10 Mistakes New Floor Sanders Make

Everyone makes these at the start. Here is how to skip the learning curve.

1. Skipping Grits

Going from 40 straight to 100 leaves deep scratches that show through the finish. Do every grit in sequence. No shortcuts.

2. Wrong Primer on Blackbutt

Classic UX on Blackbutt = tannin bleed. Use Intense. Every time. No exceptions.

3. Thick Coats

More is not better. Two thin coats beat one thick coat. Thick coats bubble, wrinkle, and take forever to cure.

4. Not Screening Between Coats

The second coat needs something to grip. A quick screen with 150 mesh takes 10 minutes and prevents delamination.

5. Sanding Across the Grain

Always sand WITH the grain. Cross-grain scratches are visible through the finish and cannot be fixed without resanding.

6. Walking on Wet Primer

One footprint on wet primer means resanding that area. Stay off the floor until it is dry. Plan your exit before you start.

7. Ignoring Humidity

Coating in high humidity causes milky finish. Coating in low humidity causes fast skinning and bubbles. Check conditions before every coat.

8. Cheap Belts

Cheap belts clog fast, cut slow, and leave inconsistent scratches. Ceramic belts cost more but cover 3x the area. They are cheaper per square metre.

9. Not Checking Nails

One proud nail tears a $30 belt in seconds. Walk the floor with a nail punch before you start sanding. Every time.

10. Quoting Too Low

Know your costs. Belts, coating, travel, time. Add margin. A job that loses money is worse than no job at all.

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