Steel wool pads are used in professional wood floor refinishing to remove an ultra-thin layer of finish.

Professionals utilize the steel wool pads in one of two ways:
1. To sand between coats of oil-modified finishes to create a final finish with a high shine
2. With a gloss finish to reduce the sheen and create a satin finish

Virginia Abrasives offers steel wool in grades from 0 (finest) to 3 (coarsest). The coarser grades are better at removing heavy coatings, such as varnish, paint or finish to prepare the surface for further work. Finer grades are used to create a satiny finish between coats.

Because the steel wool particles that remain behind can rust, steel wool is best utilized with oil-modified finishes and will not perform well with water-based finishes.