How To Finish Polyurethane Floors How Many Coats Needed

Applying this substance will ensure a protective coat is added and the wood will last longer.

How to finish polyurethane floors how many coats needed.

That s not to say you should apply each coat thickly. Four regular coats of urethane applied one over the other is a good starting point. Prepare the polyurethane by reducing it about 10 percent with mineral spirits unless you re using water based polyurethane which doesn t need thinning. Within 24 hours of applying the seal coat brush on a coat of finish right from the can.

You should see a fine white powder after sanding if not allow it to dry longer between coats. The pristine finish of hardwood floors can make any room pop. And this is is especially important on the 1st floor of your home and heavy traffic areas e g. Thinning the polyurethane makes it flow on more smoothly and reduces brush marks.

To protect your surface apply at least two coats of polyurethane. Some parquet and solid wood floors are very old. This will affect how many coats of polyurethane are required to bring the wood back to life. In this article.

How many coats of water based polyurethane should you use. This leads to the question how many coats of polyurethane do you need. If you can apply the right amount of polyurethane you will end up with an excellent finish. Regardless of whether you have a maple oak mahogany or bamboo hardwood floor it will need recoating every 10 years or so.

To reveal flaws bubbles brush marks etc as you work shine a light at a low angle across the. Start with a thick coating. If sandpaper is inadequate to remove dried drips or other imperfections shave them off with a razor. Sand polyurethane lightly between coats with 220 or higher grit sandpaper.

After your final coat you may choose to rub out the finish with 0000 steel wool to a consistent sheen level followed by an application of paste. Apply the first coat of polyurethane. You are best off using 3 coats of water based polyurethane for the best results. For protection two coats are the minimum but floors and anything else that will see hard wear or occasional moisture should get at least three coats.

The first thing to understand is the need to begin with a thick polyurethane finish film to ensure that you don t buff right through to bare wood. Spread the varnish over the entire surface with long even strokes. After the first coat has dried for 24 hours sand again with 180 to 220 grit sandpaper to remove drips bubbles and other uneven spots in the coat. In most cases polyurethane gives a lovely glossy finish and offer protection at the same time.

Each coat also makes the finish a bit smoother. Kitchen entryway family room. You will want to apply polyurethane to your woodworking project to ensure it is properly finished and left looking shiny and new. Repeat as needed applying 1 to 2 coats when using a brush and 2 to 3 coats when using spray.