| How to Identify Your Strengths Posted: 26 Aug 2019 05:00 PM PDT Knowing your strengths can be a game-changer for your life and career. Your strengths are like your superpowers, and they help you create a successful life that you love. To discover your strengths, start by delving into your past through a series of activities. Then, assess yourself to find the traits and qualities that are innate within you. Once you understand your strengths, you can use them to get the job you want. [Edit]Reflecting on Your Life - Ask people you trust to tell you what they think are your strengths. Pick at least 5 people who know you well and you trust to provide good feedback. Then, send them an email explaining that you're trying to identify your strengths so you can choose a career or life path based on them. Include a set of questions in the email and ask that they return it within 3 days. Then, review their responses to find out which strengths come up multiple times.
- If someone hasn't responded, send a reminder on the day of the deadline.
- You might write, "I want to understand my strengths so I can use them to be more successful. I really value your opinion, so I hope you'll answer these questions about me. Please send your response by Friday, August 16. Also, thank you so much for your time and help."
- Identify 3-5 instances in your life where felt most successful. These can be either big or small experiences. Write a journal entry about each of these instances. Then, read through each entry to identify the strengths you displayed during those activities. Pay special attention to the talents, skills, and traits that pop up multiple times. These are likely your strengths.
- For instance, your 3 experiences might be the time you won an essay contest, the day you started an internship, and the day you participated in an invite-only poetry reading.
- You might notice that the overlapping skills are your talent for writing, your creativity, and your ability to connect with others.
- Assess your knowledge, experience, and traits to find your strengths. Start by answering the following questions that can help you identify your strengths. Then, look for common threads among your answers. Consider which talents, traits, and skills come up repeatedly. These are your personal strengths. Here are the questions to ask yourself:
 - What comes easily to me or feels second nature? (Example: writing, repairing cars, public speaking)
- What role do I play in my family? (For instance, you might be the caregiver, the peacemaker, or the planner.)
- When do you feel like you're "in the flow?" (For instance, you might feel in the flow when you're cooking or programming.)
- What do people ask you to help them with? (Example: fixing their computer, romantic advice, help with a pet)
- What types of problems do you enjoy solving? (Example: You might enjoy home improvement projects or organizing someone's workspace.)
- What knowledge and skills have you learned throughout your career? (For instance, you might have learned managerial skills or public speaking.)
- What talents, knowledge, and skills have you learned in your personal life? (Example: Web design, playing the piano, or dancing)
- What extra tasks have you taken on at work just because you like them? (Example: Planning office parties, designing flyers, or helping clients with their complaints)
- What kinds of things did you do as a child? (Example: You drew pictures, hiked in the woods, or played doctor.)
- What qualities do you love about yourself? (For instance, you might appreciate your creativity and perseverance.)
- When do you feel like you shine, either in your personal or work life? (You might feel like you shine when you're helping others or showing off something you made.)
[Edit]Assessing Your Strengths - Take career and strength tests to point you in the right direction. These are tools that can help you better understand yourself. Do several online tests and collect the results. Then, review all of your results to look for commonalities. This will help you identify your personal qualities and traits that are your strengths.
- Recognize different types of intelligence within yourself. While you might think of intelligence as just being smart, there are actually multiple types of intelligence. Each type of intelligence is important in different ways. Here are the different types of intelligence that you can possess:[1]
- Verbal-linguistic intelligence (words and writing)
- Logical and mathematical intelligence (abstract logic and numerical reasoning)
- Spatial and visual reasoning (ability to think in images and visualize accurately)
- Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (ability to control your body and handle objects)
- Musical intelligence (ability to make music)
- Interpersonal intelligence (ability to understand and relate to others)
- Intrapersonal awareness (self awareness)
- Naturalist intelligence (understanding nature)
- Existential intelligence (understanding life's deep questions)
- Learn common skill sets so you can recognize them in yourself. You may have strengths that you've never recognized. It's hard to know what to look for if you aren't sure what counts as a strength. Look at the following list of strengths and consider which ones you might possess:
- Communication skills
- Empathy
- Social and emotional intelligence
- Leadership skills
- Ability to persuade
- Ability to analyze
- Critical thinking skills
- Strategic thinking skills
- Problem solving skills
- Planning skills
- Organizational skills
- Technical or mechanical abilities
- Traits like honesty, integrity, creativity, dependability, and responsibility
- Artistic ability
- Writing skills
- Public speaking skills
- Teaching skills
- Project or people management skills
- Physical coordination
- Humor
[Edit]Discussing Your Strengths in an Interview - Review the job description to identify the strengths required. The job description tells you exactly what the employer wants, so make sure you show how you meet these requirements. Read over the job description several times and identify the key words. Additionally, note the knowledge and skills required for the job. Turn this into a list of desired strengths.[2]
- For instance, the job description might say things like, "ability to solve problems independently, knowledge of basic editing software, and ability to prioritize tasks." These are strengths you would need for the job.
- Read about the organization to learn about their culture. Start by visiting their website and reading what's posted by the organization. Then, do a simple Internet search to find out what other people are saying about it. Finally, read the most recent news articles about the organization, if there are any.[3]
- This can give you insight into what they truly value. For instance, if the company is known for taking big risks, you'll know they value innovation even if that's not listed in the job description.
- Use this information to answer the questions in your interview. It shows that you've taken the initiative to learn about the company.
- Match your personal strengths to the skills in the job description. Review the strengths you've identified by reflecting on your past and assessing your personality. Next, identify the strengths that best fit this job. Then, consider how your personal strengths might make up for skills in the job description that you don't have.[4]
- For instance, you might have a lot of experience with editing software that you can use if you get this job. On the other hand, you may not have worked independently in your prior jobs. However, you could use your talent for a solo hobby, like woodworking, to show that you can work well independently. You can show photos of your projects to back up your claims and make you more memorable.
- Identify examples and anecdotes you can use to show your strengths. The best way to explain your strengths is to show how you've used them in your work, educational, or personal life. Think about the ways you've demonstrated your skills, then write out an explanation. Practice telling people your examples so you're ready for your interview.[5]
- If you examined your past successes to identify your strengths, use these stories to explain your strengths to the interviewer.
- Choosing a career path based on your strengths will help you be happier and more successful.
- Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. Your strengths will help you move forward on a path that's right for you.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Make Quiche Posted: 26 Aug 2019 09:00 AM PDT With its flaky pastry, rich filling, and savory custard, quiche makes a great meal any time of day. Line a pie plate with homemade pastry or use a store-bought one to save time. Then scatter cheese and your choice of filling in it. Mix a simple egg custard to pour over the filling and then bake your quiche until it's browned and set. Serve the quiche warm or at room temperature with a simple green salad and enjoy! [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Basic Quiche - 1 pastry shell
- 1 to 2 cups (200 to 400 g) of filling ingredients, such as roasted red peppers, smoked salmon, or broccoli
- 1 to 2 cups (108 to 216 g) of shredded cheese, divided
- 3 large eggs
- of milk
- of heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons (11 g) of kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground nutmeg
Makes a quiche [Edit]Pie Crust - 1 1/4 cup (157 g) of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) of unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 6 tablespoons (74 g) of vegetable shortening, chilled
- of ice water
Makes 1 pie shell [Edit]Quiche Lorraine Filling - 6 to 8 slices of bacon
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 1 cup (108 g) of Gruyère cheese
Makes 1 to 2 cups (200 to 400 g) of filling [Edit]Mushroom Filling - of mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 of a diced yellow onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (2 g) of dried thyme
- 2 cups (216 g) of Gruyère cheese, shredded
Makes 1 to 2 cups (200 to 400 g) of filling [Edit]Ham and Asparagus Filling - 1/2 of a diced yellow onion
- of asparagus, chopped into pieces
- of ham steak, diced into pieces
- 2 cups (216 g) of Swiss cheese, shredded
Makes 1 to 2 cups (200 to 400 g) of filling [Edit]Making the Pastry Dough - Cut the butter and shortening into the flour. Get out a mixing bowl and put 1 1/4 cup (157 g) of all-purpose flour into it along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Put 3 tablespoons (42 g) of cubed butter and 6 tablespoons (74 g) of vegetable shortening into the flour. Use your hands, forks, or a pastry cutter to mix the fats into the flour.[1]
- It's important to use all-purpose flour since cake flour, bread flour, or gluten-free flours won't make a tender, flaky crust.
- Mix up to of ice water into the dough. Stir of ice water into the flour and fat mixture. Keep adding a spoonful of water at a time and mixing well until the dough begins to clump together.[2]
- To test if the dough has enough water, squeeze some of the dough between your hand. The dough should hold together instead of crumbling apart.
- Shape the dough into a disc and chill it for at least 2 hours. Roll the dough into a ball and flatten it so it forms a disc that's thick. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.[3]
- To make the dough in advance, chill it for up to 5 days.
- Chilling the dough will relax the gluten which will create a tender pastry.
[Edit]Blind Baking the Crust - Line a pie plate with the pastry dough. If you're using homemade pastry, sprinkle your work surface with a little flour. Then roll the pastry dough to a circle. Place it in a pie plate and crimp the edges. To crimp the edges, pinch the edge of the dough between your thumb and index fingers. This will help the pie crust hold its shape.[4]
- If you don't want to make your own pastry, you can use purchased pastry dough. Thaw the dough if it's frozen and lay it in your pie plate. Then bake the shell without a filling as directed.
- Preheat the oven to and freeze the pie shell. It's important to chill the pastry so it doesn't shrink as much when you bake it. Ensure that the shell chills for about 30 minutes.[5]
- If you're using a frozen, store-bought pie shell, you can probably just leave it in the freezer until the oven is fully preheated.
- Fill the pastry shell with weights and bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the chilled pastry shell from the freezer and lay a sheet of parchment paper over it. Fill the pastry shell with pie weights, dry rice, or dry beans. Then put the pie shell in the preheated oven and bake it for 20 minutes.[6]
- Blind baking is when you bake the pastry in the pie plate, but haven't put the filling in yet. Baking the pastry before adding the pastry will give you a crisp crust that stays flaky.
- Remove the weights and bake the shell for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully take the pastry shell out of the oven and lift away the parchment with the pie weights, rice, or beans. Return the pastry shell to the oven and cook it until it's just starting to become brown. Then remove the pie shell and let it cool a little while you make the filling.[7]
- Keep the oven turned on to so you can bake your quiche once you've assembled it.
[Edit]Assembling a Filling - Fry bacon and sauté onion to make quiche Lorraine filling. Fry 6 to 8 slices of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until they're crisp. Then crumble the bacon and set it aside while you sauté 1 diced yellow onion for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the softened onion to the bacon.[8]
- When you're ready to assemble the quiche Lorraine, use 1 cup (108 g) of Gruyère cheese.
- Cook mushrooms with onion and garlic to make a rich filling. Sauté of sliced mushrooms with 1/2 of a diced yellow onion, and 2 minced garlic cloves over medium heat. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons (2 g) of dried thyme and cook the filling for 4 to 5 minutes so the mushrooms release their liquid.[9]
- To assemble this mushroom quiche, put 2 cups (216 g) of Gruyère cheese into the pastry shell.
- Sauté asparagus and onion to mix with a ham filling. Stir and cook 1/2 of a diced yellow onion with of asparagus pieces over medium heat. Cook the vegetables for 3 to 5 minutes so they soften. Turn off the burner and mix in of diced ham steak.[10]
- Use 2 cups (216 g) of shredded Swiss cheese when you assemble this quiche.
[Edit]Mixing the Basic Egg Custard - Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and beat them. To make it easier to pour the custard into the pastry shell, crack the eggs into a large bowl with a spout. Use a whisk or a fork to beat the eggs well.[11]
- Add milk, cream, salt, and nutmeg. Pour in of milk, of heavy cream, 2 teaspoons (11 g) of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground nutmeg.[12]
- Whisk the custard until it's smooth. Keep mixing until you don't see any streaks of egg. The custard mixture should be a pale yellow color. Set the custard filling aside while you put the cheese and fillings in the pie shell.[13]
[Edit]Filling and Baking the Quiche - Scatter cheese and the filling on the blind baked crust. Get out 1 to 2 cups (108 to 216 g) of shredded cheese and put half of it in the bottom of the pie crust. Then spread 1 to 2 cups (200 to 400 g) of filling ingredients over the cheese. Top the filling with the rest of the cheese.[14]
- If you're following a filling recipe, use the type and amount of cheese that's indicated. For example, if you're making quiche lorraine, use 1 cup (108 g) of Gruyère.
- Pour the basic custard into the pastry shell. Once you've put all the fillings and cheese you like into the pie, slowly pour the prepared egg mixture into the shell. The mixture should come up to the edges of the crust.[15]
- Bake the quiche at for 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the filled pastry shell to the hot oven and bake the quiche until the edges look dry and the crust has browned. To tell if it's finished baking, move the pie plate a little. The filling should jiggle just a little in the center and not be completely fluid.[16]
- If you're concerned that the pastry edges are browning too quickly, cover just the pastry with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil.
- Cool the quiche for at least 20 minutes before serving. Remove the baked quiche from the oven and set it on the stove to cool a little. You can slice the quiche and serve it while it's still slightly warm or at room temperature.[17]
- The quiche will finish cooking and set up as it cools.
- Cover and refrigerate leftover quiche for up to 3 days. To reheat the quiche, warm it in a oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
- If you'd like to freeze a baked quiche, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag. Freeze the quiche for up to 2 to 3 months. To reheat it, remove it from the plastic and cover it with foil. Reheat the quiche at for 20 minutes.[18]
- To make a crustless quiche, put the fillings in an empty pie plate and pour the basic custard over them. Bake the crustless quiche at for 45 to 50 minutes.[19]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Baking sheet or aluminum foil
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- pie plate
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap
- Pie weights, dry rice, or dried beans
- Rolling pin
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Restore Hardwood Floors Posted: 26 Aug 2019 01:00 AM PDT It's a great feeling to realize that you have beautiful hardwoods underneath the carpet in your home, and you can refinish it so your floors look brand new! After you remove the old carpet, you need to sand the floor to make sure it's smooth and level. Then you can apply stain and a polyurethane finish to protect the wood. If the wood is scratched, you can buff it to smooth it out even more. When you're finished, your room will have new floors that will last your years!. [Edit]Removing the Carpet - Remove any furniture and accessories from the room. Work with a helper so you can carry heavy pieces of furniture into a different room. Then take out any accessories that are near or on the floor, such as vent covers or rugs, so you can rip up the carpet.[1]
- Take down any long curtains so they don't get in the way while you work.
- Vacuum the old carpet. Dirt and dust can get in the way when it's time to sand your floors. Before you pull up the old carpet, go over the entire carpet thoroughly with your vacuum to get rid of any dirt. Vacuum the area 1-2 times to get the most dirt out of the carpet so it doesn't transfer to a different room.[2]
- Begin in one corner and pull up your carpet. You can start in any corner of your room. Pry up the edge of the carpet with a pry bar so you have a handhold. Then slowly pull up the carpet, moving to the center of the room. Once you've pulled all the corners out, roll up the carpet so you can remove it easily.[3]
- To make things easier, use a razor knife to cut through the carpet so you can remove it in sections.
- Wear work gloves if you want to get a better grip.
- Pull up the carpet pad. Start in one of the corners of your room and lift the edge of the carpet pad with a pry bar. Grab the edge of the pad and slowly pull it back toward the center of the room. Don't move too fast since the carpet pad could rip and make it more difficult to move in one piece. Once the pad is lifted, roll it up and take it out of the room.[4]
- Some of the carpet pad may come up with carpet depending on how old it is.
- Pry up any carpet staples or tack strips from the wood. Look for staples in your floor since they might have held the carpet pad down. Pry the staples out of the floor with the back of a claw hammer. To remove tack strips, place the flat edge of a pry bar near one of the nails in the board. Hit the end of the pry bar with a hammer to lift up the board. Pull each nail out of the floor so you can remove the tack strip in one piece.[5]
- Tack strips have nails that point up, so stand back while you're prying the boards in case they break and watch where you grab them.
- Remove any carpet adhesive. Check the color of the adhesive under your carpet if there is any. If it's yellow, use a plastic scraper or a chisel to break it apart. If the adhesive on the floor is dark brown or tan, scrub the floor with cleaning rags and an adhesive remover, such as mineral spirits. If there's any residue left from the adhesive, then use a general purpose adhesive cleaner to remove it.
- Adhesive remover is flammable, so make sure any sources of sparks or fire are removed.
- Remove the baseboards. Using a razor knife, score the top edge of the baseboards where they meet the wall. Beginning at a corner, place a pry bar between the baseboard and the wall, then slowly pull forward. Then move along the baseboard and pry it again. Once the board is loose, pull it off the wall in one long piece. Continue removing the rest of the baseboards in the room.[6]
- Cover any openings with plastic. You can reuse old plastic sheeting from old projects or you can buy some from your local hardware store. Cover all of your doorways, light fixtures, and any other openings, such as fireplaces. Tape around the edges of the plastic sheeting with painters' tape so the openings are completely covered.[7]
- You can buy special vent covers that still allow air flow while preventing dust from getting inside.
[Edit]Sanding the Floors - Sand your floor with a random orbital sander and 30- to 40-grit sandpaper. A random orbital sander doesn't leave any pattern in your floor after you've sanded it. Load the sander with 30- to 40-grit sandpaper to help smooth out rough finishes. Begin in the corner farthest from the door and turn your sander on. Follow in the same direction as the floorboards, moving the sander in a tight circular motion. Continue sanding in a long strip from one corner of your room to the other.[8]
- Many sanders have a dust discharge that you attach a vacuum hose to. Otherwise, you can tape a shop-vac hose to the handle and run the vacuum while you sand to catch the dust.
- Overlap each row as you sand. Once you reach the opposite corner of the room, start sanding a new strip going back toward the other side of the room. Overlap the first strip by so you don't miss any spots while you're sanding.[9]
- Touch up the edges with a hand sander after you've finished the rest of the room. When you're using a random orbital sander, you won't be able to reach the very edges of the room. Instead, use a hand sander loaded with 30- to 40-grit sandpaper. Set the sander in the corner, flush against the wall, and move slowly down the edge, following the grain of the floor.
- When you're working on a wall that doesn't follow the grain of your floor, pull the sander away from the wall so you follow the same direction.
- Sand the corners with a detail sander. A detail sander is slightly smaller than a hand sander and fits into tight spaces, like the corners of your room. Attach 30- or 40-grit sandpaper to the detail sander, and smooth out any small areas that you couldn't reach before. Make sure the floor feels smooth when you're finished.[10]
- If you don't have a detail sander, you can use a sanding sponge instead.
- Vacuum up any dust once you're finished. Use a brush attachment on your vacuum to lift up the dust without damaging your wood floors. Vacuum the entire floor to remove any sawdust created from sanding the floors. Make sure you get into the corners well, since dust can gather there.[11]
- Try to sweep up as much sawdust as you can before you sand so you don't have to clean your vacuum as much.
- Repeat the entire sanding process with 60- and 100-grit sandpaper. Load all of your sanders with 60-grit sandpaper, which will help smooth your floors even more without leaving noticeable marks. Go through the room with the random orbital sander first, followed by the hand and detail sander. Vacuum the room to clean up the sawdust before sanding the floor again with 100-grit sandpaper.[12]
- If the floor still feels a little rough, use a 120-grit screen to go over the floor again. You can use the orbital sander or you can sand by hand if there are only a few rough spots.
- Vacuum and damp mop the floor. Once you're completely finished sanding, make sure the floor is completely clean by vacuuming it with the brush attachment. Once you clean up as much sawdust as you can, use a slightly damp mop to wipe the whole floor to pick up any dust you missed with the vacuum.[13]
- Clean any dust on the window sills, windows, and any other molding in the room with a damp cloth.
- Wipe the floor with mineral spirits. Mineral spirits is a solvent used to remove old wax from the hardwood floor so you can stain it if you want. Wet the end of a rag with the mineral spirits and wipe the floor clean. Work from one corner and work toward the other side of the room.[14]
- Mineral spirits is flammable so don't keep it near an open flame or heat source.
[Edit]Staining the Floor - Apply the stain with a lambswool applicator. Use a wood stain that's meant for hardwood floors. Start in a corner opposite the doorway into the room, and then move toward the exit. Work in spaces that are at a time, and spread the stain evenly over the wood. Make sure there aren't any puddles forming, and if there are, wipe the excess away with a rag.[15]
- Overlap your next section of stain. While the stain in the first section is still wet, start the next section right next to it. Use your applicator to spread the stain over the area, overlapping the edge of the first section by so you don't miss any spots and get even color.[16]
- You can buy wood stain from paint and home improvement stores.
- Buy a lambswool applicator from a local hardware store or paint shop.
- Work quickly so the stain doesn't have time to dry. If the edges of the sections dry before you work on the next section, your floor will look like it has stripes.
- Use a paintbrush to stain the corners. Dip the end of the paintbrush into the stain and apply a thin coat in the corner and along the wall. Follow the grain of your floorboards to help hide any brushstrokes. Make sure to work the stain all the way to corner so you don't miss any spots.[17]
- Let the stain dry overnight to see its true color. Your stain might look darker when you first apply it since it hasn't absorbed into the wood fully. Allow the stain to dry and set completely, which usually takes about 8-12 hours. Once the stain is dry, look at the color to see if you're happy with it.[18]
- If you want to stain your floors darker, apply another thin coat of stain.
[Edit]Applying Polyurethane - Ventilate the room before you begin. Polyurethane has a very strong odor and it can be overwhelming in a small space. Open as many windows and doors as possible to get proper ventilation.
- You can also wear a paper face mask to protect yourself from the fumes.
- Stir the polyurethane. Take the lid off of the polyurethane can and use a paint stir stick to mix the polyurethane. Don't shake the can to stir the polyurethane since it could form air bubble and leave an uneven finish on your floors.[19]
- You can buy polyurethane sealer from your local hardware or home improvement stores.
- Clean the applicators you're using for your polyurethane. Use a lambswool stain applicator and a natural-bristle paintbrush to apply the polyurethane. Stick a piece of painter's tape on the stain applicator to remove any excess fibers so they don't get stuck in the sealant. Pull out any loose bristles from the paintbrush before using it.[20]
- You can buy stain applicators from your local hardware store.
- Begin in the far corner of the room with the brush. Starting in the corner farthest from the door, use the brush to apply polyurethane near the wall. Dip the brush into the polyurethane can and gently brush a thin layer about into the room from the wall. After you paint a border around the room, use the lambswool applicator to spread the polyurethane. Work backward toward the door so you can easily get out when you're finished.[21]
- Make sure you overlap each stroke slightly to get an even finish.
- Let the polyurethane dry before applying a second coat. The manufacturer's instructions should tell you how long to let the polyurethane dry, but it should be anywhere from 8 hours to overnight.[22]
- Apply a second coat of the polyurethane and let it dry. Repeat the same process as before for your second coat. Start around the edges of your room and work toward the center. Make sure you get even coverage with the polyurethane so your floor is level. Let the polyurethane dry for 2-3 days before using the room.[23]
- If the floor feels sticky or tacky, then let it dry for longer.
[Edit]Refinishing Scratched Floors - Clear out the room and clean your floors. Make sure you remove all furniture from the room or rooms where you want to refinish the floors. Vacuum the floor to get up any dirt or debris that might be there. Spray a hardwood floor cleaner on the floor and then wipe the floor with a terrycloth mop.[24]
- You can find hardwood floor cleaner at most home improvement stores. If you can't find any, you can mix your own with 10 parts water to 1 part white vinegar.
- If you don't have a terrycloth mop, you can wrap a towel around your mop head instead.
- Sand the perimeter of the room using 180-grit sandpaper. Work by hand so you can get closer to the wall than you could with a large sander. Sand into the room from the wall. Keep sanding until the floors look dull and dust forms.[25]
- The sanded floors will look considerably lighter than the rest of the room since you've sanded down past any existing finish.
- Buff the rest of the room with a buffer. Rent a buffer from a home improvement store so you can use it for the day. Start buffing near the far corner, and follow the grain of the wood floor across the room. As you move down each row, move the buffer side to side to get an even finish. Overlap each row by about so you don't miss any spots. The old finish will turn into a white powder so you can easily see where you've worked.[26]
- Use a maroon buffing pad since it has the correct grit to sand the rest of the floor.
- Keep the buffer on constantly, but stop every 5 minutes to vacuum the pad. Tilt the buffer up and use a vacuum extension to pull the dust off.
- Vacuum the floor. Put a new filter in your vacuum, or clean out the filter if it's reusable. Attach a felt-bottomed attachment to your vacuum to protect your floors from any damage. Work in the direction of the flooring strips, sweeping the attachment back and forth to suck up all the dust. Then work across the flooring strips to get any dust settled in between them.[27]
- If you don't have a felt-bottomed attachment for your vacuum, a brush attachment will also work.
- Dry-tack the floor. Wrap a large microfiber cloth around a dry mop or broom, and secure it in place. Push the cloth across the floor in the same direction as the flooring strips to get up the very last of the dust. Work in tight areas along the wall or in corners where dust may easily form.[28]
- Strain the new finish through an old watering can. Cover your shoes with booties and wear a respirator that has organic vapor canisters to protect your lungs. Pour the stain through a cone filter into a plastic watering can to strain out any contaminants. Pour the stain from the watering can into a small plastic container.[29]
- Apply a strip of stain around the edge of your room. Start at the corner farthest from the door so you don't get stuck when you're finished applying the stain. Using a paintbrush, apply a strip of stain next to the baseboards that's about thick. Get as far as you can around your room in 10 minutes before moving on.[30]
- This process is known as "cutting in."
- Working on the edges first makes it easier to work without missing any tight spots.
- Roll stain onto the rest of the floor. Pour a strip of stain onto the floor next to the strip you just painted on. Use a long-handled roller with a nap cover. Roll the finish out along the grain and then across it, overlapping each pass.[31]
- Pour as much stain as you can spread in 10 minutes or else your floor may look striped or uneven.
- Repeat the cutting in and rolling out procedure every 10 minutes. You'll need to work with wet stain to ensure that you don't end up with visible strips on the floor. Once you've rolled out finish for 10 minutes, go back to cutting in the edges for 10 minutes. Then roll out stain for 10 minutes, repeating the procedure until you've covered the entire floor.[32]
- Wait 3 hours to apply a second coat. If you're looking for a darker stain, you might need to apply more than one coat. Wait 3 hours in between applying each coat of stain so the coat before it has time to dry.[33]
- Wait a week to replace furniture. Once you've achieved the shade of stain you want, you'll need to let the floor dry completely. Wait a full week before you replace any furniture or accessories.[34]
- If you have engineered hardwoods - flooring that looks like hardwood but is not - you'll need to have a professional company come in and refinish your floors for you. If you're not sure what type of floors you have, take out a vent cover in your floor. You should be able to see how thick the flooring is. If it's thicker than , you have regular hardwoods.
- When you're replacing your baseboards and shoe moldings, wear soft flat shoes. They're less likely to scratch or scuff your newly refinished floors.
- You don't need to seal the floors after you've stained them if you were buffing out scratches instead of completely refinishing the floors.
[Edit]Warnings - Mineral spirits is flammable, so keep it away from open flames and heat sources.
- Be careful while using sanders and power tools since you could hurt yourself.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Vacuum
- Pry bar
- Claw hammer
- Plastic scraper or chisel
- Razor knife
- Plastic covers
- Random orbital sander
- Hand sander
- Detail sander
- 40-grit sandpaper
- 60-grit sandpaper
- 100-grit sandpaper
- Mop
- Mineral spirits
- Cleaning cloths
- Floor stain
- Lambswool stain applicator
- Paintbrush
- Polyurethane
- Buffer
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