Hardwood Floors October/November 2017

ACRYLIC POLISH Prepare a test site on the main eld of the oor. Do not prepare under area rugs, in closets, or under furniture. oroughly clean the test site to remove dirt and debris from the surface. Acrylic polish stripper or ammonia break down these contaminants. Place one to two drops on an inconspicuous area of the oor. If milky white spots appear a er approximately two minutes, acrylic polish may be present. If the oor is contaminated with an acrylic polish, it must be completely removed from the ooring before a new nish application. Use extreme caution when chemically stripping any wood oor as not to damage the oor with excessive moisture. Be cautious of any remaining contamination in the seams, open and so grain, and knots of the ooring. Resanding the oor may be the best option. GREASE AND OTHER MILD CONTAMINANTS Many wood oor cleaners and dish soaps will safely remove greases, oils, and other mild contaminants. Check with the nish manufacturer for recommended cleaning products and the chemical capabilities of these products. Use these cleaners on a test site in the main body of the oor with a micro ber mop or a white towel. It is very important to consider the porosity of the wood oor when testing or removing any contaminate from the surface. Even though the contaminate may be able to be removed, it may still also be in cracks, crevices, or open knots. Agitation and extraction in these areas will usually be necessary. COMPATIBILITY OF FINISHES Remember to check the compatibility of nishes: one brand or type of nish may not be compatible with another. Factory- nished oors that include a high-abrasion nish may need to cautious of the remaining wax in the seams and so grain of the ooring. e safest option is to go back with a wax nish to avoid adhesion issues. Another test involves placing a few drops of water on the oor. If white spots appear a er about 10 minutes, the nish may be wax. If the oor has been waxed, rewax the oor whenever possible. When sanding a previously waxed oor to bare wood, be

be pre-treated with an approved chemical solution to promote adhesion, as recommended by the nish manufacturer. Factory- nished oors that have nishes infused with Te on cannot be recoated. To test for Te on-infused nishes, use a permanent marker in an inconspicuous area on the nish. If it wipes away, Te on is present. If it does not wipe away, carefully use a mild solvent like mineral spirits to remove from the surface and proceed with caution. A er application of nish in the test area, you can check to see if it has adhered. To test the adhesion of a nish on wood ooring, use the X-cut tape test. e X-cut tape test is primarily intended for use at job sites on previously applied coatings, and will likely result in damage to the test area. Be certain to exercise caution and make your customers aware. Using a sharp razor blade, scalpel, knife, or other cu ing device, two cuts are made into the coating with a 30-45° angle between legs and down to the substrate which intersects to form an “X.” e tape is placed on the center of the intersection of the cuts and then removed rapidly. e X-cut area is then inspected for removal of coating from the substrate or previous coating and rated.

ADHESION TEST VIDEO Watch Brett Mi l ler demonstrate two di fferent adhesion test methods on hardwoodf loorsmag.com.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Schaalma

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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