Everyone loves the squeak of sneakers on a well-maintained gym floor. That sound reminds fans to stand up and cheer to support their team or daydream about the good old days when they were on the court. There is something so simple about that sound, but it wouldn’t be possible without a high-quality properly maintained maple floor.
To maintain that high quality that keeps the fans coming to games and saves you money in the long run, you have to understand a few things about sports floors: the life cycle of a maple floor, general maintenance, and most importantly — when to sand your floors.
A huge part of taking care of your athletic flooring from Sports Floors is being sure you sand your floors at the right time. Not only will a professional sanding extend the life of your sports floor, but it will also save you money and energy. Let’s dig a little deeper.
What is my floor’s life span?
With regular maintenance, your gym floor has a life span of up to 75 years — that’s a long time! Sanding your floors is a key part of taking care of them so that they can last 75 years. You should sand your hardwood gym floor once every eight to ten years. However, knowing when to sand them down really depends on the condition of the wood floors.
If you’re keeping up with the proper gym floor maintenance, including dry mopping daily, treating your floors with tie tack monthly, and recoating the floors annually, they may last the entire ten years before you need to sand.
Number of Sands
Sanding wood floors helps to even out the surface and remove any old, outdated finish left after years of wear and tear. As a general rule, most gym floors will have up to six sands in their life cycle before they need to be replaced. However, this number is only an estimate and really depends on who is doing the sanding and how they are tackling the project.
Working with trained professionals like our team at Sports Floors is the best way to ensure the life span of your gym floor. We know how to sand our floors so that only a minimal amount of surface material is removed. Our process will leave your floor looking refreshed and rejuvenated without decreasing the life span more than is necessary.
The Sanding Process
There are a lot of different terms used to describe the sanding process, including “refinishing” or “resurfacing.” They all involve the same method of sanding the floor down to the bare wood by performing multiple cuts with different grit of sandpaper before applying seal, paint, and finish. A complete job from our team at Sports Floors involves sanding all lines, logos, and finish from the floor to reveal the raw wood below.
During this process, any damaged boards or subfloors can be repaired or replaced. We will make sure that all boards match so that your floors are timeless and beautiful before applying the seal.
After we’ve properly sanded the gym floor, we’ll apply MFMA-approved sealant. This step helps to prep your floors for use so that they can be painted or stained for the aesthetic you desire. At Sports Floors, our in-house artist works directly with our clients in the design process to create a floor that meets their needs while being aesthetically pleasing. In some cases, the customer will need to provide their brand standards to include any custom colors, fonts, and logos. From there, our artist goes to work on your canvas!!
Once the paint is dry and prepped, the floors are ready for the final coats of finish. The floor should be closed off from traffic and air currents that could carry dust and dirt while the finish is being applied. The temperature should be maintained at approximately 65°F to facilitate proper drying and cure for the seal, paint, and finish.
Now that your floors are sanded, you’ll need to mark your calendar or set a reminder to sand them again in the next eight to ten years!
When in doubt, call the experts!
Our highly-experienced team at Sports Floors is always ready to help you care for your gym floors. From installing the floors to keeping up with the maintenance, we are there every step of the way, so your fans can cheer on their favorite teams in style!
From NBA arenas to high school gyms, Sports Floors is the leading expert for Mid-South athletic flooring. We offer wood and synthetic flooring, source our maple floors from sustainably managed forests, and use recycled materials wherever possible.
If you have questions about installing a new sports floor or sanding your current one, call our office today!
