Sand paper choice on Rotex

[Hoover]

Just purchased a rotex a few weeks ago and I will be using it soon for refinishing oak hardwood flooring.  What would people recommend for the initial rough sanding to remove the old finish.  There was some damaged pieces in the floor in a few areas and those have been replaced but the level is off slightly from the existing flooring.  What would you suggest, Saphir or Cristal?  Thanks.

 

[Bob Marino]

Cristal as Saphir is too coarse and will put in scratches that would be harder to get out.
Brilliant, in the lower grits would work too.

Bob

 

[Brice Burrell]

Just purchased a rotex a few weeks ago and I will be using it soon for refinishing oak hardwood flooring.  What would people recommend for the initial rough sanding to remove the old finish.  There was some damaged pieces in the floor in a few areas and those have been replaced but the level is off slightly from the existing flooring.  What would you suggest, Saphir or Cristal?  Thanks.

Well, I'd recommend a professional floor sander but that's not what you asked about. I hear what Bob is saying, try 60 or 80 Brilliant first, if that doesn't cut it, here's another idea. I like Cristal for aggressive removal of finishes on surfaces that are already fairly flat 40 or 60 grit. I go the other way around if you need to flatten the floor out a lot, 24 or 36 Saphir. As Bob pointed out aggressive sanding with Saphir or Cristal will leave deep scratches that you'll need to work out.

If you decide to go for this I believe you'll better understand my professional floor sander suggestion when you've finished. ;D  

 

[Daviddubya]

Well, I'd recommend a professional floor sander but that's not what you asked about. ...

Is a professional floor sander a person, a machine, or both? 

 

[peter halle]

If it's my floor - BOTH!  [big grin]

Peter

 

[score0matic]

Both is right. [blink]  Never mind rip it up and TILE it [big grin]

 

[tDot]

I prefer Crystal any time there is a finish involved. It worked awesome on the edges of a hard maple dance floor, for me.

While grit and the correct paper is important, something that I think is too often overlooked is pad choice. For me this is one of the beauties of the Festool sanders. Pads in different and readily available pad durometers. If you are flattening a flat surface, buy the hard pad. It can make a significant difference in the final product, over the regular pad.