Floor Sanding Guides

Floor sanding is the most demanding application for sandpaper — the wrong grit sequence, the wrong sheet, or the wrong technique shows up the moment you apply finish. These guides cover every stage of a hardwood floor refinish, from choosing your starting grit to the final buffer pass before stain or polyurethane.

Whether you are renting a drum sander for the first time or troubleshooting swirl marks from an edger, the articles below walk you through the process with specific product recommendations, grit-by-grit breakdowns, and the quantity guidance you need to buy the right amount before the rental clock starts. Every recommendation references Virginia Abrasives products — the same sheets and discs used by professional flooring contractors across the U.S.

Start with our grit chart for the complete sequence, or pick the guide below that matches your machine.