Method and apparatus for refinishing wooden floors

Abstract

A portable machine is used to abrade the surface of a factory finished wooden floor so the abraded surface may be recoated with a fresh coat of wooden floor finish. Abrasion of the surface provides anchor sites to achieve a strong bond between the pre-existing abraded finish and the fresh coat of wooden floor finish.

1 . A portable machine for abrading the surface a wooden floor having a thin top veneer, comprising: 
 at least one wheel mounted on the machine and in contact with the surface of the floor;    a drive shaft to rotate a removable cylindrical brush with protruding flexible filaments;    the removable cylindrical brush with a plurality of flexible filaments having at least one abrasive suitable for abrading the surface of the floor to receive and secure a fresh coat of wood floor finish;    a motor mounted on the machine and operatively connected to the drive shaft; and    a handle to move the abrading machine about during operation.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the abrasive is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, carborundum, quartz, silicon carbide, glass particles, glass beads, glass spheres (hollow and/or filled), plastic grits, diamond dust, hard plastics, reinforced polymers, organics, and the like, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       3 . A portable machine for abrading the surface of a wooden floor having a thin top veneer, comprising: 
 a frame;    a drive shaft to rotate a removable cylindrical abrading brush with protruding flexible filaments;    the removable cylindrical brush with a plurality of flexible filaments having an abrasive selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, carborundum, quartz, silicon carbide, glass particles, glass beads, glass spheres (hollow and/or filled), plastic grits, diamond dust, hard plastics, reinforced polymers, organics, and the like, and mixtures thereof;    a motor mounted on the frame and operatively connected to the drive shaft; and    a handle to move the abrading machine about during operation.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further including a dust collection system to control dust during operation of the portable floor abrading machine.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further including at least one wheel mounted on the frame and in contact with the surface of the factory finished floor. 6 . A method for restoring the luster to a) an existing finish on nominally flat and sculptured factory finished floors and b) an existing site installed finish on nominally flat and sculptured floors by the application of one or more new finish coats, the method comprising: 
 abrading the existing finish with a brush with flexible filaments having medium to fine grit to condition the surface to receive and adhere to the next coat of new finish;    applying at least one intermediate coat of new finish to the abraded existing finish;    abrading the new intermediate coat of finish with a brush containing medium to fine grit to condition the surface to receive and adhere to the next coat of new finish; and    applying a topcoat of new finish to the at least one abraded intermediate coat of new finish to restore the luster to the floor.    
   
   
       6 . A method for restoring the luster to a) an existing finish on a nominally flat and/or sculptured factory finished wooden floor and b) an existing site installed finish on a nominally flat and/or sculptured wooden floor by the application of one or more new finish coats, the method comprising: 
 cleaning the surface of the wooden floor;    abrading the existing finish with a brush with flexible filaments having medium to fine grit to condition the surface to receive and adhere to the next coat of new finish;    cleaning the surface of the wooden floor;    applying at least one intermediate coat of new finish to the abraded existing finish;    abrading the new intermediate coat of finish with a brush with flexible filaments impregnated with medium to fine grit to condition the surface to receive and adhere to the next coat of new finish;    cleaning the surface of the wooden floor; and    applying a topcoat of new finish to the at least one abraded intermediate coat of new finish to restore the luster to the floor.    
   
   
       7 . A method for restoring the luster to a) an existing finish of nominally flat and sculptured factory finished floors and b) an existing site installed finish of nominally flat and sculptured floors by the application of one or more new finish coats, the method comprising: 
 abrading a portion of the existing finish using a portable floor abrading machine with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with medium to fine grit to condition the surface to receive and adhere to the next coat of new finish;    abrading by hand other portions of the existing finish that were not abraded by the portable floor abrading machine;    applying at least one intermediate coat of new finish to the abraded existing finish;    abrading a portion of the new intermediate coat of finish using a floor abrading machine with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with medium to fine grit to condition the surface to receive and adhere to the next coat of new finish;    abrading by hand other portions of the new intermediate coat of finish that were not abraded by the portable floor abrading machine; and    applying a topcoat of new finish to the at least one abraded intermediate coat of new finish to restore the luster to the floor.    
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the floor surface is cleaned after each abrading step.  
   
   
       9 . A process for restoring luster to the surface of an installed, factory finished wooden floor comprising the following steps: 
 forming microscopic scratches in the surface of the wear-resistant finish of the factory finished wooden floor using a portable abrading machine with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with an abrasive selected from the group including aluminum oxide, carborundum, quartz, silicon carbide, glass particles, glass beads, glass spheres (hollow and/or filled), plastic grits, diamond dust, hard plastics, reinforced polymers, organics, and the like, and mixtures thereof for portions of the floor;    forming microscopic scratches in the surface of the wear-resistant finish of the factory finished wooden floor by hand for other portions of the surface of the floor that were not abraded by the machine;    cleaning the scratched surface; and    applying at least one coat of wood floor finish to the clean, scratched surface of the factory finished wooden floor.    
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the first step is cleaning the surface of the wear-resistant finish of the factory finished wooden floor.  
   
   
       11 . A method for a) removing an existing factory finish from a nominally flat and sculptured wooden floors and refinishing the floors, b) removing an existing site installed finish from nominally flat and sculptured wooden floors and refinishing the floors and c) removing a combined factory finish and on-site installed finish from nominally flat and sculptured floors, the method comprising: 
 abrading the existing finish with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with course grit to remove the existing finish down to bare wood;    abrading the bare wood with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with medium grit to condition the wood to receive a new coat of stain;    applying stain to the bare wood;    applying at least one intermediate coat of new finish to the stained wood;    abrading the intermediate coat of finish with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with medium to fine grit to condition the intermediate coat of new finish to receive and adhere to a topcoat; and    applying a topcoat of new finish to the at least one abraded intermediate coat.    
   
   
       12 . A method for a) removing the existing factory finish from nominally flat and sculptured wooden floors and refinishing the floors, b) removing the existing site installed finish from nominally flat and sculptured wooden floors and refinishing the floors, and c) removing a combined factory finish and on-site applied finish from nominally flat and sculptured floors, the method comprising: 
 abrading the existing finish with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with course grit to remove the existing finish down to bare wood;    cleaning the wooden floor;    abrading the bare wood with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with medium grit to condition the wood to receive a new coat of stain;    cleaning the wooden floor.    applying stain to the bare wood;    applying at least one intermediate coat of new finish to the stained wood;    abrading the intermediate coat of finish with a brush having flexible filaments impregnated with medium to fine grit to condition the intermediate coat of new finish to receive and adhere to a topcoat;    cleaning the wooden floor; and    applying a topcoat of new finish to the at least one abraded intermediate coat.    
   
   
       13 . A process for manufacturing a machine for abrading the surface of nominally flat and sculptured factory finished wooden floor comprising: 
 mounting a motor, having a drive shaft, to a frame, wherein the frame includes a handle for moving the abrading machine about during operation;    attaching at least one rotatable wheel to the frame; and    attaching a removable cylindrical brush with protruding flexible filaments to the drive shaft, wherein the protruding filaments are impregnated with an abrasive selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, carborundum, quartz, silicon carbide, glass particles, glass beads, glass spheres (hollow and/or filled), plastic grits, diamond dust, hard plastics, reinforced polymers, organics, and the like, and mixtures thereof    
   
   
       14 . A process for converting a conventional drum sander to a machine suitable for abrading the surface of nominally flat and sculptured factory finished wooden floors, comprising: 
 removing the conventional abrasive drum; and    modifying the drive shaft to receive and drive a removable cylindrical brush with protruding flexible filaments impregnated with an abrasive selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, carborundum, quartz, silicon carbide, glass particles, glass beads, glass spheres (hollow and/or filled), plastic grits, diamond dust, hard plastics, reinforced polymers, organics, and the like, and mixtures thereof.