Hardwood Floors October/November 2025

AT THE SITE Refinishing Aluminum Oxide Floors (Continued)

Up until last year, I refused to touch any of these prefinished floors anymore. That changed for me after a friend called. I completed the NWFA schools back in the early 2000s, and have taught many of them through the years. Why am I telling you this? So that you understand how being involved can make your life easier. For example, one day in 2024 I received a text message from another flooring contractor here in the Bay Area. He sent me a link to a new product for my planetary sander It was a product designed for sanding aluminum oxide floors. Within one minute of looking it up, I knew it was the perfect tool for these floors. I messaged my contact for information about the tool. Something you can’t really get from just watching a marketing video. (The only reason I had his phone number, and the only reason he picked up the phone was because of our history together with the NWFA. This is a side note on why you should be around more flooring people and get yourself involved in the industry.)

You must know your finishes to understand what approach would work to sand them.

For additional information about

Aluminum Oxide floors, check out the NWFA's Technical Publications at NWFA.ORG/TECHNICAL- GUIDELINES/.

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