Pete's Hardwood Floors

We're knowledgeable about every facet of the process-so knowledgeable, in fact, that contractors routinely call us for advice, equipment and supplies. Whether you're a homeowner who wants to save some serious money by refinishing your own floors, a 'weekend' contractor or a professional, we're here for you. Check out why we do this, our focus on sustainability, Kadee's blog or just read what others say. Kadee's enthusiasm for the business is phenomenal. She knows just about everything there is to know about floor sanding and refinishing and she'll be more than happy to school you.

Let us bring the store to you. While our online store undergoes a facelift, please call Pete's Hardwood Foors at 651-698-5888 to discuss you favorite hardwood flooring care and protection products-professional Bona cleaners, floor protectors, and more. Whether you're in Los Angeles or New York, if you find a product you love, we'll get it to you.

It is true; many floor finishes still use mineral spirits as their solvent, and the smell of that chemical off-gassing from your floor is noxious. But this can be avoided: in winter, choose a less smelly finish. And you do have choices! Water-based finishes smell less and, contrary to popular belief, are often higher in quality than more traditional oil-based products. When in doubt, check the Volatile Organic Compound level of the finish you want to use. The higher the number, the harder it will be to breathe while it dries.

There's a lot to know.but don't worry, we'll guide you through every step, with clear instructions, plenty of detail and a dash of attitude for good measure. And remember, if there's something, anything, you're unsure of, we're just a phone call away with answers. We know it sounds like gimmick, but hardwood floor do-it-yourselfers in MN are our specialty. MN homeowners trust us to rent them quality equipment and teach them how to refinish their floors to perfection. We're located at 186 Fairview Avenue North in St. Paul, MN at the corner of Fairview and Selby.

If you live in the Twin Cities' vicinity, Pete's is the most knowledgeable flooring supplies and sander rental shop you'll ever visit. And the cutest. As an MN-based flooring supplies store for sander rentals and products for hardwood floor refinishing, we love helping Twin Cities homeowners accomplish flooring projects with pride. We are back to near-normal hours, but to keep you safe, we ask that we serve only one customer at a time from our new will-call desk at the front of the store. We'll fetch your product safely from the counter - like an old-timey general store!

Your weight on top of those abrasive particles turns you into a sanding machine that will grind down the finish on your floor as effectively as any floor sander - so get that grit off that floor regularly and often. Wood floors don't wear evenly. You will see wear first appear in small spots at exterior doors and in front of the fridge and you'll think nothing of it because it's just a tiny spot. But it is not nothing! Those little worn spots of driftwood cannot be spot-fixed; once you've killed the finish in one area of the floor, you need to resand the entire space.

The HUMMEL belt sanding machine is the best-known floor sanding machine in the world. Designed by Eugene Lagler in Germany in the late 1960s, it was the first floor sanding machine in the world to feature an endless belt for continual sanding. Hummels are the BMWs of the sanding world: German-built, and beautifully engineered for smooth handling and aggressive performance. But Hummels get their increased performance from their 220v motor, which means that you can't just plug this machine right into a wall outlet, as you can with conventional sanders (read the side-bar "Bringing Power to the Hummel" on the right).

When I bought my first house, plenty of well-intentioned people were eager to offer me advice. But the advice I most remember came from my first boss. He assured me that, I could handle any home handywoman project, with one bright, shining exception: never, ever try to sand your own hardwood floor. For the ignorant and over-confident (and I was definitely both when I bought that first house) assuming that you can refinish wood floors yourself just because a hardware store will rent you a sander is sheer madness.

You can damage your floors just taking out the carpet! Never let your knife cut into the wood itself - it digs deeper than you think, and leaves cuts that are almost impossible to sand out. Instead, tear up enough carpet to fold over a section and cut on the fold. When you first start sanding an old floor, you can tell exactly where the sander has been and how effective your feathering technique is, just by looking at your sander mark. This first photo illustrates what happens when you are using the drum sander incorrectly - you can tell that the drum was still touching the floor when the sander stopped at the wall to change direction.

We've got the best equipment and people who can tell you everything you need to know about your floor sander rental, or other equipment rental. And we won't be working in the 'paint aisle' tomorrow. Our list of rental equipment includes everything you need, from floor sanders to edgers to scrubbers. We're located at 186 Fairview Avenue North in St. Paul, MN at the corner of Fairview and Selby. It's just the cutest sander rental shop you'll ever visit.