
Only screen a polyurethane finish, a non-penetrating plastic coating that sits on top of the floor.Pro2Pro Tip: You can’t screen a polyurethane floor that has been waxed. Screening removes the floor finish without cutting into the wood itself, so you should: The weight of the floor polisher and a synthetic-wool pad hold the screen in place. It won’t take off on you like a drum sander and doesn’t require a lot of strength. Screening is done with a 16-inch floor polisher, which works like a giant oscillating sander. Screens are clog-resistant sanding disks. Photo by Andrew Kline How Do You Recoat and Screen a Wood Floor? Screen edges by hand with a palm sander fitted with 100-grit sandpaper. floor polisher outfitted with 60-, 80-, 100-, and 120-grit screening. This relatively inexpensive technique gives you the option of doing the work yourself with little risk and saves you the cleanup and hassle associated with floor sanding. Screening is a process that takes off the top layer of polyurethane but doesn’t remove any wood.

Some floors require this level of work, but many others can be revitalized by screening. In the past that meant sanding down to bare wood-a dust-producing, time-consuming process that’s risky if you don’t have experience or expensive if you hire a pro.

Water stains, scratches, dullness and whole areas worn bare by household traffic are signs that it’s time to refinish the floor. How Do You Make Old Hardwood Floors Look New? Most hardwood floors are made of oak, but despite the durable nature of this wood, it only looks as good as the surface finish.
