Flooring Tools

Flooring Tools

Sanders

You can rent most of the equipment and supplies needed to scrape a floor down to smooth, bare wood. A drum sander makes short work of open areas, a disk-type edger sands along the baseboards, and an orbital sander smoothes out circular marks made by the edger.

Also plan to rent a buffer for polishing the floor after you´ve applied sealer. And to get at hard-to-reach areas under radiators and other obstructions, consider an offset sander.

Check with local rental agencies to learn if you should reserve the machines in advance. In any case, be sure to pick them up early in the day to make sure you have enough time to do all the work you plan to do.

When you pick up the equipment, have the dealer demonstrate how it works. Incorrectly used, these powerful machines can gouge a floor in a hurry. Also, make sure you learn how to put sandpaper snugly on a drum sander. Otherwise, it will tear – and paper is expensive.

Sandpaper

The rental agency should also supply you with sandpaper. Three cuts with the grain will give most floors a smooth surface, but if the floor is in bad condition, you may need to make four passes, the first two diagonally and the last two with the wood grain. Use progressively finer sandpaper with each cut. If you are removing paint or sanding very rough floorboards, start with very coarse 20-grit paper. The numbers get higher as the paper gets finer. For sanding new, fairly smooth strip or plank flooring or parquet; start with 60-grit open-coat paper. Make the second pass with 80-grit open-coat paper. Follow this with a third cut with 120-grit open-coat paper if the floor is softwood such as pine, fir, hemlock spruce. Use closed-coat paper for third cuts in hardwoods such as oak, birch, maple, hickory, or ash. The closed-coat paper has more grits per square inch than does the open-coat type.

Wood finishing tools

Apply floor finishes with a spray gun, natural-bristle brush, or a special lamb´s wool applicator. Load the applicator from a roller pan, or simply pour a puddle of finish on the floor and spread it out with the applicator.

If you plan to stain the floor or seal it with a penetrating oil finish, you will also need lots of clean rags.

Tools for installing resilient flooring

Cut a template for sheet goods with scissors and a utility knife. You can also cut the flooring itself with a utility knife, but a linoleum knife – which has a hooked blade – works better. You´ll also need a metal straightedge for guiding cuts. Apply flooring adhesive with a notched trowel. With sheet goods, any floor wider than 12 feet – the longest roll available – will require a seam. This must be seated with a steam roller.

2 Ways to Remove Epoxy from Potteries and Ceramics

2 Ways to Remove Epoxy from Potteries and Ceramics

Epoxy is most commonly used in floor coatings, primers, and other materials involving buildings and constructions. They’re thermostat plastics made by reacting two chemicals together. It’s commonly used in industrial settings mainly because they’re durable, chemical resistant, and they offer strong adhesion to any surface.

Owing to its strength, it’s no wonder why epoxies are commonly used today in a variety of projects. From fixing wobbly furniture to sealing floors, you can trust this type of adhesive to do the job it’s intended for. While they can also be advantageous for different projects, they can also put you in a tight spot when it’s spilled in the wrong places.read more about wobbly furniture at https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/26/nyregion/home-clinic-don-t-throw-it-out-repair-that-wobbly-old-furniture.html

Because it’s difficult to remove, experts know better than to accidentally use it in excess in their ceramics and potteries. Epoxies usually start as a two-part liquid that’s mixed to form a hard glue. Once the epoxy hardens, it can be very difficult to remove. But there are times when the mistake is unavoidable.

That’s why it’s important to find the right removal technique for epoxy-stained material to avoid damaging it. Here are some tricks to help you:

Using Heat

One important thing to note when trying out removal strategies is that it’s always recommended to do a small test first to verify that your technique will not ruin your material. This implies that using heat to remove an epoxy adhesive in your ceramic is a good way to solve your problems. The best material to use here is a heat gun.

2 Ways to Remove Epoxy from Potteries and Ceramics

Heat guns are the most ideal equipment to use when removing hardened epoxies on ceramics. Since extreme heat is needed, a heat gun often goes as hot as 1000 degrees Fahrenheit which is the most ideal temperature to melt the adhesive. The adhesive softens in about 30 to 60 seconds. Since the glue will again be hardened in a matter of minutes, you must scrape it immediately using a plastic scraper. Click here to read more information about melting advice.

Be sure to use PPE in the process because heating can cause the formation of vapors that can cause eye and respiratory irritation. Once you’re done removing all the glue, clean the ceramic with an all-purpose cleaner to remove any char marks left by the heat gun.

Using Acetone

Another technique of removing epoxy from ceramic or pottery is through the use of acetone. Again, if you’re using this, be sure to test a little bit on a small surface on your item to make sure that it won’t react with the ceramic. Once you’ve made sure that it’s okay to use, proceed with the removal process.

Acetones can easily be found since it’s the main ingredient of nail polish removers. But be sure that when using it, the area is well-ventilated. Also, use rubber gloves to protect your skin. Place a few drops of acetone on a small piece of cotton then rub it all over the epoxy you’re trying to get rid of.

Allow the acetone to melt the adhesive, which takes about 10 to 20 seconds. Once it’s melted, quickly scrape the resin using a plastic scraper. Be sure not to push too hard as it might cause damage to your item. Finish it off by cleaning your ceramic with a rag to remove dust and residue.