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Before you begin coating a floor with any finish
or stain, you must thoroughly vacuum the room. This means the floors, walls, woodwork,
light switches, etc. Any surface can catch dust... let the dust settle and then vacuum.
After vacuuming you will tack the floor to remove
any dust that was left by the vacuum. You will want to use a tacking agent that is made
with the solvent used in the finish. If you are using a water based finish, use water on a
diaper, make the diaper damp, not wet. For an oil modified stain or polyurethane use a
premade tackcloth or a rag damp with paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Staining:
Staining a floor adds color and brings out a
different look and texture to the hardwood floor. There are many different colors of
stains and choosing one can be tricky. Color charts are helpful, but actual samples on
your wood gives a better indication of the final finish.
Follow the instructions of the manufacturer when
applying stain. Take your time, do not get ahead of yourself when in the staining process.
Screening the floor is critical if you plan to apply a stain to the wood. Stain will
highlight any imperfections from the sanding. After application, let the stain dry. It
will flash off quickly, but will not totally dry for 24-36 hours.
Floor Finishes:
If you are not staining your hardwood floor, or if
the stain has dried completely, it is now time to apply your floor finish. There are
several types of hardwood floor coatings; waxes, lacquer sealers, Swedish finishes, oil
modified and water-based polyurethanes. We at Essex Silver-Line have had the opportunity
and resources to try and experiment with many different types of finishes.
For the DIY
floor refinisher there are only a couple of choices to consider, either oil modified or
water based polyurethane. These two urethane finishes, have distinct advantages to
the user and the final choice will be based on personal preferences.
If you are interested in learning more about floor finishes that are available, please view our Fabulon Finishes page.
The following is a list of the difference between
the oil modified and water based finishes:
Oil Modified Poly:
- Less expensive than water based
- You should apply 3 coats
- The finish provides traditional warm appearance
- The finish will have a solvent odor when drying
Water based poly:
- Quick Dry finish, more coats can be applied in one day
- 4 to 5 coats of finish for proper wear, more coats will give a higher gloss
- The finish provides a light appearance when applied
- The finish will not yellow with age, dries crystal clear
- Water Clean up
- No odor
- VOC Compliant MA, NY, NJ, CA
Review this information and then decide which
type of polyurethane you wish to apply. Once you know which type to use, be aware of the
difference between the many urethanes on the market. First and foremost, select a top
quality floor finish. Think of the cost of the good finish extended over the life of the
floor, not just at the time of purchase. The money spent now will more than pay for itself
over the next 10 to 15 years, when properly maintained.
Note: If you pay sixty to ninety dollars for finish it works out to six to nine
dollars per year for ten years of use.
There are very definite differences between
cheaper polyurethane's and the more expensive products. The old saying "You get what
you pay for" is very much evident when you see how easily the polyurethanes are
applied and how long they last on your floor. FabulonŽ products are your
best bet. They are designed for wood floors and are formulated with only the highest
quality polyurethane resins. Other products may state that they have a high solids
content, but they include fillers and other non-polyurethane resin items. The key is Polyurethane
resins, and FabulonŽ has an exceptionally high polyurethane resin
content. Apply this with confidence.
When you are going to apply the finish, the first
step is proper stirring. Do not shake the finish in the cans. This will cause problems
with bubbles in your finish. Stir your finish very well, and continually stir the urethane
as you use it to keep the body of the finish mixed.
Note: Remember to plan you coating process so that you can leave the room by a
door.
After the finish is prepared, cut in the edges with
the 4" brush. Cut in only the area that you can keep up with while applying the
finish with the applicator. Don't get ahead of yourself. The strip you cut in should be 4
to 6 inches wide, make sure you apply enough finish to cover the area completely.
Depending on the type of finish, there are certain
types of finish applicators. When applying water-based finishes you will use either a pad
or T-bar type applicator. Lambswool applicators are used with oil modified finishes.
Because of the different bases of these two popular
finishes, there are different practices for applying them. The following is an overview of
the two distinct applications.
Oil Modified:
Apply with the grain of the wood. Pour a line of
urethane across the grain of the wood, or dip the applicator in the finish and draw out
the urethane in a line. Using a lambswool applicator, spread the polyurethane following
the grain of the wood. You can push and pull the finish, as long as you make the last pass
over each area in the same direction. Apply an even, thin coat without puddles or drops.
After a pass with the applicator, excess finish can be removed by rolling the applicator
in the next area to be coated. A top quality finish will be self leveling and easy to
apply. Avoid the bubbles that can result from "working the finish" too much.
You should check the area that has just been
finished for puddles, missed areas, etc. before you begin the next area. Once you are
satisfied that the area is complete, cut in the next area and apply the finish. Make sure
to overlap the areas completed and keep the last applicator movements in the same
direction.
Note: Keeping the last strokes with your applicators in the same direction is even
more important when you apply a satin finish. The dulling agents in this finish must be
applied in the same direction to keep the sheen the same throughout your project.
Water based:
With a water based finish you
pull the applicator when applying the finish. Pour a line of finish on the floor,
following the grain. Then pull the applicator like a squeegee plowing the finish to the
end of the room. The applicator should be positioned with a slight angle so the urethane
flows into the next area to be coated, and not back into the area just completed. This can
be tricky, Fabulon Products has made a video on the
application of water borne finishes, watch it. If you don't want to use the "T"
bar applicator then a 9" pad painter can be used.
Unlike the "T" bar, you apply the finish
in a fashion like the 10" lambswool applicator. Cut in your edges and apply the
finish with the applicator. Remember to overlap the finish and to be careful of missing
spots. Water based finishes are designed to be used in many thin coats.
The advantage
of the drying time will be effected if you apply it too heavily.
Note: Many professional floor refinishers will apply a coat of Super Gloss finish
as their first layer, no matter what the final desired finish. This is believed to be the
best base coat, and it is true that the final coat will determine the final sheen. A coat
of satin over two coats of Super Gloss will dull the sheen to a satin finish.
Most manufacturers do not recommend thinning out their products for the
first coat, they do manufacture some type of sealer.
With either type of finish, Do Not Stop the applicator in the finish as you
apply it. Feather the applicator in and out of the urethane.
Once the whole area is coated, you must close it
off until the finish dries. Be sure to keep animals off the floor as it dries. Close the
doors, put up "Keep Off" signs, etc. Let the urethane dry thoroughly before you
attempt to recoat the room. A water based finish should dry in 2 to 4 hours, and the oil
modified finishes can dry in 4 to 8 hours, the more fillers, etc. will effect the dry
time, making it longer. Read the can for dry times.
After the first coat dries you must prepare for the
next coat. If you are using a water based urethane, you just recoat the floor. Unlike the
previous coat, on bare wood it will be harder to see areas that need their second coat.
Use the wood as a guide and take your time. Some refinishers will put pieces of masking
tape along the baseboard to keep track of where they are on the floor.
If you are using the oil modified finish then there
is another step to complete before you apply any more finish. You must screen the floor.
This time the process will remove any grain raise resulting from the application of
finish.
When you screen the finish it should powder up. If
you do not get a powder, then the finish is not sufficiently dry. Stop and wait for the
finish to dry. You will screen your floor with a buffer like before, but at a much faster
rate. Again screen with the grain of the room, outside edge first and then the body. For
screening between coats you can use a new 150 or 180 grit screen or a used screen you
saved from the original screening. Be careful not to remove the finish you just applied.
Note: If you do not want to rent the buffer at this point, you can use a pole
sander with the proper grits of sandscreens to achieve the same result. The rental store
should have the proper screens and may rent a pole sander.
After you screen your finish, you
must vacuum and tack rag the whole room. When this is completed you will apply your next
coat of finish in the same manner as the previous coat. You will screen the floor between
all the coats when applying oil modified finish. When you apply the water borne finish you
will not screen after the first coat, as with oil modified finish, but you will screen
between the following coats. Repeat this process until you have applied the recommended
number of coats for the finish.
Note: Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer
of the product.
When you are done with applying the
finish, it is time to let the urethane dry or cure. In 2 to 3 days most urethanes should
be dry enough to place the furniture back into the room. It is
recommended to purchase furniture pads and use them on the legs of any and all furniture.
You must wait at least 10 to 14 full days before you place any area rugs on the floor. The
urethane will fully cure in 14 to 21 days.
Please remember to read our disclaimer page before beginning a project.
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