Floor refinishing

[Joe Yaemish]

My old hardwood floors are starting to really wear, actually grey in some spots. My dogs are beating the hell out of them and I have decided to go with Street Shoe 275. I know that the previous owner used that oil based verathyne stuff that Lowes sells. They re-coated the floors about 6 years ago. I don't really want to sand all the way down and would prefer to screen and re-coat if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/Yaemish/livingroom1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/Yaemish/livingroom3.jpg

[Scott Holmes]

Joe,

Take a look at the Tech sheet for this product...
"
SURFACE PREPARATION
1. Before sanding, clean the floor using BasicSqueaky Cleaner following label instructions.Cleaning should be done to remove contaminantsfrom the floor before sanding.2. Sand floors using accepted NOFMA/MFMAprocedures. All old finish must be removed."

Note the highlighted text emphisis added.

This product calls for a catalyst to be added with a 24 pot life. It also recommends a catalized sealer.

You may want to clean and scuff sand then recoat with the same finish previously used on the floor.

[George Gyulatyan]

Take it from someone who just went through this several months ago. Make sure ALL finish is removed. And when you think you've got it all off, take another couple of passes. That is unless you like some ugly bloches here and there.

Get the really abrasive coarse grit sandpapers and strip it down good. If you can get 12 grit, even better. I started out with 20 and worked my way up to 120. It was a lot of work, and I did have to do it all over again a second time on the stairs, because somehow, although it LOOKED like I had gotten it all off, there was some still left here and there to cause problems.

[Jason Roehl]

If that's the worst of the wear, you might be able to get by with a re-coat product, but you need to use a product made specifically for re-coating if you want to use a different product. I know some of Bona's products fall in this category. Scott actually has a good suggestion in using the same product. Scuff-sanding with 150 or 180 (no finer) would be very important. I suspect that the previous finish was simply did not have enough coats applied, though dogs are very hard on floor finishes, particularly if their nails are not regularly trimmed (and filed round/dull).

However, if those pics are typical of much of the floor, refinishing may be a better option.