# finishing a floor



## joseph55 (Jul 10, 2012)

just put final varnish on floor but as I returned a few hours later I noticed a small section that didn't seem to get enough varnish. Do I have to resand and redo the whole floor or can I touch up that area? I'm using MINWAX CLEAR SATIN oil based polyurethane with sponge applicator. Thanks all.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Brian; if it were me, I'd be inclined to do the touch up first. Then if you're not satisfied, _very lightly_ 'sand' the _whole_ floor, then put a final coat on the whole thing.
Remember to use a tack cloth or vacuum to clear the dust particles before re-coating!
Personally, I prefer the synthetic non-woven sanding cloth over sandpaper, but that's just me. Use it damp...as a lubricant.
Non-Woven Hand Pads (Synthetic Pads) - Mohawk Finishing


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## joseph55 (Jul 10, 2012)

do mean NOT sanding? some areas I've noticed are not covered as well as others...I may not have worked the varnish well enough and some edging occurred. Thanks DaniVan


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## TRBaker (Jul 5, 2012)

Brian, you might also consider that some areas may still retain some wax from polishing the floors in the past (or silicone). It might require a more vigorous sanding to cure that problem.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

To be honest, Brian; I've always had my hardwood floor guy do my floor refinishing projects. That way, when the job's not perfect I have somebody to call to redo it! 
I think I started doing that because the finishes back in the 70's were absolutely obnoxious to be around until they flashed off, and the fumes cleared. The danger of ruining a floor with the big commercial floor sander was another compelling reason for not doing it myself. 
An anecdote:
my guy had completed a floor in the morning and had left a note on the front door warning the owner 'Do Not Enter: Floor Wet'.
She, after carefully considering it, decided to take off her shoes and walk across it with her socks on...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Brian; I reread your last comment. I'm trying to picture a foam applicator big enough to effectively do a floor(?). You shouldn't have to "work" urethane if you apply it reasonably generously. An application stroke and a backstroke should do it, leaving an even wet area, then moving to the next stroke always working into the wet edge.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

DaninVan said:


> She, after carefully considering it, decided to take off her shoes and walk across it with her socks on...



:lol:


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## japa62 (May 9, 2012)

Yes, I remember those obnoxious finishes. Not for woodwork, ... well it was... Resurfaced a lot of Ten Pin Bowling Lanes over the years. Remember being carried out of a couple places. Urethane fixed that. Disappointing really.


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## joseph55 (Jul 10, 2012)

well I've given up on the synthetic lambs wool applicator...after second attempt I'm still left with streaking,even after all the "HOW TO" videos I've watched. Stirred the MINWAX CLEAR SATIN polyurethane for over 5 minutes, slowly and gently, properly sanded the floor (220grit) cleaned fanatically with vacuum,tack cloth, and finally damp cloth and allowed to dry overnite. temperature in the morning was 72F followed all possible advice and I still did not get good results. Should I attempt roller technique? or good experienced older man who was born doing this? I'm about to give up!


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## joseph55 (Jul 10, 2012)

*addendum to my plight*

will resand my floor to get the STREAKS out thus flattening the surface and will attempt roller finish...GULP! if that doesn't work I'll calling in the big guns...anyone with lots of ROLLER application (on floor varnishes) experience would be greatly appreciated. Could the STREAKS left by the applicator be a question of the varnish NOT levelling or could it be the applicator? I crossed spread at first then went with the wood grain as they say and it still left streaks. I could not find very detailed videos on how to use a LAMB's WOOL applicator so it is a mystery on how to use one precisely. Thanks folks


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## joseph55 (Jul 10, 2012)

thanks for replying TR Baker...but the floor has never been waxed...we've resanded a stained 20 year old oak floor that now has 3 coats of MINWAX CLEAR SATIN polyurethane finish on it...of which the last coat didn't go on right and scaled due to high humidity and the varnish probably wasn't stirred carefully because there are areas that are shiny and some satiny in glow. So the whole 3rd coat has to be done over and therein lies my problem.


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## joseph55 (Jul 10, 2012)

*after calling in an expert...*

...he did...of course...do a wonderful job spreading the varnish (water based polyurethane SAMAN over an oil based MINWAX) it dried beautifully and I was happy until 2 nights later one family member spilt some water on the floor...and horrors! 5 large water drop stains! This didn't happen with the oil based varnish...is this a problem with water based polyurethanes...we've had drinking water bottles leak on our floors and rain from windows left open and for 20 years with oil based varnish never did a stain ensue...I'm very disappointed and very discouraged with this flooring project that seems to be never ending! Any opinions on these stains...now I'm thinking I should go back to the oil based. Thanks folks


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*I've Got Nuthin...*



joseph55 said:


> ...he did...of course...do a wonderful job spreading the varnish (water based polyurethane SAMAN over an oil based MINWAX) it dried beautifully and I was happy until 2 nights later one family member spilt some water on the floor...and horrors! 5 large water drop stains! This didn't happen with the oil based varnish...is this a problem with water based polyurethanes...we've had drinking water bottles leak on our floors and rain from windows left open and for 20 years with oil based varnish never did a stain ensue...I'm very disappointed and very discouraged with this flooring project that seems to be never ending! Any opinions on these stains...now I'm thinking I should go back to the oil based. Thanks folks


Brian, that's brutal. Before you do anything rash, call your floor guy and see if he's got an answer. You might also give the Urethane supplier/manufacturer a call. That just shouldn't have happened. _My only guess is that the urethane was 'dry' but not yet cured_, and the liquid reacted with it. Still, shouldn't have happened. (I think it takes at least a week to harden up.)
Personally, I also prefer the solvent based urethane but mostly use the waterbourne because of it's low odour and ease of use. In theory at least, there shouldn't be any difference once the solvent/water has flashed off and/or evaporated. You need to talk to a coatings specialist!


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

Hello Brian. I'm sorry to read you having such nasty problems with your floor. One thing came to my mind, "_there are areas that are shiny and some satiny in glow_". Depending on the timber the grain does not go straight in all parts of the floor planks, if the floor is solid wood. You can have endgrain in the midle of your plank. It sucks everything you pour to it. Do you see what I mean? Endgrain stays dimm because the grain is "open". Your second problem with wather marks under the coating is quite troublesome. The stains. Are there just drops of them or are there drops or in every footstep? Depending on your room you might be able to fix the marks without sanding the hole floor. If it was my livingroom I would sit down before doing anythin. I would look how the sunshine comes in the room. I would look for the shades on the floor. I would make it clear to me how the light comes in at morning, noon and afternoon so that I would have a picture of how my room looks like. I would do it allso afyter sunset because the light comes propably from other direction then. I would do all this to be able to choose were the line should go betwene what you have ones again to sand and varnish and what you dont have. If your room is big you save quite a lot of everything and not only your back and time. Was this of any help?
In my jobs I prefere natural products like oils an waxes. Boiled linseedoil is very good allso for floors. It drys 2-7days. After it has totally dried it is as hard as as you could wish for. But that's an other story. If you would have more info, dont hesitate to ask.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Brian, that's brutal. Before you do anything rash, call your floor guy and see if he's got an answer. You might also give the Urethane supplier/manufacturer a call. That just shouldn't have happened. _My only guess is that the urethane was 'dry' but not yet cured_, and the liquid reacted with it. Still, shouldn't have happened. (I think it takes at least a week to harden up.)
> Personally, I also prefer the solvent based urethane but mostly use the waterbourne because of it's low odour and ease of use. In theory at least, there shouldn't be any difference once the solvent/water has flashed off and/or evaporated. You need to talk to a coatings specialist!


Dan -- Agreed.

If he ends up having to strip it and start over, would it help for him to use a seal coat first? Thinking that that might seal the surface and even out how the finish absorbs(?) It wouldn't slow him down much as seal coats usually dry in 20 - 30 minutes, right?


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I'm taking the 'Fifth', Mike. 
My earlier comment...
_"To be honest, Brian; I've always had my hardwood floor guy do my floor refinishing projects. That way, when the job's not perfect I have somebody to call to redo it! "[/I
Words to live by! _


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

In hindsight Brian, and Mike, this is the normal way to go about taking down the finish slightly...
Floor Care Machines & Vacuums | Floor Burnishers | Powr-Flite® Floor Burnishers - GlobalIndustrial.ca
No need to resand to bare wood; the wood is already sealed.


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