Absolutely all varieties of wooden floors require an additional finish to extend the service life. There are several tools designed for this purpose. The most popular option is varnish. Sometimes this surface is also treated with wax, oil or paint. About how to varnish to coat wooden floors, we will talk further in the article. We will also examine in detail what advantages and disadvantages differ in other means and how to use them.
How to choose a varnish?
At the moment, the industry produces several varieties of varnishes suitable for finishing wooden floors:
- Polyurethane This type of varnish is usually used in rooms with high humidity. Among other things, it is characterized by abrasion resistance, the ability to withstand significant temperature changes and ease of application. Of the shortcomings, it can be noted only that before drying it emits harmful substances.
- Acrylic lacquer. Water based flooring. It is considered environmentally friendly. The cost of this variety is not too high, however, it does not differ in special resistance to abrasion. Do not use acrylic varnish in rooms with high humidity.
- Nitro-lacquers. They are characterized by high strength, dry quickly and cost little.
- Oil varnishes. They can be used for painting surfaces on the street (terraces, verandas, porches, etc.), because they have good elasticity and hardness. The disadvantages include long drying.
- Polyurethane-acrylic. They are inexpensive, but, like acrylic varnishes, can only be used in rooms with not too much traffic.
- Alkyd. This variety is notable for good moisture resistance and durability. The disadvantages include the unpleasant odor that occurs during the execution of work.
- Alcohol Environmentally friendly, but not too resistant to abrasion and afraid of moisture.
- Epoxy Wear resistant and inexpensive.
- Urethane Such varnishes are not afraid of moisture and are relatively durable. However, they have the same drawback as alkyd ones - during application and before hardening they release harmful substances into the air.
- Urethane-alkyd. The surface coated with this kind of varnish is difficult to scratch. In addition, urethane-alkyd varnishes are completely not afraid of moisture and are very resistant to abrasion.
So, what varnish and how to cover a wooden floor? Let's deal with all this in more detail.
How to choose a varnish for rooms for various purposes
Thus, for flooring in rooms with high traffic it is worth using polyurethane or urethane-alkyd varnish. What varnish to cover the wooden floors on the veranda, terrace or porch? On the street it is better to use oil. In rooms with high humidity, polyurethane, alkyd, urethane or epoxy will last longer. In children's rooms, bedrooms and those rooms where elderly or sick people live, it is better to use environmentally friendly acrylic or water-based urethane varnishes.
The choice of varnish by type of wood
What varnish is better to cover a wooden floor depending on the type of material? The question is also very important. If you make the wrong choice, instead of protecting, shining and emphasizing the natural structure of the tree, you can simply spoil the floors. For example, they can change the shade to unnatural.
First, let's see what varnish to cover hardwood floors . For them, agents are usually used that create a fairly elastic film. This can be, for example, polyurethane, urethane or urethane-alkyd varnish. You can not use these varieties only for oak floors, since, being processed by them, they become dark. Coniferous wood is treated with alkyd, urethane or urethane-alkyd varnishes. Previously, resin is washed from the boards.
What tool to apply varnish on wood
So, what varnish to cover the wooden floors, we have figured out. Now let's see how to do this work. The tool for applying varnish is chosen depending on its variety. This information is usually indicated on the packaging. It can be a spatula, roller, brush or spray gun. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations is necessary. The fact is that the thickness of the varnish layer, and therefore its durability, directly depends on the type of tool. Most often, floors are treated using a brush.
How to varnish a wooden floor
The surface of the floor must be, first of all, absolutely clean. It must be vacuumed and then wiped with a damp cloth. Then the floors should be dried. At the next stage, they are coated with a primer. This can be either a special tool purchased in the store, or the same varnish that will be processed, but diluted with an appropriate solvent in a 1: 3 ratio. After the primer dries, they begin the main work. The varnish is applied along the fibers of the tree, trying to get the most even and smooth layer.
When processing, make sure that no air bubbles appear on the film. This can completely ruin the appearance of such a beautiful surface as a wooden floor. With our own hands we varnish it gently, from time to time with a slight movement, drawing along the top of the film with the tip of the brush. This way all bubbles will be completely removed.
Usually two to four layers of varnish are applied to the floor. More can obscure the natural structure of the tree.
Useful Tips
We hope to understand how to cover the wooden floor with varnish. Finally, we give a couple of useful tips.
Sometimes floors, even after drying the varnish layer, remain a little sticky. In this case, they simply need to be thoroughly rinsed with water using some household detergent.
It is very important to keep the brush between layers. So that the varnish on it does not dry out, it must either be dipped in a solvent, or wrapped in a rag moistened with it, then wrapped in additional polyethylene.
Wax for wood
Varnish - flooring is very popular. However, other varieties of wood preservatives are sometimes used. It can be, for example, wax. Being applied in two layers, this tool allows you to enhance the natural color of wood and its luster.
In addition, wax, like varnish, serves as a protective barrier against mechanical damage to the floor, absorption of water and spoilage of various kinds by chemical means. Usually, wax is applied to the surface with a soft cloth. At the same time, it is carefully rubbed into the wood. Some varieties need to be applied with a brush. After the wax dries, until completely solidified, the surface covered with it must be polished with a clean cloth to a completely smooth state.
Oil for wood
Special antiseptic oil is also a fairly popular remedy for wood. There are several varieties of it. For example, teak oil is used to process hardwood. Like Danish, it is often used to decorate floors of terraces, verandas and porches, as it is moisture resistant and not afraid of temperature changes. The most popular option is linseed oil, which can be used to process the floor in almost any room.
This product is applied with a soft brush in the direction of the fibers. At the same time, it is important not to leave uncultivated areas and rub it in as carefully as possible. After the oil is absorbed into the wood, the excess is removed with a clean rag (it must be applied liberally). Half an hour after processing, the floor surface must be polished. This is also done with a rag.
So how to cover the wooden floor in the apartment? Lacquer? Waxing? Oil? If you need the most stable coating, you should choose a varnish. However, it should be borne in mind that such a film is not very resistant to mechanical damage. To obtain the most natural surface, use oil or wax. Such a coating, among other things, is almost impossible to scratch. However, it is abraded quickly enough.