Re-Finishing Hardwood Floors

[81xsproject]

My problem is that there are some outside issues that HAVE to be intertwined with this issue. First of all, my Dad and I are starting on Friday and have to get it done in the weekend. The second issue is that by Saturday of the following weekend, we have to be moved out of were we are now. So time is a major issue; drying times AND vapor time. Right now, I am leaning towards Zar Ultra Max Waterborne Oil-modified Polyurethane. It dries fast, is supposed to be very durable, and has very low VOC. I would LOVE to have that booklet to read through. The sooner the better.

[79XS11F]

I have not read the entire thread but I can tell you to first off check the moisture content of the floor to confirm that it is at, or close to its equalized moisture content (EMC). If you skip that step as many non certified floor finishers do . your job may not be as nice as it can be. If the floor is dryer then EMC don't fill the gaps if there are any because the fill will be thrown when it returns to EMC or worse the floor will expand more then intended. If the floor is above EMC the finish will break between the boards when the floor returns to EMC. Don't sand it if the floor is cupped. DO make sure that you do not skip any of the paper grades and always edge with the next paper grade that will be used on the big machine. I could go on and on about this because I happen to be a N.W.F.A. certified wood floor inspector. If you have never done this sort of job before ...you should leave it to a pro. Sand off to much or have to do it twice and you will take a lot of life from the floor. It's like paint ... the only thing worst then no paint is a bad paint job. If you do decide to tackle it yourself, go to NOFMA web page and check out their sanding recommendations. If you can't find info I could fax some stuff to you an proper sanding methods.
Rob

[81xsproject]

Thanks, 79. I appreciate all the help I can get. Other than some piece of testing equipment, is there any rule of thumb for knowing where I might be as far the moisture content. Here on the coast, whether it is summer or winter, there is always quite a bit of moisture in the air. We have long rainy winters. Under the house stays nice and dry, even during the wettest of winters.

[79XS11F]

Try here. A lot of their stuff is free. N.W.F.A. does not post articals or tech tips.


http://www.nofma.org/Publications/tabid/82/Default.aspx

Rob

[79XS11F]

Thanks, 79. I appreciate all the help I can get. Other than some piece of testing equipment, is there any rule of thumb for knowing where I might be as far the moisture content. Here on the coast, whether it is summer or winter, there is always quite a bit of moisture in the air. We have long rainy winters. Under the house stays nice and dry, even during the wettest of winters.

You can go to the US dept of aquaculture, Forest devision, Testing labs and they have a chart that will tell you how much moisture wood will hold at any given humidity level. Generally the relative humidity inside you house should be as close to 45% as you can get it all year round. At this number wood will hold about 7.7% moisture. This means that in the dry season when wood looses moisture and falls to around 6% the gaps will be minimal. In the wet season when wood absorbs moisture and climes to around 9% expansion will also be minimized. 45% RH and 7 to 8% content is good for wood.
Rob

[Special Ed]

Well, “I’m ba-a-a-ck!”
You may be able to do what we call a “maintenance coat” if the floor isn’t worn down to where there are any gray spots in the high traffic areas. That means the finish is worn off. Also, you can’t do a maintenance coat if the floors have been waxed. Even if you use a wax stripper it is still “iffy.”

Yea, renting drum sanders can be a pain in the butt. Especially the ones that we call “tilt sanders.” If you can find one, get one that has a lever that raises and lowers the drum. If you are really, really lucky you may be able to rent a professional 220 volt 8” belt sander: much easier to put a belt on than putting a sheet on a slotted drum. We (professional floor finishers) are really hurting these days, and you may be able to find some one to give you a good deal on a “sand only.” I wish we lived closer, I would give you a deal and would instruct you on how to do the finishing.

Water based finishes have a bad rep. because of retail finishes such as Verathane and Zar. They are great for cabinets and trim but doesn’t hold up for foot traffic. I’ve been using Bona Kemi, AKA Bona X, and products for years with very good results. Google it and find out who sells it in your area. I recommend “Mega.” It is a non catalytic finish, very easy to use and very easy on living things like wives and children. Also it dries in just a couple of hours versus 8 hours plus for poly. Poly will not dry properly under 65 degrees, and Mega will.

A buffer is essential for doing multiple coats on more than, say, 200 s.f. Unless, of course, you have a team of midgets (children, teenagers, etc.) who can be coerced into getting down on their hands and knees to hand sand in between coats. Old timers like me like to amuse ourselves by turning trainees loose with a buffer and watching as the buffer chases them around the room and the cord gets wrapped around their legs! Once you learn the secret, however, the buffer becomes one of the easiest tools to use. Ready? Stand in the center of the room with the handle of the buffer against your leg, waist, or lower chest (depending on how tall you are.) Lift up slightly on the handle and pull on the “on” lever. If it tries to go to the left, lift up on the handle. If it tries to go to the right, push down on the lever. There is a balance point where you should be able to turn the buffer on, with the handle against your hip, or what ever, and the buffer will sit there and happily spin until you raise, or lower the handle, or walk the machine forward or backward.

There: invaluable instruction for free because you are my brothers of XS!!

I’m sorry, but the booklet I wrote is only for finishing, presuming that you got some one else to do the sanding part. If any one is still interested, or anyone needs advice / instruction on sanding please send me a PM.
Special Ed

[egleaves]

We refinished one room in our house last year and only rented the orbital sander. I did all of the edges with my hand sander. We used a stain from a company called Bioshield. It cost just a bit more, but it is awesome stuff. You can lay it down with the windows closed and not smell a thing. It's great for your indoor environment; remember whatever chemicals you put on the floor, you will be breathing for years to come.

We used the exterior grade stain since this room has a door to the back porch and sees a lot of traffic.

http://www.bioshieldpaint.com/

[81xsproject]

Ed, are there any other good finishes you would recommend? No place in the area or nearby sells bonakema.