THE FIRST STEP TO FINISHING THE BRICK FLOORS IS TO SAND THEM
WITH A LARGE ELECTRIC ORBITAL SANDER. THE MACHINE ABOVE HAS A
PAD THAT MEASURES 12 INCHES BY 18 INCHES, AND WEIGHS 130 POUNDS.
WE USE A 36 GRIT ABRASIVE PAD, AND MAKE AS MANY PASSES OVER THE
FLOOR AS WE NEED TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS WE WANT. THE FIRST PASS REMOVES MOST OF THE MATERIAL, AND EACH ADDITIONAL PASS REMOVES A LITTLE MORE. THE BRICKS WILL ONLY SAND SO MUCH SO AFTER A WHILE YOU ARE JUST MAKING NOISE. WE AREN'T TRYING TO COMPLETELY SMOOTH
OUT THE FLOORS, WE ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO TAKE OFF
SOME OF THE ROUGH EDGES FROM THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
THESE BRICKS WERE MANUFACTURED LOCALLY BY KINNEY BRICK COMPANY,
AND ARE WHAT THEY CALL "SUNSET INTERIOR PAVERS ".
THEY ARE A BIT SOFTER THAN THE EXTERIOR GRADE BRICKS,
SO THEY CAN BE SANDED WITH SATISFACTORY RESULTS.
BUT DON'T GET THE IDEA THEY ARE SOFT. THEY HAVE A PSI RATING
AROUND 7500 LBS PER SQ. INCH. THE CONCRETE SLAB THEY ARE LAID
ON HAS A PSI RATING OF 3000 LBS PER SQ. INCH,
SO YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT DAMAGING THESE FLOORS
UNLESS YOU PLAY WITH SLEDGE HAMMERS.
THE NEXT PHASE IS TO VACUUM UP ALL THE DUST, AND THEN WASH
THE FLOORS WITH A FAIRLY WEAK SOLUTION MURATIC ACID,
AND THEN RINSE THEM LIKE CRAZY WITH A MOP. IT'S HARD WORK, AND YOU
NEED TO HAVE A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF CLEAN WATER OR ELSE YOU WILL
JUST SMEAR DIRTY WATER OVER THE BRICKS. REMEMBER, THE FLOORS
ARE UNSEALED AT THIS STAGE, SO THEY WILL ABSORB
ANYTHING LIKE A SPONGE.
