Varnishing wooden flooring is a great way to ensure that it keeps its beautiful lustre and shine. Doing it yourself can be quite easy if you have the right tools and instructions.

Prior to varnishing wooden flooring, you must make sure to remove any paint or old varnish from your floor's surface. It is possible to sand over varnish that is already present on your wooden flooring. However, if it is worn, cracked, or flaked, you should remove it completely before starting your varnishing project. If you don't, you won't get smooth and consistent results.

Removing old varnish or paint is simple. All you need to strip it from the floors is a chemical stripping agent made specifically for this type of project. If you decide to use this type of agent to remove varnish or paint, proper precautions should be taken, especially when it comes to ventilating the room and protecting yourself and your floors.

Proper ventilation should be practiced since vapours from the solvents used to strip floors can be harmful. Protective gloves and a respiratory mask should be worn in this situation. If you aren't sure what to do, simply follow the instructions given by the manufacturer.

Hard to remove areas can be helped with the use of a scouring pad or steel wool and a white spirit. Fill a dish with white spirit. Use your choice of a scouring pad or steel wool to work the spirit into the spot where you want to remove paint or varnish. You should only do this in small areas. As the polish softens, you can begin removing it. If a large amount is there, use a scraper to remove it. Soft rags can be used to remove the remaining spots.

This may seem like a labourious job, but it is well worth it when your wooden flooring is properly prepped for varnishing. Sanding is another good way to prepare your wooden flooring for varnishing. Machines made specifically for sanding can help to restore your floor's surface to its natural grain. However, during this process, the surface can flatten. Many people do want this to happen. But, in older homes, this can remove the floor's character.

Once your floor is stripped of old varnish and paint, and has been properly cleaned, you can begin applying the new varnish. The method used when varnishing wooden flooring is similar to that used when painting.

You must first start by sealing the wood. Do this by applying a base coat of the varnish that has been diluted with 10% of whatever solvent the manufacturer recommends. After you have done this, let it dry completely. Once the base coat is dry, you must apply two more coats of varnish, but this time do no dilute it. If one coat gives you the effect you want, there is no need to add a second coat. A clear varnish should be used to seal your work.

Varnishing wooden flooring is definitely a labor of love. But it is worth it when you see how beautiful the end results can be.