it if you don’t use it.
Trowel filler for nail holes and small gaps, before the last sanding cut. Match the wood or the stain.

Tools

You own 0 of 10 must-haves
Tap the ones you already own. That builds your Tool Shed as you go — no setup.

Must have

The job stalls without it.

Rent it

Costly to buy for one job. Rent it for a day.

Nice to have

Faster or cleaner, not required.

Order of work

14–20 h of work
01
Empty the room, pull the shoe molding (number the pieces), tape plastic over the doorways, vents and outlets, and shut off the furnace or AC fan.
02
Set every nail head below the surface and pull staples and tacks — one proud nail rips the sandpaper and gouges the floor.
Check first
Drag a putty knife across the floor: every snag is a nail or staple to set or pull.
03
First cut, 40 grit: orbital sander with the grain in slow, overlapping passes, right up to the walls (an edger or detail sander for the last 1″, if you rent one).
Check first
Empty the sander’s dust bag outdoors into a metal can, every time: finish-laden dust can catch fire on its own.
04
Second cut, 60 grit: orbital sander with the grain in slow, overlapping passes, right up to the walls (an edger or detail sander for the last 1″, if you rent one). Fill nail holes and small gaps with wood filler after this cut.
05
Third cut, 80 grit: orbital sander with the grain in slow, overlapping passes, right up to the walls (an edger or detail sander for the last 1″, if you rent one).
06
Scrape the corners and under radiators with a carbide scraper, with the grain.
07
Final pass with 100 grit, the whole floor, slowly.
08
Clean: vacuum the walls, sills and floor, then wipe the floor with a barely damp microfiber pad.
09
Coat 1 (water-based polyurethane): pour a line and spread it with the grain, a few boards wide, working toward the door.
Check first
Room at 65–80 °F; no fan blowing across the wet finish (dust and lap marks).
Wait 2–4 h — coat 1 dries before the next
Water-based floor finishes: usually 2–4 h between coats; cool or humid rooms take longer — see the can.
10
Coat 2 (water-based polyurethane): scuff lightly with a fine screen or pad if the can says to, vacuum and wipe, then the next coat the same way.
Wait 2–4 h — coat 2 dries before the next
Water-based floor finishes: usually 2–4 h between coats; cool or humid rooms take longer — see the can.
11
Coat 3 (water-based polyurethane): scuff lightly with a fine screen or pad if the can says to, vacuum and wipe, then the next coat the same way.
Wait 24–72 h — finish cures: socks only, then furniture
Water-based: socks after a day, furniture after 2–3 days, rugs after 2–3 weeks. The can decides.
12
Let the finish cure: socks only at first, furniture back on felt pads after 2–3 days, rugs after 2–3 weeks; then reinstall the shoe molding.

Mistakes that ruin the job

4 mistakes
1
Rushing the coarse grit
Each grit has to take out the scratches of the last. Go slow and check with a light held low.
2
Skipping grits
Jumping from coarse to fine leaves scratches the finish shows. Go through every grit on the list, edges included.
3
Thick coats
Puddles stay soft, wrinkle and take days. Thin, even coats, with the grain.
4
Leaving sanding dust in the bag
Dust full of old finish can heat up and catch fire. Empty the bag outdoors into a metal can, every time.

Plan it

The load

To haul
10 lb
from the store to the room
On your knees
11–15 h
wear knee pads
Helpers
0
a solo job
Heaviest
Water-based floor polyurethane · 1 gal · 9 lb
Rent: Square orbital floor sander

When you’ll finish

Pick when you can start and how many hours you have.
Hours you can work
Each weekday evening
0
h
Each weekend day
8
h
Saved for every Sheet. Waits run overnight and on days off; work only fills the hours you have.

DIY vs hiring it out

Estimate
Typical US store prices and labor rates, not a quote. A real price can differ a lot.

Do it yourself

Materials
$130–$180
Tools to buy
10 must-haves you don’t own
Carbide paint scraper, Framing hammer, Nail set, Putty knife, …
Rentals
1
About $40–$90 a day each
Your time
14–20 h
Total
$130–$180 + tools

Hire a pro

Materials + 15%
$150–$210
Pros mark up what they buy
Labor
7.6 h × $65–$95
$490–$720
Their time
7.6 hours
Permits
usually none
Total
$650–$930

Before you go

0 of 7 checked
The small stuff that causes a second trip to the store.

Rules used

3 rules · Draft
Every number on this Sheet comes from these rules. A licensed pro reviews each one before a Sheet is marked verified.

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Project
Wood floor
Sheet
A-1
Date
Scale
Not to scale
DIY time
14–20 h
Rules
Draft — pending pro review
Other common sizes
10×10
10×12
12×12
12×14
14×16
16×20
12×14 refinish
14×16 refinish