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Apply it with the grain or against? How thick? Pour it out and spread, or dip their handy, dandy applicator into a pan of it? Did a sample board and it sure doesn’t have the buildup of polyurethane, so brush/applicator marks don’t seem a real issue. Just trying to make sure I don’t screw something up at this late point.
My guesses are to just pour it onto the floor, spread it around, and then glide over it with the grain ensuring there are no puddles.
Thanks,
Jim
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Jim:
I thought this was a prefinished bamboo. You are sanding this floor prior to applying the finish aren't you? There has to be some dirt that has accumulated from the installation process. Any kind of contaminants will result in a poor application. I'm no finisher and perhaps Greg or Ian can help further.
Check out the Waterlox.com site.
*Waterbase materialI don't know what the applicator is like you have -- the one I used was maybe 18" long and my proceedure was to cut in with a brush around the edge and then use a watering can to pour a continuous puddle across the floor against the start wall. Spreading that by dragging the applicator through the puddle, right along the wall, with it held at a slight angle so that it pushed the surplus back towards me. Continue backwards and forwards across the room -- adding more varnish to the 'puddle' when necessary.I applied two coats like that and the last coat was applied with a 1/4" nap, mohair roller.When cutting in, don't work too far ahead.To cut back between each coat, I used a steel wool pad under a rotary floor polisher.
*Ken, I chose the non-prefinished stuff. Figured I mess it up installing it and then have to fix the finish. :) And I prefer tung oil look to poly--just a personal pref. I know I have to sand it, etc. Been expecting that as part of the process. Makes it look to my wife like I'm really working hard!Thanks Ian. The applicator is like a lambswool pad, but I got the cheaper synthetic version. The applicator is a 30cm x 6cm (12" x 2 1/2" if I did math right) block on a broom handle.
*Your synthetic lambswool pad will do just fine, the only drawback with them is they sometimes shed fibres into the coat when they are new.I'd still use the roller for the final coat --- much easier to get an even coat.
*Don't use a lambswool. It will lint and sink to the bottom of the coat, not the top like oil poly does. Matter in waterbase is very hard to get out once dry. Use a 9 or 10 inch wide paint pad. They have white hairs on the bottom about 1/8 inch long and are attached to a sponge. Put the finish into a throw-a-way paint roller tray and apply by hand on your knees. A full dip of the pad hairs does about a 2' X 3' area. Rub the finish into the 2X3 area and then straighten the area out overlapping into the previous section. Make the width of the line smaller for longer stretches and do it in the early morning for extra open time. Keep the pad in water when not in use. Do not sand with steel wool. Any fibers you miss when vacumning will rust into the waterbase coating. You will get a much better job on your hands and knees; less puddles, drips, flow lines, and you will see foreign matter easier to pluck out as you go. Always! water tack with a clean wet rag before you coat. The cleaner the better. Hand sand the edges with the grain with 150 sand paper and buff with the manufacturers recommended sanding paper grit. Use the right buffing paper!
*Thank you.
*Jim, GregI am confused. I have never used Waterlox, but I all of the different version of Waterlox was OIL BASED and not water based.
*The regular Waterlox, which I'm using, is solvent based. They do have a water based formulation, too. The advice I was generously offered seems like good advice, keeping account of which suggestions were specific to water and which applied to solvent, so I didn't raise the issue.
*Cloud, Waterlox is solvent based(tung oil) and it doesn't matter which way you go over the grain, 'cause you need to rub it out later. I've only used it on floors with a brush, 'cause I figured it would give a more even coverage. Lambswool applicator would probably do as well (my back is kicking me in the butt right now). In my opinion, it's also the most beautiful floor finish there is, as well as being the easiest to spot repair.Tung 'n' groovin', BB
*Oil base. Just brush it.
*Cloud hidden, whereabouts unknown......isn't that from Alan Watts?
*Yup.The description just happened to fit our house/location, so...
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Apply it with the grain or against? How thick? Pour it out and spread, or dip their handy, dandy applicator into a pan of it? Did a sample board and it sure doesn't have the buildup of polyurethane, so brush/applicator marks don't seem a real issue. Just trying to make sure I don't screw something up at this late point.
My guesses are to just pour it onto the floor, spread it around, and then glide over it with the grain ensuring there are no puddles.
Thanks,
Jim