Ask the Flooring Expert

Q: We have installed Westhollow cork floor in the kitchen(Monticello) and would like to add a top coat to help seal the seams and for make it more durable. What should we use? Also, can you recommend a cleaner to use on cork when necessary.
Thanks.

Lucy

A: Lucy I'll be honest when I say that I have gone to several people here at iFLOOR.com to gather up as much information for you as I can to confirm my own thoughts on this subject. When deciding to undertake any project such as this, please keep in mind it is best to consult the product's manufacturer regarding the effect it will have on your warranty and any suggestions they may have for you.

Now the easy information for you is in regards to cleaner. Bona (BonaKemi) hardwood cleaner is your best bet. This is a spray cleaner which you will want to use with a microfiber mop and it should help keep your cork looking great.

Now, when it comes to adding a coat of seal, here's where the difficulties come into play.

First I spoke with our purchaser, Ryan W., who mentioned that should you add another layer of sealant to the Westhollow Cork, the process required to add that coat would void the warranty that you have on the product. Adding a coat does not seal it, the edges are still open if there was a flood from the dish washer, so adding a coat does nothing. Ryan mentioned this analogy to me: “I would not add another coat to the finish that's like buying a new car and repainting it.”

Should you still wish to add another coat of finish to your cork I can NOT stress this enough this will void your cork floor's warranty. I would also highly suggest consulting a professional before doing this on your own as adding finish is tedious.

One precaution before we proceed here. If this cork was installed as a floating floor, applying a site finish can cause an issue where cracking or peeling of the finish will occur because of how the cork will flex at the joints from being floating. Glued down cork is a better candidate for a site finish, but as I mentioned, applying a site finish will void your warranty from Westhollow.

To apply a site finish or “sealer,” you must first screen (rough up or buff) the existing finish. This is what voids your warranty because you augment the product beyond its manufactured state. This is required in order to make the new layer of finish adhere to the floor's current finish. This can be done with a buffer, it can be done with a sanding block as well. The sanding block is similar to the BonaKemi mop pole, just with and abrasive surface, the weight of that block is enough to etch the surface lightly, and would not need any additional pressure. It is suggested to do this using the sanding block rather than an electric buffer. You should use a high grit screen anywhere from 200 grit to 400 grit to ensure you do not remove too much finish and just lightly rough the surface. This is similar to sanding a car or piece of furniture before painting. Remember, once this is done your warranty is void. (Like I said, can't stress this point enough)

In regards to suggested finishes, the one that came with the highest praise is BonaKemi's Traffic Finish. This is a great finish, but it will leave your floor with a high gloss appearance. If you wish to avoid the high gloss look, try using Glitsa's Infinity II which is a oil modified one part water based polyurethane finish and can be purchased in semi-gloss or matte gloss levels. Regardless of which product you chose to use, should you add a site finish you will want to add two coats and ensure you screen the floor before each coat.

Q: What is meant when someone says "re-screen a floor?"

A: This goes back somewhat to our question from Lucy about her cork flooring. Re-screening a floor is a way to refinish a floor without actually sanding off any of the wood surface. This is typically used with bamboo or cork flooring to refresh the finish on a floor, removing the appearance of scratches or scuffs.

To screen a floor, you must keep in mind a few things. First this will more than likely void any warranty you have on your floor's finish, so always consult your floor's manufacturer before doing a re-screen. Secondly, I highly suggest consulting a professional floor re-finisher as this is a tedious task and it requires very exacting methods to ensure no issues occur with the new finish (such as bubbling, flaking or blotchy spots).

You will start by ensuring the floor is clean, then using a buffer or sanding block and a high grit screen/sand paper (usually 200 to 400 grit) or you can use a maroon pad (320 grit equivalent), you will lightly rough up or buff the surface of the floor. The key here is light buffing to prevent the appearance of swirl marks. If you are going to use a machine to buff, ensure this is a polisher built to remove less finish. If this is done by hand, the block you are using (typically a mop head and pole configuration similar to the ones used to clean floors) the weight of the block alone should be enough to buff the surface so there is no need to apply additional pressure. This will allow a new layer of finish to properly adhere to the floor.

Then, using a proper finish that suits your desires and your floor, apply the finish. The rule here is to keep the coats thin to allow for even distribution. It is better to use many thin coats rather than thicker coats. Always ensure to follow the instructions provided by the finish manufacturer. Normally you will want to apply 2 - 3 coats when doing a full re-screen, but make sure to buff before laying each new coat of finish. Always allow proper time to dry and ensure the temperature in your home is not too high. When finish layers dry too quickly, they will cause fish eye shaped bubbles or begin to flake off because they do not adhere properly.

Remember, always consult your floor's manufacturer first for recommendations and exclusions and follow all instructions to apply new layers of finish.

Q: My wife and I just bought an apartment in March. The poly on the wood floor is bubbling, peeling and flaking off. The builder says he'll only pay for screening and 2 coats of poly which is $200.But the flooring guy says it needs sanding, sealing and 3 coats of poly which costs $749. How can I tell what I need?

Thanks for your help!
-John

A: When a finish is flaking off, it means somewhere in the application process an issue occurred. Usually this means the finish dried too quickly or that the chemicals in the finish did not set properly, although there is a myriad of other reasons that can cause this issue.

The screen process will buff the top layer of finish (rough it up/scuff it lightly) in order to apply a new layer of finish. If your having flaking issues, screening the floor will not resolve this. Your floor will need to be sanded down to remove all of the finish, then sealed and refinished. Normally 3 coats is a safe bet when doing a fresh finish, which is a good suggestion from the flooring guy you spoke to.

Q: Enjoy reading the new blog. Here's a question for your consideration...

- Howard

A: The first thing to keep in mind is that Polyurethane is a type of finish, where the rest of the ones you list are manufacturers of various finishes (most are Polyurethane).

During your refinish process, you will want to get a good sealer, then use a good polyurethane with 2-3 coats to finish. Personally I would suggest looking into either Bona's Traffic or Glitsa's Infinity II. Both of these are water based polyurethanes that are super tough and give a great finish. Both have multiple finish gloss levels so you can choose between a more matte finish (better at hiding scratches) or a gloss finish.

With either of these two finishes you should get exactly what you're looking for – so it becomes a matter of looking over both and deciding which one will be your winner. I would suggest talking to the folks refinishing your floor to get their opinion between the two, but I would avoid straying away from either of these two as they are both among the best finishes out there when it comes to on-site work.

Q: We purchased a new home in August 2006. The builder installed pine flooring throughout out house. We realize that pine is quite soft and expected to have many scratches. Overall, we were satisfied with the way it came out, and it seems to be holding up quite well. However, we've been having a few issues with certain areas.

Sincerely,
Deb

A: A very important thing to keep in mind is that wood is a natural product and movement (expansion and contraction) from heat/cold and moisture in a home is most common in solid products like your Pine flooring. The questions I would ask is what temperature is your house kept at throughout the year? Does it remain the same or does it change based on season? Also, you might want to look into having the relative humidity of the air in your home. If it is too dry this can cause gapping and the solution is to get a humidifier to bring the moisture level of your home up to around 35-40%. Normally wood floors are best in the same environment best for your average person, around 63-65 degrees Fahrenheit and around 40% moisture in the air.

With your second issue in regards to the finish, the most important things to keep in mind is to use furniture cups on all of your furniture. You should be able to find cups similar to your plastic one, but with felt pads for the chairs. Beyond that it could be that the site finished used is not as tough as some as the others available. The finish is the only thing to put in question here, as the hardness of the floor won't help/hurt the durability of the finish. The number of coats can help here, but the actual finish used is very important. The rule of thumb for site finishing is to lay multiple thinner coats because this will allow for a stronger finish in the end.

What you might want to look into is getting your floor re-screened. This process involves buffing the top layer of the finish (roughing it up mildly) then applying new layers of finish. Should you choose to go this route, I would use either Bona's Traffic finish or Glitsa's Infinity II.

In regards to the cracking noise you are hearing, this is usually caused when the boards of your subfloor is not fully anchored to the joists below. This movement will cause creaks etc. Your only options to repair this would be to either remove the flooring then screw the subfloor area down to the joist, or to work from under the joist where the ceiling is finished. Either of these will be a pain because your removing finished areas.

You could try hiring a third party inspector to come out and view you floor to determine if there is anything that can be done or determine if your builder needs to fix things because they were done improperly.

Q: Hi Flooring expert,

Nancy Quon

A: My first suggestion to you would be to stop using the white vinegar and water solution to clean your floor. Although this works, it will dull the floor over time as you have been seeing. Use a wood cleaner that does not include a wax or shine to it (no Minwax or Orange Glo type products). Your best bet is the hardwood cleaners made by BonaKemi. There are other cleaners made for wood floors or bamboo specifically; however, BonaKemi's products are the best in the industry and any one who knows even a minimal amount about flooring will tell you the same thing.

Using a proper cleaner will help some, but it is unlikely you will see a full restoration of the shine you have when it was installed. If you choose to refinish your floor, this can be a somewhat complicated process. The first thing you need to determine is if you will refinish the floor or rescreen it. The screening process is easier, as you will only rough up one layer of finish and then add a few new layers of finish. Refinishing will involve removing all of the old finish, sanding down the floor some, then applying a new finish over the top.

The most important thing will be to get a high quality finish regardless of whether your refinish or screen your floor. Ensure that all of the finish is new and is not mixed with an pre-opened or older finish. If you choose to refinish, you will need to sand the floor all the way down to the bamboo and sand off a small amount of the bamboo. You need to leave the bamboo somewhat rough (usually 200 grit sand paper or so will do) as this will ensure that the first layer of finish will ad here properly. Before applying finish, ensure the floor is cleaned of all dust. Apply your finish in a thin, even coat. Allow this coat to dry, then lightly buff the finish (very fine sanding with a higher grit sand paper, 300 or so should be fine) then apply a new thing and even coat. Repeat this process until you have applied a number of finish layers that meets your approval. This should be 2 - 3 coats at a minimum. Give the finish plenty of time to cure before moving furniture back onto the floor and allowing any heavy foot traffic to go on the floor.

If you choose to screen your floor, then this process is simpler. All you will need to do is buff the top coat of finish to rough it up, then apply new finish. Again, apply as much new finish as you want, 2 - 3 coats is usually best, and ensure you buff between each new coat. Again, allow the new finish to fully cure before placing anything over it and avoid foot traffic.

Q: Can a urethane finish, acrylic-based or otherwise, be applied to a Hartco Pattern Plus acrylic impregnated floor? Will there be adhesion issues?

Thanks,
John E.
Beavercreek, Ohio

A: One thing about any acrylic impregnated finish is that it is nearly impossible to get a layer of polyurethane finish to the floor. Luckily in the case of Hartco there is a process and a few products Armstrong (whom owns Hartco) provides to allow you to refinish these floors. The big problem is a matter of adhesion, but with the right process and products you won't have this worry.

Here is a quick breakdown from Armstrong as to what you will need to do:

1. Use the Pattern Plus Shine Remover per directions on the label.
2. Clean the floor using a proper floor cleaner. Armstrong suggests using their hardwood floor cleaner, but you could also use the hardwood floor cleaner from BonaKemi
3. Apply the Armstrong Spray Tone per directions on the label.
4. When the Armstrong Spray Tone has cured, apply several thin coats of Armstrong Pattern Plus Shine.

When you are applying the Spray Tone, make sure to rub it in using a soft cloth or microfiber mop. Ensure that it fully absorbs into the wood and do not leave any excess Spray Tone on the surface. Also, give the Spray Tone 24 hours to cure before you apply any of the Pattern Plus Shine.

Another note here is that using the Shine remover is only when working with the Oak versions of these floors, for species like Maple you will remove blemishes and old maintenance materials by thoroughly buffing the entire floor with a Square Buff vibrating machine and a maroon pad made by 3M company, or equivalent grit sand paper. Use new pads frequently. All materials and blemishes need to be removed. After you have buffed the floor, make sure to vacuum using the brush attachment to the tube of your vacuum and do NOT use the beater bar attachment as this can cause damage to your floor.

If you follow this process and use the proper products you should be OK to refinish your floor, but keep in mind that patience is key here and don't rush anything.

Q: We installed American Cherry flooring about 2 1/2 years ago in our new home, through out the 1st floor (kitchen, family, dining and play room). I was not impressed with the person we hired to sand and finish these floors. I believe he used a standard poly, 2 coats, maybe 3.

We have 2 young children and a very active Golden retriever. With out thinking ahead, we picked out the American cherry flooring for its Rich color and pattern. We did not consider how soft this wood is.

Now the wood has scratched from the dogs nails through out the entire floor. I believe the the majority of the scratches are in the finish. We will start looking for another contractor to re-sand and finish the floors. What type of finish do you recommend? We will be able to vacate our house for about 10 days. Is it hard enough to help prevent some of the scratches (being the father of two rowdy boys, I understand that some scratches are inevitable)

Thank you for any input on this matter.

Patrick

A: A vast majority of scratches on any given floor are only scratching away layers of finish. Very few scratches will actually be so deep that they gouge into the wood itself. When it comes to abrasion resistance, this tends to be mostly a matter of finish.

There are several finishes you can look into, but I would suggest using Bona Traffic. Traffic is one of, if not the, best finishes in the industry when it comes to its ability to stand up to traffic and abrasion. The other nice part about Traffic is that it is a waterborne finish, which means its a bit more on the green side that oil-based finishes. The only downside you can find with Traffic is that you have a few less options when it comes to gloss level when compared to some of the other finishes out there, but when it comes to being tough, Traffic is top notch.

Another great finish you can look into is Glitsa's Infinity II. Infinity II is a waterborne finish which features several different gloss levels without losing durability. The Glitsa finish is rather durable and fairly easy to apply, but overall I would suggest using Traffic to stand up to a couple of active kids and a dog.

On average 2-3 coats is fairly standard when it comes to refinishing a floor, but you could have more coats of a finish applied given the time and labor. The key to success here is laying several thin coats in order to maximize the performance and appearance of the finish. When you get a contractor lined up, make sure that they are familiar with the products you intend to use and get their suggestion about how many coats of the finish would be best for your concerns. Typically 3 coats of Traffic is sufficient even in the commercial aspect, but normally after a few years the finish is refreshed to be sure, so in your case you may want to look into a few more coats to get a bit more longevity from the finish.

For May's editorial we're going to go into a bit of depth about refinishing floors. As the DIY season is coming around, many people will look into various remodel projects and other ways to spruce up their home. Many times, giving the current hardwood floor a face lift is a great way to freshen up a room.

Refinish or Re-screen?
Before beginning a refinishing project, it is important to know whether or not your floor needs to be refinished or re-screened. Re-screening is a process which involves removing the top layer of finish, and then applying new layers of finish over the top of the remaining finish coats. Typically most floors which receive any work only need a re-screening, as a majority of scratches or surfaces marks are only in the finish and have not damaged the wood itself.

In the case where gouges have occurred, or very deep dents which have effected the wood, then this is a more likely candidate for an actual refinish job. You may also decide to refinish a floor if you wish to change or remove the stain currently on your floor.

It is important to note that most pre-finished floors have between 5 and 8 coats of finish on them normally, this means that once you refinish them, you will never have a finish layer that is quite as long standing as the initial finish, as most site applied finishes are 2-3 coats. Also, most pre-finished floor warranties will be void as soon as you refinish or re-screen them, so keep this in mind before deciding to proceed with any refinish or re-screen work.

Re-screening Process
Re-screening a floor is far more simple than the refinish process. You will need to buff the floor using a 220 grit sand paper or screen to abrade the surface of the finish enough to allow for new finish to adhere to the floor. Before you begin buffing, it is highly advised to rub two piece of sand paper against each other to slightly dull them before going to work on your floor, this will help prevent swirls in the finish, layer. Using a buffing machine with 220 grit screens are heavily suggested here. Once you have finished abrading the floor, you will then want to ensure all dust is cleaned up. Any debris or dust left on the floor can cause major problems with the finish when it is applied.

Remember, it is best to apply multiple thin coats of finish, lightly buffing between each coat rather than a few thick coats of finish. If your previous finish is an aluminum oxide finish it can be very difficult to adhere new finis to the aluminum oxide - so use a product like Bona Prep and any adhesion worries should be eliminated.

Refinish Process
Refinishing is a bit more work than re-screening, but the methodology is the same. You will want to rent a floor sander and get a good range of screens, typically 36 or 40 grit, 60 grit, 80 grit and 100 or 120 grit. Most refinish jobs will only use 3 screens, but if you want to be a bit more thorough, use the 4 listed.

Before you begin sanding make sure to mask off all of the door ways (painters plastic or visqueen taped up along all door ways to corridors or other rooms). Turn off any heating or air conditioning circulation systems to prevent dust from getting pushed throughout the house. Also ensure you wear proper eye protection and a dust mask or respirator. Sanding a floor will produce a lot of dust and you do not want to breath this in nor have clean it out of other rooms. At this point lightly use the sand paper/screens against each other or some concrete, much like you do for screening, before you begin sanding.

Start by attaching the 40 grit screen to your floor sander (typically a drum sander) then evenly sand your floor. Make sure that you are not moving cross-grain with your flooring as this can mar the floor. Always keep the sander moving while it is active to prevent swirl marks from occurring. Once you have sanded the entire floor, make sure to use an edger if your sander can not cover the edges of the floor, then vacuum up any remainder dust, then move up to the next screen (60 or 80) and repeat your sanding and vacuuming process. Once you have finished with this screen, simply repeat the process until you have used your final screen, which is either 100 or 120 grit. If you are going for a natural finish, finish with 100 grit, if you are going to apply a stain to your floor, use 120 grit be fore applying the stain.

Once this is finished, apply sealant and stain if you plan on staining the floor, then apply your first coat of finish. Allow the finish to cure per its instructions then buff with a 220 grit screen. Buffing helps to lightly abrade the finish so that the subsequent layer of finish can properly adhere, preventing flaking and dulled or milky looking finishes. After buffing, apply the next layer of finish and repeat the process until you have applied all of your finish coats. Do not buff the final layer of finish.

Q: I have refinished hardwood floors before however I have never done parquet. The house we have just purchased has 20 Year old parquet that has never been touched and is showing the wear of time. I enjoy doing this type of work very much and would like to refinish the floor before we move into the house.I have read much about this but every one seems to have varied opinions. Advice and direction would be very much appreciated.

Mike

A: It is possible to refinish parquet, but it can be difficult. The big problem with refinishing parquet is that you have a floor with multiple wood grain directions, this means you run a larger risks of a sander marring the surface of the wood. Let's look into what you can do to make this come out right.

First of all, keep in mind that patience is key when refinishing any floor, but especially with parquet. Unlike most wood floors, large drum sanders will get a job done fast, but there are problems with them. Unless you are a real pro and rather experienced with these types of sanders, they have a high potential to mar and even put gouges into wood floors. Big orbital sanders pose similar dangers; however, they are a bit easier to control than a drum sander, so the potential for problems drops some.

Your best bet is to get a smaller, hand-held orbital sander (especially one with the vacuum-like dust collector attachment), and put in a bit more time doing the work. With a small sander you have much more control and you can work to go with the grain direction to minimize chances or marring the flooring. This will add quite a bit of time to your job, but it will give you a much more controlled sanding.

From here, much like with any other floor, start with lower grit papers and move on to finer sanding. 60 grit paper is a good start, then move to 100, then 150 and finally finish with 220 before applying any stains and your coats of finish. Don't forget to buff between each coat of finish to ensure proper adhesion and a smooth layer and you should be all set.

Q: We have a Brazilian Cherry floor that has developed an almost "greasy" residue on it. The floor is 4 years old, and has never been cleaned with anything other than Bona floor cleaner.

The floor was originally acid-cure finished (not our choice) and then it appears two coats of polyurethane were applied over that. We have tried everything from windex, TSP, acetone, lacquer thinner and naptha, and nothing will remove the residue. It almost seems as if the surface coat has softened and has become a greasy, smeared mess.

I have had a wood floor installer look at it, and also a mfrs rep for the finish company looked at it, and neither of them have any idea why the floor looks like it does.

Have you ever seen this problem and, if so, do you have any ideas on how to correct it?

Thank you.

I did a bit of follow-up to find out where this residue issue is occurring, how long it has been a problem, and where in the country the house is located, to help get a better idea of what is likely causing this problem.

Follow-up: The residue appears to be primarily in the high traffic areas throughout the first floor (kitchen, hallway, office, family room). Areas that are under throw rugs do not have this on them. Areas that do not have throw rugs but don't have a lot of traffice like the dining room and living room, look perfect, like they did when we moved in.

We do not wear shoes in the house, but we usually have socks on.

We are in the Chicago area.

The home was new construction in June 03. The floor was site-finished with Synteko acid cure first. When we bought the house, we asked for an additional coat of finish because we have dogs. We can't be sure, but we think they then put two coats of polyurethane over the acid cure.

The residue seemed to start appearing in about Oct 07. I had thought it was from a new detergent I used that maybe left a residue on our socks, but I stopped using the detergent and the residue seemed to continue to get worse. Everything we've tried to remove it has failed. You can actually take your nail and scrape into the surface and get it shiny again, but then if you wipe the floor down after that, it goes right back to having the greasy, smeared look again.

I would agree that it appears to be on the surface. I actually had a tech from Synteko look at it and he is the one who thought the surface coat is a polyurethane. He suggested screening the floor and re-coating with polyurethane. Quite frankly, after I read about acid-cure finishes, I was mortified that it was used on our floor. My wood floor guy isn't real excited about trying to screen the floor and put poly over it, since he's not sure how that will react with the acid cure.

Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Judie S.

A: You have quite the conundrum here, but there is a solution and some explanations. I sat down for a chat with Tad A., iFLOOR's director of install, to discuss what is going on. Before we get into a solution, let's do some background to explain the most likely cause of this issue.

Now if the polyurethane coats were added shortly after the acid cure Synteko was applied, this is the most likely culprit. With any acid-based or acid cure finish, you are applying a two-part compound which is mixed, then applied. Due to how this is made, typically a hardener and sealer as your components (Synteko is this with a high enough gloss to not require further acid cure mixtures, but rather just multiple coats of this mixture over time). This initial layer only takes a few hours to dry, but it requires 90 days to cure - this is critical! During this cure period the acid-base finish off-gases. If another finish is applied over the top of this layer before it cures, even another coat of an acid cure finish, the escaping gas will get trapped, meaning that it causes a orange peel like effect with lots of small dimples across the finish. In the case of polyurethanes which are applied over the initial layer of acid-base, this off-gassing can break down the urethane. This residue you are encountering is then, broken down finish which has occurred as the formaldehyde found in the acid cure finish continues to off-gas during its curing period.

To fix this, you can try to screen the floor and apply a new coat of polyurethane, but your floor guy should be able to tell right away if a screen is not enough. When screening, if the current finish layer does not powder, but rather stays greasy and gums up the screen rather quickly, you will need to do a full sand and refinish. Screening will save you about $2 - $3 per square foot, but your floor may require a full sand down to the bare wood, then new finish applied. If this is the case (and even in the case of a screen) apply new polyurethane, water-based being your best bet. As far as finish choices, I would look into Bona Traffic as it is one of the best water-based polyurethanes in the industry. Now the good news here is that if you only need to screen, a polyurethane will adhere to an acid-cure finish (once it has finished curing), so you can stick to a environmentally safe finish.

The other cause of this residue is typically due to environment. If you happen to cook quite a bit, especially if you do a decent amount of frying (this is common in the south), then greasy residues can accumulate on the floor, but typically the cleaning regime you have tried will resolve this. Another environment issue is climate while the floor is being finished. Overly moist environments can cause problems while a finish is curing, which can result in similar issues as to what is occurring.

Basically, you will need to screen, if not fully refinish, your floor in order to rectify this problem. Once a finish gets to this point and cleaning will not remove the residue, it typically means it has affected the finish itself.

Q: Is is possible to refinish a solid bamboo floor? If so, would you use the same techniques as refinishing any hardwood floor?

Thanks,
Mike

A: Solid Bamboo floors can be refinished and you do the same process as refinishing a hardwood floor, but before you go ahead with refinishing let's go over a few important bits of information for bamboo floors.

As with most floors which can be refinished, typically all that is necessary is to screen the floor and apply new coats of finish to remove scratches or dull appearance. This can be the case just as commonly with bamboo floors, but a note of caution is important here. Many bamboo floors have aluminum oxide finishes and when aluminum oxide finishes cure it becomes very difficult to get new finishes to adhere over the top of them. The good news is, Bona has brought out a product they call Prep that reactivates the finish, giving you a window to apply new finish which will adhere more effectively, even aluminum oxide finishes.

If your problem is solely at the finish level, so scratches, lack of gloss level, scuffing or marks, then you will want to screen the floor with a 220 grit paper, then add new layers of finish. If your problem actually does to the bamboo itself, such as dents or gouges, then a full refinish is in order. You will want to go through the standard process of refinishing wood floors, keeping in mind to sand in the direction of the grain.

Q: I recently purchased and installed your Westhollow: Labrador Cork floating flooring and need some technical advice regarding sealing. I know that sealing is not required, but from shopping several other kinds of cork flooring I also know that several manufacturers recommend sealing the floor once installed to protect the seams. Would you advise that I apply a seal coat for added protection? And if so, what - lacquer, polyurethane?

If sealing is not advised initially, can I reseal the floor later when/if it starts to show signs of wear? And with what?

Thanks,
Chris Rauth

A: Westhollow's floating cork does not require sealing, which is part of why it is great for residential and commercial use. This being said, you will not need to seal it as the floor should naturally fit rather snugly together. In the future, should you see a certain amount of wear that you deem is more than desired, rather than reseal the floor, you will want to screen it an apply a couple of new coats of finish. In this case, Westhollow's current finish is a lacquer on the Labrador, although more recent floors are featuring a UV cured acrylic. In this case you will want to buff away the top layer of finish using a 220 grit screen (sand paper) then apply new layers of finish. Typically you want to use the same finish as the one featured on the floor, but I would lean towards a water-based urethane, such as Bona Traffic, or acrylic.

Keep in mind that it should be years before its necessary to screen the floor, as cork is fairly giving when it comes to high traffic levels as long as proper care and maintenance is done on a regular basis.