| SURFACE FINISHES |
Please
note our
Environmental Concerns
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Today's technology provides us with quality "Wood Floor Finishes"
that create lasting beauty and require minimal care. The
correct finish will protect your wood flooring from wear, dirt and moisture while giving the wood an attractive
colour and sheen. Today most wood floors are finished with a stain and a top coat.
I currently have 16 samples of locally available flooring finishes,
all of them quality products.
Surface Finishes have become very popular because
of their durability, water-resistance and minimal
maintenance requirements. Surface finishes are blends of synthetic
resins and are commonly referred to as urethanes, polyurethane's
or even varnishes. They bond to the woods surface and form a protective coating. They are generally available in high-gloss,
semi-gloss or sheen, satin and matte.
There are basically five (5) main types of surface
finishes: |
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Please
note our
Environmental Concerns |
| Oil-modified urethane is probably the most common surface finish.
It is easy to apply, and dries to a really hard,
durable protective coat. This solvent-base polyurethane
generally dries in about eight hours (depending on
weather conditions). This finish ambers with age
and is available in Gloss, Matt, Suede and
Eggshell or whatever else the manufacturers want
to confuse us with. These are the easiest sealants
to apply for the DIYer. |
| Plascon
Floor Varnish |
Neutron
PU Floor Varnish |
Woodoc
25 |
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| Moisture-cure
urethane is a solvent-base
polyurethane that is more durable and more
moisture resistant than other surface
finishes. Moisture-cure urethane comes in
non-yellowing satin or gloss. These
finishes are extremely difficult to apply,
have a strong odour and are generally way
overpriced. Must not be applied during
periods of high humidity. Seldom available
from your local hardware store. |
| Plascon Pure
Coat |
Ameron |
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| Acid cure urethane is a clear and fast drying finish. It is durable,
flexible and non-yellowing. These finishes too,
are extremely difficult to apply and have a very strong odour.
They are generally only available in gloss and
come in single pack or twin (hardener)
pack applications. |
| Bourne
Gleem |
Bourne
P6 |
Floor Gleem |
Rapid |
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| Water-based urethane is a waterborne urethane that dries by water evaporation. These finishes are clear and non-yellowing. They have a milder
odour than oil-modified finishes have and
dry in two to three hours. Water-based urethanes are generally more
expensive and are now available in Gloss, Satin
and Matt..
These products can be easy to apply, but can be
temperamental. Atmospheric temperature must not
drop below 13'C during application or
curing. |
| BonaTech
MEGA |
BonaTech
TRAFFIC |
Bourne
Gleem Clear Floor |
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| Aluminium Oxide - The newest in wood floor finishes offers a long lasting more durable coating than past wood floor finishes. These finishes carry a limited 20 year wear
warranty, and is the latest trend by major
pre-finished wood floor manufacturers. This
product cannot be applied to an insito
floor. |
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Lets not forget the oldest, and in some ways the best.
Wax is the least expensive, fastest drying, easiest to repair, and with proper care will survive forever. Wax
penetrates the wood, so you wear the wood, not the finish. Proper care involves
tons of elbow grease and maintenance with wax
polishers. Water will spot the waxed surface and must be removed (or prevented).
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| Bee Wax |
Envirotouch
Oil |
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