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daspixl

Need help with flooring finish as soon as possible!

daspixl
10 years ago

Hi there,

Just wondering if someone may be able to help me with an issue. I have sanded and refinished my hardwood but am getting some white areas that the varnish is not setting on, it just goes to crystals.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10311145/IMG_1598.JPG

I was wondering if anyone has had or fixed this issue in the past and can offer some advice other than tearing out the floor.

Thanks,

Jamie

Comments (6)

  • daspixl
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here is the link (clickable)

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • jfcwood
    10 years ago

    I can't tell much from that picture. It looks like the stain is uneven. Did you stain the floor after sanding? If so, what stain? and what surface finish are you using?

  • daspixl
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    entire time during the finishing stage, is it possible as well that I didn't sand the floor deep enough to remove all of the old finish. It was a pre-finished I think and I sanded barely down to the bottom of the micro-bevel. I am planning on re-sanding and I think that I should go a little deeper this time.

    As for the steps. Sanded with drum and edger, 24 > 36 > then square buff 36 > 60 > 80 > 120 cleaned and stained (minwax dark walnut), left over 7 hours then 1 coat of waterbased finish by Sico called crystalex, 2-3 hours later light sand with 320grit on poll sander, 2nd coat after 2-3 hours, another light sand 320grit on poll sander, final coat. Finish applied with synthetic pad.

  • jfcwood
    10 years ago

    I think your sanding was okay but you may have two other issues. First of all (and I'm only basing this on one picture) the stain doesn't look evenly applied. Did you apply a sufficient amount of stain and wipe it off by hand? We generally mop on a 2' to 3' wide strip of stain parallel with the floor direction then wipe it off. Your stain looks thin and uneven.
    Second, if the Minwax stain you used isn't of a fast drying type it could cause a curing or adhesion problem. Most urethane makers recommend you don't apply water based finish for 72 hours after the stain.
    DuraSeal (owned by Minwax) now offers all or most of the Minwax colors in Quick Coat.

  • tuesday_2008
    10 years ago

    The flaws appear to be near the seams of the wood. Is it possible that you didn't sand enough of the old sheen off in those areas. Are there slight dips/unlevel areas at the seams?? It doesn't take much of a dip for the sander not to do it's thing.

    I lightly sanded my DR and kitchen and found a few tiny places in the DR, which was older flooring that had been down about 40 years. I missed a few spots with the sander, and the newly applied poly didn't want to adhere. It really was not a problem - I just scratched/brushed it off and I can't tell it, because the old finish was still there.

    It would have been a problem on new, better grade floors.

  • daspixl
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Actually I have taken up the old floor to replace with a new pre-finished and found that there was water damage to the floor from the previous owners. Some of the wood was actually starting to rot. Problem solved! floor being replaced.