Sanding And Refinishing your Wood Floor
If wood floors are so durable, why do they need to be refinished? A harsh reality of life is that nothing lasts forever. Yes, hardwood installations are some of the most durable flooring options, with the beauty and value they add to the home being the icing on the cake. They are a common feature in busy homes and business premises, and can take on a beating and keep on going. However, the abuse that is meted out onto the wood floor as the years go by will inevitably have an effect on it, causing its appearance to deteriorate, calling for a refinishing. Here are reasons why this is part of the maintenance required when it comes to wood floors:
Restore the fresh look and feel to your wood floor
No one likes being in a dull and dilapidated environment. The dents and scratches all over the floor, those sections that have faded out, the existing finish looking worse for wear – it all negatively affects the decor. Given that the floor is technically the largest structure in the household, its state will definitely affect the rest of the ambience. Sanding away the existing finish and applying new coats will make your wood floor look all new again.
The choice of lacquer used for the finish will affect the aesthetics of the result. Take for instance the Bona Traffic HD. This comes with different versions for the gloss level: Silk Matt (40% sheen), Matt (20% sheen), and Extra Matt 11% (sheen).
Note that, with the Bona Traffic HD, you can apply wood stains from the same brand, or use it without the staining to highlight the natural colour and grain patterns of the wood. This gives you more flexibility with regards to the resultant look that the floor will get.
- To use the Bona Traffic HD, start by shaking it in its container. Next mix it with the Traffic HD Hardener, shaking this mixture thoroughly as well for around one minute. This mixture can be prepared in a separate can. 1 litre of Bona Traffic HD is mixed with 1 part hardener.
- Spread the catalysed finish over the floor. You can use a roller for this, alternating between going across and following the wood grain.
Extra tip: When working with a roller, maintaining a “wet edge” will enable you to avoid making overlaps.
- Allow the first coat to dry. This is a fast-drying formulation, and the surface will be ready for the next coat in about 3 hours.
- Apply the second coat. While you can proceed to even add a third coat of product, especially for the establishments with extremely high levels of traffic, only apply two full coats per day. This is to avoid issues like excessive wood swelling. Also ensure that the area receives proper ventilation to aid the drying process.
The treated floor will be ready to handle light traffic in 8 hours, and full usage can resume in 12 hours. The fast drying nature of the Bona Traffic HD is a huge reason behind the popularity of the product as well, given that it minimises downtime in the premises in which it has been applied.
- While the product will have cured 80% within the first day of the treatment, 100% curing will take 3 days. Within this time, you should avoid damp mopping the floor, covering it with area rugs, or placing heavy objects on it.
Save your money
As the damage progresses on the floor, the chances of renovating it without overhauling the entire floor boards decrease. With wood floors, you have the advantage of choosing to have it sanded and refinished a couple of times. This will depend on the thickness of the wear layer. It’s also why it is recommended that you have the sanding carried out by a professional, to ensure that only the required amount is sanded off. Procrastinating the refinishing allows the existing treatment to wear down faster, exposing the wood to structural defects, from excessive wear to water damage like buckling. The greater the extent of the deterioration the more it will call for having the actual floorboards replaced, which ends up being a costly affair. On the other hand, refinishing costs far much less, reducing the strain on your establishment’s maintenance budget.
Increase the value of the home
Are you looking to put the property out on the market? From real estate agents looking for buyers or tenants, empty nesters looking to sell the house and move to a smaller space now that the kids are all grown up, sales caused by the need to relocate due to job transfers or relationship issues – whichever the case, you want to secure a good deal on the property. Wood floors are already popular, and well-maintained ones will enable interested buyers or tenants to envision themselves in the house. With the refinished floor enhancing the beauty of the space, and drawing more potential buyers, it will make a positive impact on the value of the home, bringing you a bigger return.
Enhance the safety of the household
A deteriorated wood floor is a threat to the household occupants. For instance, splinters can easily lead to injuries as people or pets walk about. These structural defects are resolved as part of the sanding process, after which the new finish coats are applied.
Speaking of safety, you also want to work with a layer that will not put the persons on the premises at risk. Toxic fumes being generated into the indoor space and being recirculated in the air for months will be a threat to your family members. You don’t have to worry about this with the Bona Traffic HD.
The impact of the Bona Traffic HD on the indoor air quality was also a key consideration during its formulation, with emphasis on making it safe for even sensitive environments. Consequently, the product has very low VOC emissions, at under 5%. In fact, the lacquer is a GREENGUARD Gold Certified formulation, meaning that it can even be used in children’s bedrooms and classrooms, where there is a stricter emphasis on indoor air safety since the kids breathe in more per body weight. As such, when treating your floors with the Bona Traffic HD, you can rest assured that the occupants of the building will be safe.
Professional Floor Cleaning Kit