Expect sanding floors has been done to death on here - but after some advise from those that have done it. Ive just 20m2 of attic to sand once I have filled every (sodding) gap with pine slivers (cant wait to do that...) and its impossible to carry a large drum/belt sander up there. Rest of house was done by someone else but machine would fit and now I dont want to spend more money than have to...
I can hire an edging orbital for a weekend (50 quid ish - any good?) or just buy a 3" or 4" belt sander from anywhere between 50 quid (3" Titan, screwfix) to 220 quid (4" Makita, screwfix). A couple of days hire maybe the best option but tempted to buy a belt sander as then I have it for other things if up to the job?. Anyone ever attempted to do a floor with one of these? Its not perfectly flat or in great condition but its years of dirt rather than tarred/painted ....
I have a 1/3 sander for small hard to reach bits but not doing it with that!
I found it very dificult to get a good job with a belt sander, floor was very uneven after and I would say I am comfortible with most DIY.
how are you dealing with the dust?
How is it impossible? If you can get up to attic then you must be able to get sander up.
You'll burn out the motor on a belt sander trying to do a floor.. Hire a proper floor sander
Floor sanders are no bigger than a large vacuum cleaner, the handles come off them
Belt sanders are useful things to have, but not ideal for floors. I did our hallway which is only about 6 or 8sq.m and it took sodding ages. The finish was pretty good, and dust not a problem (Henry hoover bodged onto the dust bag connector). If you go for it, get a decent powerful sander (I have a Hitachi 4"), variety of belts, good knee pads, ear defenders and a proper dust mask. I found the sander gets pretty hot, so it'll need to rest every 20 minutes, else you'll melt the glue joint on the belts. I went 45 degrees to the planks, then 45 degrees the other way, and then finally parallel with the finer belt to finish.
Probably best to get a proper floor sander in for 20sq.m
I have the little Titan belt sander from screwfix. I lent it to someone who did sustained work with it and it melted. Yeah a proper floor sander would be the way to go.
Dust would be my main concern.
I did our kitchen floor with a 125mm rotary sander, took a few hours....
[url= https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3871/14458291219_e0173fa03b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3871/14458291219_e0173fa03b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/o2Cwg6 ]Sanding the floor[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c6.staticflickr.com/3/2899/14644904325_732200c357.jp g" target="_blank">https://c6.staticflickr.com/3/2899/14644904325_732200c357.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oj7XQr ]Festool Rotek 125 Sander[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/4/3904/14458231900_8c4e2ddd0a.jp g" target="_blank">https://c5.staticflickr.com/4/3904/14458231900_8c4e2ddd0a.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/o2CdCm ]Restored floor[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Depends on the level of sanding required. If you are taking a lot of, then I'd consider something a bit more industrial.
I took back the varnish on our dining room floor using a 1/4 sheet sander. It wasn't much fun, but I've done worse DIY jobs. Worse thing was the varnish kept clogging the abrasive.
Worst thing was achy knees from kneeling on the wooden floor - I ended up donning my old 661 Knee/shin pads after about an hour of it.....
Worse thing was the varnish kept clogging the abrasive.
I found using a finer grade clogged less. 60 grit clogged in seconds whereas 150grit lasted much longer.
Poor bugger Footflaps sanding seems to have uncovered some cats
Years ago I did similar, but to deal with the old varnish I took a handheld electric planer to it first (after punching any nails in a bit). Did it with a 3" De Walt handheld one that had previously and since done days and days of work.
Sorry been away on stag.weekend. Feel just right to start some sanding then...
-Can get up to attic myself but narrow steep spiral -ish stairs and weigh 50kg dont they?
-no varnish- its 150 year old wood some warped planks and grey grimed. Will reset amd replace a few to get as level as can but wont be perfect. Will also sliver the gaps.
-have industrial vacuum to connect any sander too
-need to decide what to do asap. Supposed to be done before the Mrs and nipper back from the grandparents and Ive been dxcking about instead 😉
Hire a floor sander.
Workshop i was in had about 1/2 dozen 3 and 4" makita belt sanders but for doing floors we bought the proper thing.
Sanding belts are 8" wide.
Back and knees will suffer trying to do it all with a handheld sander.
Use the biggest piece of kit you can get up into the attic - get a mate to help lift it with you.
Smaller sander for hard to reach areas only.
Agree with other posts about proper knee pads - get some; you can get trousers with 'pocket' to insert pad - great investment and designed for the job.
Hire a floor sander.
Having used a commercial floor sander, I'd never bother again as the dust they kick up is incredible. You basically gas yourself. Their built in dust collection is just a token gesture. You'll be vacuuming the walls for weeks trying to get rid of it all. The Festool hand sander I used collects about 99.9% of dust it creates, so good I didn't have to do any dusting / hoovering afterwards.
Bunch of wimps. Me and the ex did our old house with 2 hand belt sanders borrowed off a builder friend. Big floor space it was - took a few days. Make sure all nails are flush! Our biggest mistake was using crap varnish - Wickes I think. Luckily we moved out soon after. Still got the sanders though.
Or the OP can rent a floor sander for about 40 quid and get the job done in a a couple of hours
and there was me reading his posts "its impossible to carry a large drum/belt sander up there" - "narrow steep spiral -ish stairs"
footflaps, ive used the festool setup you have there and you are right, it is quiet, fast and virtually dust free. however for the cost of a festool sander and dust extraction, you could just pay to get it done professionally, cleared up, sealed and polished and probably still pocket £400!
your dead right about the floor sanders with bags though, rubbish, got to hire one with a hoover attachment
thanks people - my take aways are:
-use a big belt sander (but prob cant get in there and given the shape of the room it wont do it all anyway)
-if use a small one then get the best one/biggest one possible and kneepads
So on that basis I reckon I will just get cheap Titan 3" one, wear shorts and see how we go 🙂