The following procedure is for
reapplying coats to an already finished floor or applying finish to a new
floor. When finishing a new floor always follow the manufacturers
recommendations for prepping the floor. You should always consult the
flooring manufacturer on the types of finishes that are suited to your
floor. When finishing any floor we recommend that you use a quality floor
finish that is correctly matched to your flooring. Our online floor
finishing procedure is are the general guidelines for finishing a floor.
These days floor finish has become the alternative to old fashioned waxes.
Floor finish can give a floor a great long lasting shine without the
problems of conventional waxes.
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Make sure that your floor has been
prepared for finishing. Clean the floor removing as much dirt and debris
as possible. If the floor has more than 5 coats of finish we recommend
stripping the floor first. Too many layers of finish can dull a floor.
Over time floor finish can yellow in color if you see any yellowing on the
floor we also recommend that you strip the floor first. (for more
information on stripping a floor click here).
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After you have the floor has been
prepared vacuum or dust mop the floor to remove any dust. We recommend
that you spray your duct mop with dust mop treatment to remove as much
dust as possible. Make sure to remove anything stuck to the floor,
anything that is on the floor when you finish it will become part of the
floor finish and you will have to strip your floor an begin again.
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Make sure that the floor are you
are finishing does not and will not have traffic moving through it for at
least 12 - 24 hours depending on the type of finish that your are applying
(see floor finish manufacturers specifications for curing and drying
time). Use warning signs to make sure the area where you are finishing is
marked out so that everyone is aware of the area.
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Finishing a floor requires the use
of two mop buckets. One bucket will be used to keep the finish mop damp
and the other will be used to apply the floor finish. Line the floor
finish bucket with a clear trash can liner so that you can dispose of the
finish easily after the job is complete. For information on finish mops
please click here.
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Fill one mop bucket 1/2 way up with
water and the lined mop bucket 1/4 full with floor finish. Dip you finish
mop into the water bucket and wring until the mop is damp and water does
not drip from the end. Next, dip the damp mop into the floor finish and
wring until the finish mop does not drip.
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The best way to finish floors is to
divide the floor into sections to assure that an even amount of floor
finish is applied everywhere. Begin applying the floor finish at the
furthest corner from the entrance. Apply floor finish to the baseboard
area first (a block applicator can be a great tool for this job) working
away from the corner. Make sure the floor finish is going on to the floor
in a thin even coat.
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After you have applied floor finish
to the baseboard move on to the open areas of the floor. Move the mop
head in a figure eight motion overlapping mopping sections by about an
inch.
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After you have applied the finish
evenly to the entire area let the floor dry. The floor should look glossy
with no raised areas or drip marks. Follow the floor finish manufacturers
recommendations for drying time. Depending on the floor finish you may
wish to apply more than one coat of floor finish, if so, let the floor dry
in between coats. You may also want to buff the floor in between coats so
that the second coat adheres better to the first coat.
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To maintain the new look of the
floor finish you can burnish with a burnishing floor pad, again see the
manufacturers recommendations for maintenance on your floor.
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After 12 hours your floor should be
fully cured. Floor traffic can now resume.
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