Mistakes in Floor Finishing – Part 2
‘What just happened? The Finish went on so well and now my floor looks worse than before. Now what? Before you call in reinforcement, you need to understand why your floor looks this way. Below are 5 common mistakes when applying Floor Finish.
*Note: This is Part 2 of our 3-Part Blog Post. Be sure to read Part 1 as well.
Mistake 1: Not using a separate mop head after cleaning the floor. There is a big difference between cleaning mops and finishing mops. Only use mops or applicators that are specifically intended for finishing floors. Using the same pad that you just cleaned with can cause streaking. You will need to lightly dampen your new microfiber mop prior to spreading out the finish. Why? Finish can absorb into the pad and leave an uneven or streaky appearance.
Mistake 2: Not planning your exit strategy. Whoops! You just finished your floors and now you are stuck in the room sitting on a table for 30-45 minutes until the floor is completely dry. Walking on the floor too soon will result in footprints. It is important to work towards the exit of the room so you can step out of the room and allow the floor to dry.
Mistake 3: Rushing the application. Patience is a virtue when applying floor finish. If the floor is not COMPLETELY dry, additional coats of finish will soften and ‘bite’ into the previous coat, resulting in a floor with both dull and shiny areas. The only solution will be to re-strip your floor.
Mistake 4: Force Drying. Never force-dry a floor with a fan pointed directly at it. If a fan or air mover is used, raise it or point it above the floor to circulate the air above the floor.
Mistake 5: Closing the door on your work. Closing off a room when the job is complete can interfere with airflow, and the floor may not dry or cure properly.
Bonus Pro Tips:
Tip 1: Apply finish only when the floor is above 45 degrees Fahrenheit otherwise coating failure may occur. Lower floor surface temperature results in slower evaporation of the finish thus resulting in longer re-coat time.
Tip 2: Work in a tight “figure eight” motion to help eliminate streaking and uneven application. We recommend squirting in an “S” pattern to spread finish out over a larger surface area.
Tip 3: Work in small, manageable areas to assure you maintain a wet edge while applying the finish.