Varnishing a floor takes time and energy. It is very important to have certain notions to varnish a hardwood floor. Knowing how to recognize the nature of the wood on the floor and the types of varnish to use allows you to do the job properly. This task alone is a complex process. To know what steps to follow to properly varnish a hardwood floor, take the first step. Take the time to read this article to become an ace varnisher.
Why varnish your hardwood floor?
There are many reasons why you might want to varnish your hardwood floor. It could be as simple as a personal desire to give your floor a new lease on life. It could be that you want to give it a color that matches the colors of your home. Beyond painting the walls, a good brushstroke and your hardwood floor come back to life. It could also be that your beautiful hardwood floor is in an advanced state of deterioration and needs to be restored.
Whitewood varnishing is one of the best ways to hide the imperfections of your floor. However, the best reason to varnish your floor would be to protect your hardwood floor against termites. Termites are tiny insects that love cellulose in wood, paper, and sometimes carpets.
Which material for the varnishing?
To achieve good varnishing of hardwood, it is essential to obtain certain materials to work safely and hope for a satisfactory result. You will need :
- A good quality dust mask to avoid choking on dust;
- Safety glasses for eye protection;
- A paint scraper to remove the old paint;
- A sand block and a few sheets of sandpaper for the corners and places of difficult access;
- An abrasive vacuum cleaner with a grain size between 150 and 220 to remove all the sand grains present on the floor;
- A varnish applicator pad or a 10 mm roller and surface cleaning material;
- Clean cloth cleaning, degreasing
- Varnish for floors etc.
With this package, you’re sure to be on the right track to redoing your floor.
How to choose the best hardwood floor varnish?
Several ranges of white wood floor varnish are available on the market. But which one is the most suitable? To answer this question, it is recommended to learn about the different characteristics of the available products. Industry professionals can guide you according to your requirements or you can consult comparison sites. Among the most popular varnishes for hardwood are
The oil varnish or polyurethane is :
- Economic
- Resistant to all kinds of stains
- Easy to apply
- Available for many purposes
The water-based varnish is :
- Easy to apply
- Resistant to wear and tear
- Easily cleaned with soap and water
- No yellowing
- Safe for humans
- An organic composition
The varnish made of alcohol :
- Dries quickly
- Resists wear and tear
- available in several variations
- Let the grain of the white wood show
- Easily applied
You can get these products online or in big box stores at reasonable prices depending on the volume you are looking for.
The 5 steps to successfully varnish your hardwood floor
To varnish your floor properly, here are some steps to follow:
1st step
First of all, you need to clean the floor thoroughly so that it is as clean as possible. This is the same process for using disinfectant as for varnishing. Dust cannot be controlled, so please cover anything that might be dirty or covered with dust. With these preparations completed in the room, now begin vacuuming. After vacuuming, scrape and polish the floor.
2nd step
Now that the floor is clean and exposed, you can apply your first coat of varnish. Oil-based varnish is best, as it is suitable for all types of wood. Use the pad and begin to carefully apply the varnish to the floor from one corner to the other.
3rd step to follow
After the first coat is applied, let it dry for about 24 hours. Don’t rush or hurry things either. Give the varnish time to dry. Do this to avoid unevenness in the coating.
4th step to follow
After 24 hours, it’s time for the next step. You need to polish the floor again. Polish cleanly so that the polish is shiny, don’t forget to run the polishers around the corners of the house.
5th step to follow
To finish with the varnishing, make a mixture of mineral turpentine and varnish, the one you have chosen. A mixture of 10% turpentine for a quantity of varnish. Then dilute the mixture until it becomes homogeneous. Do not use force when mixing or try not to drag the mixture. When the mixture is ready, proceed with the application of the second coat of varnish. Once again do this from corner to corner, then let it dry for 2 to 3 days for complete drying.
Tips for applying varnish on a floor?
To varnish a hardwood floor easily you need to :
- Vacuum the floor first to remove dust. Take note the vacuum cleaner is the most recommended,
- Then spray the floor with a specific cleaning product such as a neutral pH cleaner and especially non-toxic,
- Apply your varnish and wait 24 hours,
- Apply a new coat of varnish and let it dry for at least 3 days,
- Clean the floor with a clean mop after it is completely dry and avoid continuing to clean with a wet mop
These tricks are often used by professionals for convincing results.
How to maintain a varnished hardwood floor?
For a floor that is already varnished, the maintenance is quite different than for one that is not. Wood being a living being, it absorbs the humidity in the air and retains it. Therefore, if you are in a warm environment or in a hot zone, place containers on the floor from time to time so that the wood absorbs the humidity. However, if you live in a humid climate or if the conditions of your home are close to a humid area, keep your floors as dry as possible.
Also when cleaning, be careful with the soaps and disinfectants used. A vacuum cleaner or a simple broom will suffice for the less frequented areas and cold water with a neutral pH detergent. When cleaning, make circular movements and do not forget to wipe the floor afterwards with a dry mop.
To ensure a quality job, entrust it to experts
Varnishing a floor requires certain qualifications. It is often recommended to use experts to benefit from their skills. Beyond the estimates you can find on the Internet, it is worthwhile to take advantage of their advice to choose the best products for your hardwood floor. On site, they will be able to choose the right products and proceed with the varnishing with all the necessary skill. In addition, they can give you all the information you need to keep your hardwood floor varnished for a long time.
To contact seasoned professionals in hardwood floor varnishing please click here, you will not be disappointed.
Conclusion
Hardwood floors require regular maintenance. To give them a second life, it is advisable to apply one or two coats of varnish an important because of several reasons but especially because it is exposed to the attack of termites. To varnish it takes a few materials and 3 to 4 days for a complete or permanent use of the hardwood floor. In case you are unable to do this task, experts are at your disposal.
FAQ
To rejuvenate a hardwood floor, sanding the floor with a 120 grit sandpaper is necessary. Consider using a sanding block or a floor polisher with a white polishing pad and an abrasive disc of the same grit. It is very useful to dust the room and remove the shine. For the periphery of the room, a 3″ wide brush will do. As for the center of the piece, a clean applicator would be the best tool. Pour a 4″ line and apply. This technique is called “wet on wet”. You will have to let it rest for 2 hours and sand again with a 180 grit paper for a better adherence of the varnish. Finally, let dry for 24 hours.
To wash your hardwood floor, you need a neutral ph cleaner and a mop. Take into account the climatic conditions in which your house resides. Consider using a toothbrush soaked in warm water and black soap. The water can be bleached in case the wood is pine, teak, raw oak, cherry, etc.
It is indeed possible to do this but leave this task to an expert in the field so as not to mess up or be disappointed with the result. Some types of varnish can be applied over a previous varnish. To do this, the surface of the floor must be thoroughly cleaned. Then, it will be necessary to depolish it but slightly before applying the new varnish.
