water-based polyurethane for wood floor

We have two bids for installing and finishing white oak floor (some herringbone, some not). Close in price. The contractor’s favorite wood installer is planning 1-coat of Sealer and 2-coats of Water Base Satin finish. The other talks of one coat sealer and 3 coats of water based polyurethane. How much of a difference does the extra coat make? Thanks!

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andriywww1990 | 2 years and 10 months ago

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Augustiner: i am suspiciuos of big companies that do a lot of marketing. Ben moore, minwax. Chrysler cars: i sometimes feel as though the purpose of these companies is marketing and the product they make is secondary. This leaves a whole bunch of products that go unnoticed by many of us and some of these products offer benefits that exceed those of the big names.

A note on dry times and coats per day and recoating the following day. If someone recoats a finish too soon after applying it, the finish is compromised. We see it with bonehead painters: the y recoat latex paint after an hour. The problem is, the coat has skinned over and feels dry but has not dried underneath. That moisture can become trapped between coats 2 and 3 and i suspect this is the reason for the two coat per day rule. If moisture becomes trspped, it softens the top coat and the top coat does not adhere. One beer bottle dropped on the floor can chip the top coat off the other coats.

In so far as recoating. We can recoat the same day without screening. But if we wait overnigh t, the finish continues to harden and the new coat may not hold well. So we screen or in my case sand the surface, usually with 180 or 220 to give the next coat mechanical bond.

All of this is in the directions on the can. A lot of people do not follow directions, at all. At the request of a customer, i used General Finishes Water Base Topcoat just this week. Basically water base poly. I had never used this particular item of theirs before so i read the directions – three times. Wait. I have a BA in English and i read the directions 3 times? Yes, with each coat i read the directions; if more contractors followed the directions we would have a lot fewer problems with these paints and finishes.

People who want to deviate from the directions can call the tech support teams at the finish companies. Many of these people are involved in testing and product development. They will tell people where they can push limits and speed drying and what to do under less than ideal conditions.

Btw, i liked the general finishes product. I am not sure if it can be used on floors though.

I might call a poly manufacturer and ask why the two coats per day, max. I never had to break that rule so i never asked.

cate | 2 years and 10 months ago

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Number of coats depends on the brand and type of poly used. A very experienced and highly recommended installer and floor refinisher will know what is best for a long-lasting, durable finish.

andriywww1990 | 2 years and 10 months ago

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If someone had to return to add that coat or felt screening was nec., it will be more than 5%.

The rule with water is 2 coats per day max. Not sure about that with bona.

I would like to elaborate on this but have no time this morning.

Augustiner | 2 years and 10 months ago

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Tinker throwing shade on Bona? That can’t be left without reply 😉 Bona is a professional flooring product sold in flooring stores. Home Depot just sells their floor cleaning products. . Bona produced water based finishes in Europe decades before anyone considered it in the here. What I like about them is first and foremost the result, but also that they exclusively produce a water based floor finishes (and natural penetrating oil). Maybe it’s a personal preference but I like the ‘Scandinavian’ look.
Having said that, it’s not rocket science and it is possible that there are other good solutions out there. And Tinker certainly has laid 5000 more finishes on wood than I did.

Anyway, the difference between one more coat should be no more than 5% of the total cost.

andriywww1990 | 2 years and 10 months ago

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Keep in mind that floor finishes are hard. Too many coats can chip. That is why we do what the manufacurer says.

Exterior finishes are soft. We can build and they do not chip.

andriywww1990 | 2 years and 10 months ago

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So if bona recommends 3 coats total, i would follow their recommendations. With the oil finishes, we were told do not put a fourth coat on because it could chip. Not sure if this carries true with water base finishes but i am sure a call to the manufacturer could clarify that. Bona may go on thicker, hence thicker coats from the get go.

People on this board like bona. Bona has a big market presence because it is in home depot. With a lot of what i do, professionally, i find home depot to be limited and find much better products elsewhere. This may not be true with bona but for that reason, i do not pay too much attention to them and i could be wrong about them. No one has ever said anything bad about them and that augustiner likes them, that says something. There are a lot of other products out there. Read about them; varathane (i used them on a stage in the ’90s, the first time i used a water base top coat in my life), absco, basic coatings, and now i think last n last makes a water base finish.

Now that augustiner mentions the bona 3 coat, you hav e to know what brand products each of these contractors is proposing and what the manufacturers recommendationd are for each.

Guest User | 2 years and 10 months ago

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thanks!

andriywww1990 | 2 years and 10 months ago

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No. First, carlos is your person. Do not even consider the other person. The manufacturer recommends a total of 4. The other person is shorting you and bidding low to get the job and make his money by charging less and doing more work. That mentality leads to low quality and both people like carlos suffer for it because he has to bid against it and the customer suffers because they fall fir the low price.

Money wise, to do four coats takes 2 days. Short days, but days. This hurts the contractor a little and costs you more. That three coat guy, i bet any money that he will finish sanding one day and try to jam that 3 coats in one day which is counter to manufacturer recommendations.

I have done a lot of floors. I like doing them and when i first did them in the 1980s we did not have water poly. Just oil. It was one coat a day. What i said was confusing because i was trying to think like a contractor and how an extra bit of work could cost a lot more because a small thing might kill a day. Now we can do two coats in a day which is better but now it encourages someone to sneak a third in and not bother coming back the next day. The money can be figured a couple different ways here for different answers. Dry times and workers sitting in a van waiting for something to dry, costs money.

Guest User | 2 years and 10 months ago

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Thanks. I am still confused. Carlos (well recommended on this forum) says one coat sealant and 3 coats water-based polyurethane. So that is more than the manufacturer recommends?

Augustiner | 2 years and 10 months ago

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Bona is 1 coat sealer and 2 finishing coats at least that’s what the manufacturer recommends. There is no harm in a 3rd coat but also not much benefit. If it’s a high traffic area such as a public hallway or a store you could use the Bona Traffic line, but the regular finish works just fine. My personal favorite is Nordic sealer with Bona traffic Naturale (flat finish)

Whatever they do as finish , have the wood stored in the location for as long as possible before install. 1-2 months.

andriywww1990 | 2 years and 10 months ago

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I tried to figure how this would work as its 2 coats per day anyway. It probably kills that second day.

Try this: the better contractor is the one saying 4 coats (1 seal and 3 top) . Three coats total is ok for oil but not water. You might be better forgeting mr 3 coat and going with the four coats, no matter the cost, based on that The 3 coat price might really be lower because they are less experience and rushes through jobs.

The cost might be more easily figured per sq ft as most floor people work that way. If you can get someone who can help with what that cost is.

Also, two coats per is the limit. People will try to squeeze a third in and the manufacturers advise against this.. So if someone says they will do three, that is a reason to use someone who does the right thing but charges more.