One of the most crucial things a floor specialist needs to look into when it comes to the installation of timber floors is the assessment of the amount of the surface that needs to be sanded away. First of all, we should explain as to why sanding a timber floor is even required. According to Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites, the timber flooring panels require sanding in order to remove weak surfaces, calibrate panel thickness and also enhance the surface quality for laminating or painting. The sanding allowance (the amount of timber floor to be sanded away) varies based on the thickness of a floor. For thin panels, the sanding allowance of timber floors can be considered between 0.3 and 0.5mm as opposed to thicker panels ranging from 0.8 to 1.2mm. Additionally, whilst sanding always remember to use the appropriate grit, change the sand paper frequently and also sand with the grain. Although the sanding passes are dependent on the type of the wood, timber floor specialists normally start off with the 50 or 60 grit and repeat the process for more three times, changing the grit from 70 to 100, until the panel is fully smoothed out and looks gorgeous! Since the floor must be completely sanded before polishing or coating, they need to make sure there is no dirt or scratches left on the timber floors. If you want to do sanding at home by yourself, be aware that a drum sander and an edge sander are needed to sand your timber floors (you can also buy an ear protection to dampen loud noises). Alternatively, you can ask us for a perfect timber floor sanding and polishing! At Live Timber Flooring we specialise in floor sanding and polishing of timber flooring and Timber installation in the Eastern Suburbs. SANDING, STAINING, POLISHING IN DONVALE, DONCASTER ATFA normally holds an event in regards to sanding allowance. Please read more information by visiting the link below: https://www.atfa.com.au/ Resources: https://books.google.com.au/books?id=QMn6rsl_PPgC http://www.ericsprojects.com/?page_id=239 https://www.homeimprovementpages.com.au/article/how_to_polish_timber_floors