We are working on the floor as of late. This is the second week of non stop sanding. Lenny, with Canstruct S.A. in David, the lumber distributor, gave me the directions on how to sand with a variable speed disc sander, the same used to buff car wax. Lenny recommended multiple passes with different grit sandpapers, each pass a long tortuous grueling process. All I can say is that after a few days in a row with a paint can tied to my ass, hunched over for hours at a time breathing gnarly dirty wood dust, the floor is going to be a little rustic. One good pass and a second pass on the rough areas with the orbital sander and Im calling it good.
Dexter started the process by sanding the porch area, this was the practice area. I came behind staining and sealing. After practicing on the outside he moved inside with the sander and worked for nearly a full week. Now it’s my turn. After a few days getting a nice lower back workout I am almost finished with the first pass sanding. I choose to go with a nearly black wood stain. After living down here a while one realizes that it is almost always either dusty or muddy here. A dark color will hide the imperfections in our sanding and dirt from regular wear and tear of daily living.
Normally you do not sand a floor with a disc sander because of it marking the wood, but in the outskirts of Panama you cant just look in the yellow pages and ask a floor guy to come over with his special floor sanding tools and bid the job. There are floor professionals that live five hours away in Panama City, I have met one of them and he was the grumpiest person I have ever seen. His hat even had his name on the back of it with “Grumpy” on the front, literally, he was proud of how grumpy he was. I prefer to do it myself, then deal with him. So like many things here you have to invent or ask around for some one who has already done what you are trying to do and see what solution they came up with. Hence, Lenny, who has sanded many a wood floor with a disc sander. Thanks for the idea Lenny.
Although, it will not have the perfect finish, you will still be able to slide around in your socks like a kid at grandmas old wooden house. Just remember to leave your shoes by the stairs. Socks or bare feet only please, I do not want to refinish this floor anytime soon, my back can’t take it.
Here are a few photos of the process, I will post more in a week or so once it is all done.
Enjoy.