How To Refinish Bamboo Floors

If you have bamboo floors at home, you may be wondering if you can refinish this style flooring. The answer is yes, you can refinish bamboo flooring! However, the refinishing process will depend on the type of bamboo flooring you have in your home.

Can You Refinish Bamboo Flooring?

Bamboo flooring is very similar to wood flooring in both look and function. So yes, you can refinish bamboo floors the same way you would refinish any type of hardwood flooring. With that being said, there are a few different types of bamboo flooring, all with different refinishing considerations.

The three main types of bamboo flooring are as follows:

Vertical bamboo flooring
Horizontal bamboo flooring
Strand-Woven bamboo flooring

How To Know If You Can Refinish Bamboo Flooring

There are a few ways homeowners can verify whether or not their bamboo flooring can be refinished. The first thing you’ll want to do is reference the manufacturer’s specifications. Most brands will clearly state if refinishing or sanding is an option.

Boards featuring at least 2mm wear layer are typically safe for some light refinishing work. Contact your local flooring professionals if you are unsure about whether or not your floor can be refinished.

Common Reasons Why A Bamboo Floor Needs To Be Refinished

Homeowners these days will choose from a variety of reasons to refinish their flooring. Any scuffing or scratches commonly lead to this process as a remedy. Fading or discoloration can also make this process a necessity.

Old protective coatings can undoubtedly degrade, making your floor appear tired and outdated. Homeowners may also simply opt for a new stain or finish to liven up the flooring.

How To Refinish Bamboo Flooring

Before starting this process, you will need the following supplies:

Vacuum
Pad sander
Floor buffer
Plastic sheeting
Respirator
Sandpaper
Polyurethane sealer
Polyurethane floor finish
Ruler
120-grit sanding screen
Flooring edger
Tack cloth

Step 1. Evaluate Wear Layer

First, you must be certain that the top layer is thick enough to remain intact if you are attempting to sand engineer bamboo flooring.
Floors that haven’t been refinished usually feature a thick-enough layer to sand.
However, if the floor has been sanded previously, then remove a door threshold so you can see the cross-section of the flooring.
Measure the wear layer using a ruler, then proceed as long as it’s more than 2-millimeters in thickness.

Step 2. Get The Proper Protection

Make sure to completely isolate the room you are working on from the rest of the home.
Cover the doors and intake air vents with a plastic sheet, while also turning off the central air system until a day or so after the project has been completed. O
pen your windows to provide some ventilation and wear a respirator while sanding.

Step 3. Cut The Surface

Remove all the baseboards and place a flooring drum sander with 60-grit paper and sand slightly angled at the bamboo grain.
Do this at a 7-to-15-degree angle, if possible.
By not going directly with the grain, you can reduce the chances of raising splinters.
Use a flooring edger with the same paper grit to then sand the edges.

Step 4. Make Two Finish Passes

Next, change the paper on the drum sander and edger to 80 grit for the second pass.
Change it to 100 grit for the third one.
The purpose of these passes is to remove scratches from the flooring and prepare it for finishing.
The recommendation is to run the drum sander straight along the grain.
Follow each pass by sanding the floor edges with the same sandpaper grit as the drum sander.
Vacuum the flooring between each pass.

Step 5. Clean The Area

Thoroughly vacuum the flooring after the final pass, then wipe it down with a tack cloth.
Check for any splinters while wiping.
Let the floor dry completely after tacking.

Step 6. Apply Sealer And Two Finish Coats

The majority of DIY floor-finishing products are water-based polyurethane.
The sealer used to provide a smooth undercoat, is simply a high-solids version of the finish material.
Next, apply a coat of sealer with a paint pad.
Sand the sealer with a floor buffer and a 120-grit sanding screen followed by two coats of finish. Use the buffer to sand the first coat prior to applying the second coat.

DIY Vs Professional Refinishing

DIY refinishing is suitable for some experienced DIYers with either solid or engineered bamboo (2mm+ wear layer). It’s always crucial to remain careful in order to avoid any damage.

Professional refinishing is suggested for strand-woven or tough-to-sand bamboo flooring. The professionals will possess the appropriate dust control equipment and sanding tools to complete the job properly.