The following procedure is for reapplying coats to an already finished floor or
applying finish to a new floor. When finishing a new floor always follow
the manufacturers recommendations for prepping the floor. You should
always consult the flooring manufacturer on the types of finishes that are
suited to your floor. When finishing any floor we recommend that you use a
quality floor finish that is correctly matched to your flooring. Our online
floor finishing procedure is are the general guidelines for finishing a floor.
These days floor finish has become the alternative to old fashioned waxes.
Floor finish can give a floor a great long lasting shine without the problems of
conventional waxes.
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Make sure that your floor has been prepared for finishing. Clean the floor
removing as much dirt and debris as possible. If the floor has more than 5
coats of finish we recommend stripping the floor first. Too many layers of
finish can dull a floor. Over time floor finish can yellow in color if you
see any yellowing on the floor we also recommend that you strip the floor first.
(for more information on stripping a floor click here).
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After you have the floor has been prepared vacuum or dust mop the floor to
remove any dust. We recommend that you spray your duct mop with dust mop
treatment to remove as much dust as possible. Make sure to remove anything
stuck to the floor, anything that is on the floor when you finish it will become
part of the floor finish and you will have to strip your floor an begin again.
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Make sure that the floor are you are finishing does not and will not have
traffic moving through it for at least 12 - 24 hours depending on the type of
finish that your are applying (see floor finish manufacturers specifications for
curing and drying time). Use warning signs to make sure the area where you
are finishing is marked out so that everyone is aware of the area.
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Finishing a floor requires the use of two mop buckets. One bucket will be
used to keep the finish mop damp and the other will be used to apply the floor
finish. Line the floor finish bucket with a clear trash can liner so that
you can dispose of the finish easily after the job is complete. For
information on finish mops please click here.
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Fill one mop bucket 1/2 way up with water and the lined mop bucket 1/4 full with
floor finish. Dip you finish mop into the water bucket and wring until the
mop is damp and water does not drip from the end. Next, dip the damp mop
into the floor finish and wring until the finish mop does not drip.
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The best way to finish floors is to divide the floor into sections to assure
that an even amount of floor finish is applied everywhere. Begin applying
the floor finish at the furthest corner from the entrance. Apply floor
finish to the baseboard area first (a block applicator can be a great tool for
this job) working away from the corner. Make sure the floor finish is
going on to the floor in a thin even coat.
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After you have applied floor finish to the baseboard move on to the open areas
of the floor. Move the mop head in a figure eight motion overlapping
mopping sections by about an inch.
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After you have applied the finish evenly to the entire area let the floor dry.
The floor should look glossy with no raised areas or drip marks. Follow
the floor finish manufacturers recommendations for drying time. Depending
on the floor finish you may wish to apply more than one coat of floor finish, if
so, let the floor dry in between coats. You may also want to buff the floor in
between coats so that the second coat adheres better to the first coat.
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To maintain the new look of the floor finish you can burnish with a burnishing
floor pad, again see the manufacturers recommendations for maintenance on your
floor.
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After 12 hours your floor should be fully cured. Floor traffic can now resume.
Finishing
Floors
HOW TO FINISH FLOORS