How to Plane a Floor

Unscrew the bracket that secures the blade of a smooth hand plane ready for sharpening. Pull out the blade.

Lay an oil-sharpening stone and a fine-sharpening stone on a flat surface. Apply a small amount of oil to each sharpening stone.

Hold the blade at a 30-degree angle, and sharpen it on the oil-sharpening stone using a circular motion for five minutes. Repeat the process on the fine-sharpening stone until the blade is sharp.

Place the blade back in the plane, and secure it in position by tightening the screw. Set the blade for a shallow cut. Changing some planes' depth of cut requires altering the screw mount that secures the blade, and other planes have a depth adjustment knob.

Put on knee pads and a pair of protective gloves.

Move to one corner of the room and work outward from that location if you want to plane the entire floor. Otherwise, go to a specific floor area you want to plane. Run the hand plane along the length of floorboards, working on one board at a time. If the cut is too shallow, lower the plane's blade. Keep the plane flat, and apply medium pressure against the plane and floor as you work. If you push too hard, the blade will dig into the board and cause damage. Take the time to ensure you produce a level finish. Rushing the job could result in an uneven floor surface.