You can thin oil based polyurethanes with mineral spirits but it isn t usually necessary.
Varnishing engineered hardwood floors.
Apply the stain on the floor in the direction of the grain of the wood.
Begin at a wall and stain the floor in one section at a time.
Traditionally this smooth lustrous finish gives solid and engineered hardwood floors the signature wet look achieved by using multiple coats of high gloss polyurethane.
Once it dries use a lambswool floor buffer to bring back the mirror finish.
Removing aluminum oxide finishes from engineered hardwood floors can be a challenge.
In most cases yes.
It s almost always fine used straight from the tin.
It has an alcohol base and uses.
If you re varnishing a floor open the windows and doors but try to keep draughts to a minimum in case they blow dust on your finish.
When the time is up wipe the excess stain off with paper towels.
Take a plain wood floor cleaner spray it onto the engineered hardwood floor and let it set for a while.
Place area rugs in high traffic areas or in areas where the floors may be exposed to water.
Sweep the floors as often as needed to remove dust and dirt which will scratch the floor s surface.
There are steps you can take to delay the need for refinishing your engineered flooring.
While polyurethane is water or oil based plastic resin varnish is older and made from resins oils and solvents.
Engineered wood flooring is usually 4 8mm and is good for sanding and refinishing.
Adding a layer of polyurethane sealer to the existing finish a process known as refreshing the finish is a good option when light wear that hasn t penetrated the wear layer is starting to show on.
It all depends on the thickness of the wear layer.
The spray and buff procedure is quite simple.
Alternatives to refinishing engineered hardwood flooring.
It cant be thinner than 3mm.
The crème de la crème of hardwood floor finishes acid cured finish also called swedish finish or conversion finish is even more durable than the polyurethanes.
Unlike polyurethane varnish is designed for outdoor projects and is not typically used for indoor surfaces such as a hardwood floor.
You should give the stain at least up to two minutes to soak into the wood.
Arguably the most popular surface finish for hardwood flooring water based polyurethane provides a clear finish and has the traditional hardwood look and feel.
Because of the higher ratio of solids varnish is less susceptible to ultraviolet light damage.
Even at 3mm if the floor is lumpy you risk sanding through to the ply substrate.
It is advisable to avoid floor cleaners or restorers which contain oil or wax.