Hey folks,
I’m putting down 11″ white pine plank flooring for a client and was wondering…
How best to apply water based poly (client insists on water based because of VOC/health issues)?
Lambs wool, paint pad, roller, rag? What is best technique? Can I do more than one coat a day?
How to avoid “swirlies” or “curly cues” from the sanding. We are spending many hours with random orbital taking them out. We used one of the four pad random orbital floor sanders.
Thanks, Jon
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Replies
How to avoid "swirlies" or "curly cues" from the sanding.
Before you start sanding, rubbing two new sanding disks together will remove any extra high grit. This helps a lot and I was taught by a sub who had a dozen guys sanding and staining at any given time.
Did my entire house that way and thats a a LOT of sq ft of wide plank pine.
After the floor guys were done with the drum sanders using only an 80 grit. I got on my hands and knees with with my ROS and used a 60 and then an 80. The trick is to use a spot light and keep checking it from all angles. After I polyed it I could see where my helper sanded or didn't sand I should say....do you know how to say Pizzed off?? Grrrrrrrrr.I didn't watch him close enough and now every time I pass those spots I wanna shoot myself so be careful and keep going back and rechecking. We used every kind of floor sander imaginable...trust me! None of them really work. Its either chatter marks or swirls. You HAVE TO use the ROS and that WILL get the marks out. One trick I learned unfortunatly towards the end was to go over your work with conditioner hich I really didn't need to do but what it does is lets you see the floor more magnified so if there's any imperfections you'll see it.
Oh yeh, the other thing you can do is to use a screening disc on the floor waxing machine at the end to polish it up.
If Blodgett says Tipi Tipi Tipi, it must be so!
We used every kind of floor sander imaginable...trust me! None of them really work. Its either chatter marks or swirls.
Ummmm... Andy, you need competent help, bud. My floor guy shows up with about 5 different machines and 3 young guys. They take turns using the various machines. When we're done there are no swirls or marks. Anywhere. Get a good sub and stick with him.
DG/Builder
Varathane Diamond Floor coatings are what I have used; 4 coats in a day and you have one beautiful floor the next; never been one for the applicators - I go w/ a wide brush on my knees maybe two of your boards wide one end to the other then back again some bright lights to keep it curing and the Rolling Stones for syncopation
generally hit it w/ some 120 - 240 grit after 1st and 2nd coatsnot sure if they still do but they used to sell quarts of Diamond w/ colorant in them - w/ dougfir flooring over the yrs wood goes red to darker and to maintain that just planed / sanded look I added white colorant ( stain) to my finish and they look like new 10 yrs laternot sure what your pine looks like but something to consider - you can add it in each coating so good to go light from get gonow on that 4 pad floor sander - you getting swirls? Was kinda looking forward to using one of those one some oak parquet to finish up after cleaning up w/ a drum