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Still trying to get those old heart-pine floors finished! First, we’re gonna “sand” off the dirt and what remains of the old finish (not much of this at all!) with one of those buffer-type machines, using sanding screens; then we were gonna put down the polyurethane…
i except
my daughter has gotten hold of a couple of books that say we need to put down a “sealer” before we put down the polyurethane – huh? What are they talking about? Wouldn’t the first coat of polyurethane act as the sealer?
These are 100-year-old floors; the one in the kitchen has never been refinished, and if the one in the den has, you can barely tell it. However, they have both been tortured by a drum sander in the hands of an inept operator, so we can’t do
i that
again.
Help! We’re supposed to start this weekend, and the “sealer dispute” has us stuck! You think
i I’m
stubborn? You haven’t met my eldest! (She claims that she gets it honest, though, lol!)
Patty
Replies
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Hi Patty
Thin your first coat around 10% to 15% and apply subsequent coats full strength. The first coat will dry more quickly if you thin it a bit.
Breathe deeply
Lee
*Hi Patty,
Joseph FuscoView Image
*Thanks for the quick answers, Lee and Joe! (I figured I'd better thank y'all before I go downstairs and breathe deeply; could affect my typing, ya know.)A couple more questions:Lee, are you talking about thinning the same poly that you use for the finish coats?Joe, do you use shellac, etc., as a sealer before a finish coat of poly?I'm hoping the answers will mean that I can use poly for every coat! BTW, my daughter wants to use the water-based poly, even though we both know it will raise the grain somewhat; she says that I can't afford to lose any more brain cells - huh? Actually, these floors are so old, I think they have an age-built-in sealer of grime! Oops, that sounds like proof of the brain cell problem! ; )Thanks again!Patty
*Patty,I have no experience with water based finishes, I just don't trust them yet. I've heard mixed reviews on them. I would suggest solvent based poly and yes, you can use the same poly throughout. I'm assumming this ain't no piano.I've been sucking solvents in all my life and it has'nt hurt me yet. Now, where'd I leave my computer, it was here just a moment ago.Lee
*Patty,
Joseph FuscoView Image
*I've been using a wood floor guy who does nothing but wood floors for about 20 years. He says on pine, the oil based finishes are better than water, though I had a red oak floor done in water based and it seems pretty good.One thing I can tell you from experience is that lacquer as a sealer on long leaf pine looks great! It evens out the colering better than straight poly or shellac, at least for the wood on my block. I had also heard of cutting the first coat a little more than Lee suggested, around 30%. I think it penetrates better. But be sure to use two top coats. And you may need a drum sander, if your floors are as hard as mine.Good luck! I hope it goes well.
*Patty, three items. One: You must prepare the surface as best as possible. The old drum sander marks can and must be worked out by either further use of a drum sander, use of an orbital sander (the second sander or 7 inch "edger" in the heavy duty rental package), or a random orbit 5 or 6 inch sander like a Dewalt, Bosch or Porter-Cable. Afterwards, use the 14 inch buffer with a set of 60 grit screens, followed by the 100 or 120 grit screen. Sweep, vacuume, and wipe down with spirits. Two: you've got choices as to what your first coat will be. But make it Oil based regardless. Oil based poly, like Minwax is mighty thin to begin with... unlike the older spar varnishes of years gone by. Spar varnish was thinned 30% first coat, 10% second, and used full strength for subsequent coats. Sanding between coats to a nice soft satin with 220 grit or #00 Bronze Wool. The new "Clean Air" formulations are t-h-i-n to begin with. Joe brings up an interesting formulae. You may use oil-based poly, a mix of poly and lacquer, or poly and shellac. All will be absorbed to a great degree, and should be sanded almost completely off prior to the second coat. The use of a shellac additive will allow for some subtle introduction of further color to the floor. Use "Blonde" if you wish to add more yellow, "Orange" if you wish for a warmer red/orange color... the oil-based poly will go amber without any additives.Number three: Top coats. Choose the lustre of finish that would be most appropriate for your decor and lifestyle. Gloss will have a harder finish, will show traffic sooner, and will look way out of place in a "Historic" setting. Semi-gloss will have a more "kept" appearance than Satin/Matte, but may still be too bright for a period look. Most of the very old floors were either waxed, oiled, or both.Bon Chance.(Sorry Joe, I couldn't resist.)GWC
*Well Patty? What did you do, and how did it turn out? Or are you passed out from the vapors?