Restoring a Engineered Timber Floor to Its Best - Elwood

Engineered Timber Floor Sanding with Waterbased Polyurethane

Restoring a Thick 6mm Engineered Timber Floor to Its Best

Not every engineered floor can be sanded, but when it has a thick enough top layer, it can be treated much like solid timber. For this project, our client’s engineered timber flooring featured a 6mm top layer—thick enough to allow for a careful sanding and refinishing process. The goal was to refresh the look of the floor while protecting it with a durable waterbased polyurethane finish.

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Engineered timber floor sanding process on 6mm top layer

Can You Sand Engineered Timber Floors?

It’s a common question: can engineered floors be sanded? The answer depends on the thickness of the top hardwood layer. In this case, the engineered timber floor had a 6mm wear layer, which gave us enough depth to sand and refinish without risk of compromising the structural integrity of the boards.

Engineered timber flooring sealed with waterbased polyurethane

Engineered timber flooring sealed with waterbased polyurethane

Sanding an Engineered Timber Floor with Care

Sanding engineered timber floors requires a different approach than sanding solid hardwood. Because the top layer is limited in thickness, we avoid aggressive grits and instead use a gentler process. For this project, we carefully sanded the engineered boards to remove scratches, wear, and surface imperfections while preserving as much of the 6mm top layer as possible.

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Engineered timber floor with natural grain highlighted after sanding

Finishing Engineered Timber Floors with Waterbased Polyurethane

Once sanded, the engineered timber floor was sealed with a waterbased polyurethane finish. This type of finish is perfect for engineered boards—it enhances the natural timber grain, provides long-lasting durability, and avoids the yellowing effect that solvent-based finishes can cause. The result was a floor that looked refreshed, lighter, and beautifully protected.

The Result: A Renewed Engineered Timber Floor

Thanks to the thick 6mm top layer, the client’s engineered timber floor was able to be sanded and refinished just like solid hardwood. The careful sanding process, followed by a waterbased polyurethane finish, gave the home a fresh new look while extending the life of the floors for many more years.

What the interior can look like with the help of our Ai furnishing tool.