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Thread: Floor finishing

  1. #1

    Floor finishing

    I am refinishing my floors and did all the sanding and staining this weekend. I was hoping to get the poly finish (streetshoe) done this weekend since my wife and I are now living in the kitchen so we could do the house at once. Needless to say, living in the kitchen is not the most spacious thing I could think of. Either way, the stain has been drying for about 12 hours. I went to check the dryness of the stain using a white rag to see if any of the stain would lift. Three of the rooms are dry (very little stain lift) but I am getting a little more lift in the living room. It isn't damp/wet/cold to the touch, but I don't know if having some of the stain lift means that it isn't dry or that we didn't wipe enough and the is unabsorbed stain on the surface (not sure if that's even possible). Would I be wise to wait until I get no stain lifting off the floor when I rub it? Should I try to remove more stain (the color is very even now) using a little elbow grease? Any advice is appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Dallas, Tx.
    Posts
    1,337
    The kitchen is the hub of the home. I'd let it dry 24 hours. Too much work to rush. You'll be okay.
    Phil in Big D
    The only difference between a taxidermist and the taxman, is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. Mark Twain

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Allen, TX
    Posts
    2,017
    hotel room = about 80-100 dollars
    messing up the stain and having to do it again in a room = about 10 more hours of work

    your time worth more than 10 bucks an hour? mine is .

  4. #4
    Those were pretty much our thoughts as well. We went in last night and did the vacuuming and saw that the stain was still coming up a bit so decided to hold off until we check the stain again tonight. I really wasn't wanting to put the finish down just to find out that it went cloudy and had to be screened and refinished.

  5. #5
    So I checked the stain with a white microfiber cloth this morning (almost 48 hours after application) and with moderate pressure I am getting some stain transfer. Is it possible that not enough stain was wiped off and the excess stain could not absorb into the wood and ended up drying on top? I can't imagine that the stain would really take more than 48 hours to completely dry. Also, all of the grain is visible, so it seems as though it may not be a problem with stain drying on top of the wood as I imagine this would obscure some of the grain. Any thoughts on how I should proceed? Should I try buffing or screening the floor to remove any excess stain? Any other thoughts/tips would be appreciated.

    Stephen

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Tomball, TX (30 miles NNW Houston)
    Posts
    2,747
    You left too much stain on the floor. It should be dry tot the touch in less than 8 hours. Apply wait 5-20 minutes then wipe the excess off. You cannot leave "color" like you do with paint.

    Best soluton is to scrub the excess off with MS and scotch brite pads.
    Scott

    Finishing is an 'Art & a Science'. Actually, it is a process. You must understand the properties and tendencies of the finish you are using. You must know the proper steps and techniques, then you must execute them properly.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Southport, NC
    Posts
    3,147
    Let's go back to the beginning with some basic questions. What did you do to prepare the floor for refinishing? When you said you sanded, did you use a floor sander or do it by hand?

    What stain are you using and if it is an oil based pigment stain (ala Minwax) did you thoroughly wipe off the excess after letting it set for 15-20 minutes? Exactly what top finish are you using?

    Finally, what is the temperature in the rooms being finished.

    When it's all said and done, for the finish to develop its fully hardness and protection 4-5 days should be allowed with no walking at all. After that, you can walk on it with stocking feet for the new couple of weeks.
    Howie.........

  8. #8
    For preparation we rented a drum sander and edger. We used 30, 60, 80 plus a 100 screen on the entire floor. We used minwax ebony stain which we were leaving on for 5-10 minutes and then wiping off. The stain was applied with the grain and then wiped against the grain. We are going to be using streetshoe water based poly for the finish coat.

    When I say that it is coming off when wiped I am having to apply moderate pressure to get a little bit of the black pigment off. I tried some mineral spirits in one of the bedrooms (just a small patch) and it seemed to strip it almost down to bare wood. It seems that some of the stain should remain, but it doesn't appear that it is.

    As a test, I put some drops of water in various spot and it seems that the minwax is sealing the wood. I guess I am just confused as to how I would know if there truly was excess stain on there since it doesn't feel gummy/wet/etc., my only concern is that it was coming off when rubbed with a rag. It seems to me that as long as the stain was wiped off when it was stil wet we shouldn't be having this problem, but I am worried that the stain is showing a little lift.

    The temperature in the house has been between 58-70.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Southport, NC
    Posts
    3,147
    If the stain feels dry, don't worry about some of it abrading off if you wipe it with a cloth. In pigment stains, there is a very small amount of resin (varnish) that functions to keep the pigment particals attached to the wood. A cloth or paper towel will be abrasive enough to rub some of the pigment particals off onto the rag. Mineral spirits will overcome the resin bond and allow a lot of the pigment to be removed.

    If the surface feels dry when you wipe your fingertips over it, you can apply your clearcoat.
    Howie.........

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Ogden, UT
    Posts
    947
    Some stains may not be compatible with certain finishes. And that is even more true of water based finishes. Before you apply the finish you should check with the finish brand for compatability. You don't want to lay down all that finish just to have it not adhere because a thin film is keeping it from getting into the wood.

    Swedish finishes (alcohol base) cut through the film and will adhere flawlessly. They are also harder, yellow less, and look absolutely fabulous. They are more spendy however. Just a thought.

    Do check with the manufacturer about stain compatability though.

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