Wood Floor Finishing

Ask any contractor what the majority of his callbacks are, and it's a safe bet they're related to finish problems. Finishing is a process that needs to be done carefully and with thoughtful planning, and it shouldn't be rushed. Unfortunately...

Contractors who are used to applying oil-modified poly may initially find waterborne floor finishes a bit more challenging to apply. The first step is to use the correct applicator. A synthetic pad...

At one time, glossy finishes were all the rage, but now super-low-sheen finishes are where it's at, and along with this trend has come increased interest in oil finishes (not to be confused with oil-modified polyurethane...

Wax finish is an old-fashioned look for wood floors—the way contractors did it in the old days before the urethanes came out. Through the '40s, '50s and '60s, wax was very popular, and today, it's coming back...

The wood flooring industry is full of amateur chemists. Some wood flooring contractors have been known to create concoctions with their stains and finishes that would make chemists in finish R&D departments cringe. Finish companies collectively...

Today, the hardwood flooring contractor has more resources at his disposal than ever before. Our industry has worked hard to educate contractors and develop standard procedures to obtain nearly flawless hardwood floors. Despite that effort...

Homeowners today demand not only a flawless sand-and-finish job, they also want a unique floor that will be part of an overall design concept. Sometimes this look can be achieved through a border or medallion. Sometimes exotic species...

Between rollers, T-bars, lambswool applicators, brushes and the occasional rag, there are so many ways to get finish on your floor that figuring out what to use can be confusing. Here is a simple way to break down the proper...