Replacing a small section of wood flooring

[amheck]

I have a small section of wood flooring that needs to be repaired/replaced. I'm not as worried about the replacement as I am the finish. This is solid hardwood with what I would guess is some sort of oil/poly over it. I can't remember what they used when they sanded and refinished.

Anyway, any tips or tricks for finishing once the new floor is installed? do I sand the area larger then the repair and then try to feather in the finish over that? This is in a pretty high traffic/visibility area, so I want this to look at good as possible.

Thanks!

[K. L. McReynolds]

I did a similar repair when I added a couple rows of flooring when a kitchen island was removed.

Flooring was unfinished maple(I had extra) and the finish was MinWax Oil Poly for floors. I had installed the floors about two years earlier, so still had some finish left.

I added the new rows and sanded with my ROS, after taping a strip of wood to the old section so the sander would not get into the old finish except in a straight line.

Once sanded, I applied the first coat of finish, leaving the strip of wood in place. 11 hours later, second coat same way.

11 hours later, third coat same way. The MinWax is applied with each successive coat applied within twelve hours of the succeeding coat.

24 hours later, I removed the strip. Using an old 150 grit pad on the ROS, I lightly sanded the junction line and rubbed in a thinned coat of the MinWax, feathering the stuff as much as possible(old white Tshirt folded several times to make a loose pad).


I had done a similar repair to a floor that had been scratched by moving a refrigerator---sanding out the scratches and feathering in finish. I spent several hours on that repair, but learned how to best feather oil based poly---which ain't easy!


The two rows next to the transition strip were the addition.