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Some prefinished engineered (laminated
wood) floors require a slightly different procedure for screening and coating than
traditional solid wood floors. Answer the following questions prior to initiating a
prefinished recoat job and you should be successful in the recoat of an old floor or
overcoat of a newly installed floor.
Is the coating wrapped
around the edge of the board?
If the prefinished coating covers the edges, then the water based finish being applied
will not soak into the edges of the board. If the edges are uncoated and you are applying
water based finish using the standard "squeegee" method, a significant amount of
water may be absorbed into the sides of the boards, causing the floor to swell. As the
finish dries, edges will appear raised.
To prevent this problem, coat this floor with a paint pad used out of a paint tray. Do not
carry a puddle across the cracks. Apply enough finish to create a good wet coat. Seal the
floor without putting a significant amount of finish in the cracks. When the first coat is
dry, subsequent coats may be applied using the "squeegee" method. The edges of
the floor have been sealed so additional coats will not result in a problem.
Is there any
"over-wood" between the boards?
Screen prior to any finish application using a 120 grit screen or finer. 180-240 grit
sandpaper strips may also be used with a maroon pad, but be sure the screening process is
thorough. Do not use a pad without sandpaper strips. The entire surface of the floor must
be abraded uniformly. The screen or pad/strip will buff over the raised edge of the
over-wood and skip the lowered portion of the next board and the finish can peel at those
untouched edges. You must abrade those areas by hand if they cannot be reached by the
machine.
Is this a "high
wear" or standard UV coating?
NewAge products will bond to most "normal" UV coatings if properly
prepared. There are a few "high wear" systems that contain anti-mar and
scuff-resistance agents that prevent bonding even if well screened. If the manufacturers
information does not contain information that specifically recommends (this means we
have tested the combination and were successful), run the adhesion test
yourself. A test patch is always recommended.
NOTE: Some
prefinished manufacturers are now recommending pads for buffing.
we does not recommend
this! Always use sandpaper strips with the pads. Fine screens still offer the best
results.
Has the glue been cleaned
from the surface of a new installation? If so, with what?
Many glues are soluble only in certain solvents. Some of these are slow drying and leave a
residue on the surface of the board that does not screen easily. Use a detergent wipe
followed by a wipe with Maintenance Cleaner
to
make sure all solvent/glue residue is removed before abrading the floor. Good cleaning is
recommended prior to any recoating job.
Was the bottom of the
board below the tongue square edged or relieved (tapered)?
Water based finish trapped in the cracks tends to swell the board edges more if the
flooring is square edged as opposed to tapered or relieved. A square edged floor should be
treated as if there is no coating on the edges. Apply the first coat of water based finish
with a paint pad.
Is the prefinished
flooring coated with a clean UV coating or was it waxed or treated at the factory?
Waxing is not very popular now, but early UV's and some other types of prefinished
flooring were treated at the factory so they could be stacked in boxes quickly without
sticking together. These treatments can later cause adhesion failure when the floor is
recoated. Ask the supplier about your wood. If unsure about any processes used, coat a
test patch before coating the entire floor.
How has the homeowner been
maintaining the floor? What types of products have been used on this floor?
In order for the finish to bond, all surface contaminants must be removed, and a clean dry
abrasion scratch must be available for the coating to bond.
Waxes must be stripped, dust mop treatments must be removed, furniture polishes must be
cleaned of the surface, and the floor must be clean and free of any soap residues BEFORE trying to screen the surface. Screening
will not remove these contaminants but will instead only move them around.
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