varnishing floorboards

bolton214

hello there can anyone tell me wether i can revarnish my living room floor without sanding the old varnish. i need to redo it as it has become scuffed in many places. many thanks

mrtobs

Hi there, I'd think that, unfortunately, you would need to sand it first to give the new varnish a key & remove any flaky bits. You might get away with not having to strip it back completely (though not totally sure on that). Could you try it on a small section first and see what sort of finish you end up with?

ormus

you dont need to remove all the old varnish. but itll need at least a medium sanding all over to give the new varnish a key.

bolton214

thanks for those replies, now this may seem a silly question but can i use a little sander or do i need to hire one of those big ones ?many thanks

loracan1

The more time and care you take now the longer the finish will last, I'd go the whole way and sand it back completely with a hired floor sander - it'd take you months and much aching of limbs with a hand one. And if you do it properly it'll last years.