How to Sand a Porch Floor

Clean the porch floor thoroughly. Sweep with a broom to remove large debris that could gouge the floor during sanding.

Choose a coarse-grade sandpaper (60- or 80-grit) to begin with. Use an electric sander for ease of use and a consistent sanding. Move with the grain of the wood in a slow and steady manner, and cover the entire floor.

Keep the electric sander moving at all times. Do not linger over one area, as this will create grooves in the floor. If the porch is painted, this step should remove any paint from the surface, leaving a clean wood floor.

Repeat the above process with a higher-grit sandpaper. Do this step with successively higher grits until you achieve the desired smoothness.

Clean the porch floor of all sanding dust with a broom before applying paint or sealer.