what finish for my floor

thank you very much! when you say buff with a maroon pad, do you mean
with a machine? And the other option is to hand sand? it's not a
problem; not that large a room.

...still learning....

tIM wrote:
> Throw away the varnish!
> Get Zinnser Seal coat for the first seal coat. Dries in about an hour or less.
> Alcohol base, so wear a respirator.
> Then coat with ploy, after 8 hrs or more, buff with a maroon pad or steel wool.
> Hand sand if you do not want to buff, use 150 grit. Vacuum and tack with paint
> thinner.
> Then coat again with satin poly. It will not show DIY imperfections.
> Repeat again if you want a third coat.
> 24 year floor guy.............

How do you apply your poly? I have heard you can use a squeege, but
that would appear to leave ridges in the finish?

Thanks for all your help. I am really frustrated right now. The
sanding went fine. Lowe's told me to use a mohair blend roller to
apply poly (oil based). That left bubbles I had to use a natural
bristle brush to get out. They wouldn't have gone away, cause after it
dried you could see where I missed some . Next coat i tried using a
lambswool applicator as recommended by my local building supply. When
it dried, I still had bubbles, plus now little fibers had dried in it,
too. So for 3rd coat (I sanded off all the bumps, etc btw coats), I
used the roller and brush and just did my best. It has dried with
bubbles still showing. I give up! I'm done with this floor, but I've
got 3 more to do, and I want to know what I did wrong! I've even been
told to use a cheap sponge mop. Any ideas on how to get a smooth coat?

The secret is to thin the poly with the appropriate thinner for the
type you use (water for water based poly, mineral spirits for oil
based). The extra solvent allows the bubbles to rise and pop before the
thinner all evaporates. The only problem with this is that you get less
build of poly per coat so you may have to apply additional coats.
Precautions like gently stirring the poly rather than shaking the can
will reduce bubbles applied as will careful application. Don't work the
finish. Apply with a single stroke if possible. If you have to go over
it, do it once, in a single long stroke. Experimenting a little first
on some scrap is always a good idea. Try it with 10 or 15 % extra
thinner and add more if you need to, but remember the more thinner the
more coats. As your technique improves you can get away with a little
less thinner.

Ken

Yes, thinning is the secret. I did my entire house (1800 sq ft of
hickory) with an 18 inch roller and had no problems with bubbles or
rough finish. I put on 4 coats.

Bryan

I don't thin the poly. I always use a paint pad. The kind with the
peach colored fuzzy nap that slides on to the handle. You can usually
screw a broom handle into the end. I don't because I can't see how it
lays out with the reflection of the light. My eyes aren't that great so
I about need my nose in it. I have no problems with bubbles and you
can get close to the walls with a pad.Work with the boards from one end
to the other so you don't get any lap marks. It'll be most even if you
always go left to righ instead of coming back. Other wise you're last
swipe will have started to dry at the beginning and won't blend as well
with the next. I hope that makes sence. I just use 220 sandpaper
between coats and make sure you work up a white powder. 3 or 4 coats
should be plenty. Good luck, Jana

I don't thin the poly. I always use a paint pad. The kind with the
peach colored fuzzy nap that slides on to the handle. You can usually
screw a broom handle into the end. I don't because I can't see how it
lays out with the reflection of the light. My eyes aren't that great so
I about need my nose in it. I have no problems with bubbles and you
can get close to the walls with a pad.Work with the boards from one end
to the other so you don't get any lap marks. It'll be most even if you
always go left to righ instead of coming back. Other wise you're last
swipe will have started to dry at the beginning and won't blend as well
with the next. I hope that makes sence. I just use 220 sandpaper
between coats and make sure you work up a white powder. 3 or 4 coats
should be plenty. Good luck, Jana

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I am going to investigate using
another, better brand of poly (I was using minwax satin; any
suggestions? Can I get commercial grade?). I will also try to
experiment with thinning, as well as with the paint pad. Buying a GOOD
natural bristle brush also seems to be really important, too. I've
read in another thread that I should have washed the lambswool
applicator with paint thinner first, and also a suggestion to cover it
with a piece of pantyhose to prevent the shedding.

I guess there are as many opinions as there are floor people! Again,
thanks!

I used Varathane on my floors. Very happy with it.

Bryan

tIM wrote:
> Throw away the varnish!
> Get Zinnser Seal coat for the first seal coat. Dries in about an hour or less.
> Alcohol base, so wear a respirator.
> Then coat with ploy, after 8 hrs or more, buff with a maroon pad or steel wool.
> Hand sand if you do not want to buff, use 150 grit. Vacuum and tack with paint
> thinner.
> Then coat again with satin poly. It will not show DIY imperfections.
> Repeat again if you want a third coat.
> 24 year floor guy.............

I have an instructor who did this (also a former floor guy) and he said
that the shellac delaminated from the floor in a couple of months.
What gives? He did say he used stain on many of them, so perhaps the
stain wasn't dry/cured. Or perhaps the shellac wasn't dewaxed. Any
enlightenment would be appreciated.

Thanks,
-Phil Crow

Knee pads!

On 2 Oct 2005 12:40:49 -0700, "swuzan" <[email protected]> wrote:

>thank you very much! when you say buff with a maroon pad, do you mean
>with a machine? And the other option is to hand sand? it's not a
>problem; not that large a room.
>
>...still learning....

In article <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>tIM wrote:
<...snipped...>
>> Then coat with ploy,
<...snipped...>

Isn't that how Tom Sawyer whitewashed his fence?


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland
[email protected]

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 05:56:28 +0100, swuzan <[email protected]> wrote:

> should I just cut my losses and buy something else?

Yes cut you lossess and buy a Parrot in a cage it won't pee on the floor
like the cat and the dog!
And two coats of varnish will be fine for the Parrot

. . . . Only kidding

In the Ireland we have diamond glaze floor finish its great!!
http://www.duluxtrade.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/DTBUK/Specifiers/Paint_Solutions/Jsp/Paint_Solutions.jsp?id=654&contentPage=./substrate/floor_wood.htm&currentPage=plb&root=N



--
http://www.connoraston.com

If you have bubbles, it proubly is drying too fast.
Commercial grade poly, which I use, will not bubble when dry
It does show bubbles when applying, but "pop" beford it dries.
Thinning will work, but you are cutting down on the amount of solids applied to
the floor.
Try spending money on a better brand and stay away from the borg.
Also get a good brush. Good quality will cost around $$30 -$50
Tim, the floorman

"swuzan" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Thanks for all your help. I am really frustrated right now. The
>sanding went fine. Lowe's told me to use a mohair blend roller to
>apply poly (oil based). That left bubbles I had to use a natural
>bristle brush to get out. They wouldn't have gone away, cause after it
>dried you could see where I missed some . Next coat i tried using a
>lambswool applicator as recommended by my local building supply. When
>it dried, I still had bubbles, plus now little fibers had dried in it,
>too. So for 3rd coat (I sanded off all the bumps, etc btw coats), I
>used the roller and brush and just did my best. It has dried with
>bubbles still showing. I give up! I'm done with this floor, but I've
>got 3 more to do, and I want to know what I did wrong! I've even been
>told to use a cheap sponge mop. Any ideas on how to get a smooth coat?

I use a lambs wool to do large area's over, say 100 sq.ft. Cut in the edges
with a brush.
But some oldtimers still brush the entire house.
A maroon pad is about 320 grit. 3M makes them. Or you could put 150 grit sticky
sand paper on a white pad, then use a buffer.
Auto supply stores have them on a roll, about 2" wide.
Hand sand the edges the buffer cannot get.
Just vacuum and tack, this is the important step.

When you sand the flooring, sand down through the grits, say 40-60 then 100
DIY's stop at 40 or 60 grit, this is where I make my money, after the wife
threatens them to fix the floor

Throw away the varnish!
Get Zinnser Seal coat for the first seal coat. Dries in about an hour or less.
Alcohol base, so wear a respirator.
Then coat with ploy, after 8 hrs or more, buff with a maroon pad or steel wool.
Hand sand if you do not want to buff, use 150 grit. Vacuum and tack with paint
thinner.
Then coat again with satin poly. It will not show DIY imperfections.
Repeat again if you want a third coat.
24 year floor guy………….