Hardwood Floors October/November 2017

AT THE SITE

By Brett Miller

Recoating a Previously Finished Floor

Amaintenance coat is one of the most important aspects of long-termwood oor care. In some cases, the state of the wood oor may not be severe enough to require a full sand and nish. In these situations, recoating the oor may be a viable option. However, there are several considerations to take into account when determining whether to recoat or sand and nish your customer’s oor.

First and foremost, the type and extent of the damage determines floor care. There are several types of damage that wood floors can sustain, each of which may affect whether recoating is an option for the floor:

• Surface Damage: Dents, gouges, and scratches may be recoated, but will still remain in the flooring surface and may even become more apparent after the new coating has been applied. • Wear Patterns: Wear patterns indicate a loss of finish on the existing floor in high-traffic areas, typically resulting in exposed wood fibers. Wear patterns may be recoated to protect the floor from further damage, but will often accept the new coat of finish differently from the remaining flooring, will remain unsightly, and may become more apparent after the new coating has been applied unless addressed prior to the recoat. • Water Damage: Permanently cupped floors may be recoated, but will remain cupped, which may be more apparent after the new coating has been applied. Hand abrading and/or chemical adhesion systems may be required.

guarantee acceptable performance or compatibility. Advise the client of this before proceeding. ere are di erent procedures for testing for di erent types of wood ooring contaminants. e following is more information about eld testing for wax, acrylic polish, and grease or other mild contaminants. WAX Prepare a test site on the main eld of the oor. Do not prepare the test site under area rugs, in closets, or under furniture. oroughly clean the test site to remove dirt and debris from the oor surface. Mineral spirits or paint thinner will break down wax. Use a small amount on a clean, white towel or rag in an area that would likely be of concern. If a slight yellow or brown color appears on the rag, paste wax may be present, and caution should be exercised before proceeding.

Next, it’s important to determine if there is any surface contamination (including wax, grease, and many other maintenance products) that can impact nish adhesion. It is important to test for the presence of these contaminants before recoating the oor to avoid failure. Always clean the oor before testing for contaminants and before any maintenance coat. e process includes using a wood oor cleaning product recommended by the wood oor nish manufacturer. Cleaning the oor includes extraction of any dirt, debris, or contamination from the ooring surface as well as beveled edges, gaps, or open knots. Always test in several areas of the oor to be sure the nish will adhere properly. e test areas should be used to check for contaminants as well as testing nish adhesion and compatibility. Closets may not be the best test area because maintenance products are o en used on the main body of the oor, but not always in closets. Testing in one area does not

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