As a professional floor sanding company, there is one question we get asked time and time again:
“How long does floor sanding take?”
We completely understand why. Floor sanding is going to be disruptive to any environment and will involve either a professional or personal space being emptied and then out of access for a while.
The truth is, there is no clear-cut answer because every job is different! We can however offer you some general guidance on how long floor sanding takes.
Here are a few of the points you need to consider:
The size of the space
Firstly, the length of time floor sanding takes depends on the size of the space, as this will determine the kind of sander you should use, and the amount of sandpaper required. As a rule of thumb, it will take a couple of hours to complete the standard three sanding passes – coarse, medium, and fine – in an average-sized room.
Many professional floor sanding companies will advise that an average job will take two days to complete: one day to allow the sanding passes to take place, and then another day to finish and seal the floor.
In reality, though, the design of the space can make this take longer. If your room has a lot of corners and architectural details – for example, crown moulding – then edging (which requires a specific sander) will take longer than it would in a room with a wide and open floor plan.
The function of the room
Another factor to consider when asking how long floor sanding will take is what the room is used for.
If the room is full of furniture and the floor is covered in rugs, for example, the entire sanding process will take longer as the room needs to be fully emptied before the process can begin. Nails sticking out of the floor and any carpet glue on the floorboards will also increase the preparation time.
The specific job required
Another important factor is the desired result of your floor sanding project.
If your floor simply has some scuffs and scrapes due to heavy foot traffic over time, a standard sand, buff, seal, and refinish should get it looking good as new.
Deep gouges or unevenness in your floorboards will take a lot more time and care to fix, as more sanding passes may be required to create a smooth, steady, and safe surface.
Who completes the job
Finally, and most importantly, the length of time floor sanding takes will depend on whether you decide to do it yourself or engage with the services of a professional floor sanding company.
If you decide to sand your floor yourself, it will take much longer than the estimates we have provided in this blog post. Not only would you need to source all of the correct equipment, but you would need to take the time to get to grips with using it effectively – not to mention any mistakes that could occur during the DIY process.
For example, if you only have access to a hand sander, the job is going to take you much longer to finish than it would a professional, who will have larger industrial sanders available to complete the job in a more time-efficient manner.
You should also factor in the clean-up after the job. Professional sanding machines are designed to create less dust than the sander you would typically have in your garage. If you attempt to clean up yourself without any previous experience, you could be finding dust long after the job is complete!
Ultimately the answer to the question “How long does floor sanding take” depends on your specific space, the condition your floor is in, and who completes the job. However, we hope this blog has given you a better idea of what to expect for your own floor sanding project.
If you would like to use a professional floor sanding company to ensure your job is done right, we would love to help. At PA Floor Sanding, we work with commercial and domestic clients across Scotland – no job is too big or too small.
Check out our website to view some of our previous work, or get in touch to arrange a quote, which will include an estimate of the length of time your floor sanding and refinishing job will take.