With every repair, sooner or later the question arises of choosing a floor covering. And if you prefer natural coatings, you probably have to choose a varnish for the floor. When choosing, you need to consider what kind of load the surface will be subjected to: either they will walk on the floor in soft slippers, or a huge number of people in street shoes will walk daily. Wear resistance is a very important characteristic of a protective coating.
Types of varnishes
- Waterborne floor polish is the most durable. It can be used in rooms where varnishes with chemical solvents cannot be used, for example, in fire hazardous buildings. In order for the varnish to properly and well dry, it is necessary that the room is wet by 50%, and it must be applied with a roller to the primer layer.
- Alkyd floor polish is more durable than water-based, but inferior to polyurethane and acid counterparts. They include resins produced from a natural ingredient - linseed or wood oil. Thanks to such components, the liquid penetrates deep into the wood, so it is appropriate to use it where there are large changes in temperature and humidity. The lack of varnish is its unpleasant pungent smell due to the white spirit included in the composition. If you apply it in several layers, the surface will turn out to be uneven, and it is impossible to dry the floor at high temperature.
- If you have to protect a surface that will be subjected to heavy loads, it is recommended to choose a polyurethane varnish for a wooden floor. It is appropriate to use for the garden, stairs, doors, as it is flexible and heat-resistant. But upon contact with water, this varnish begins to bubble.
- The most durable floor polish is acid-cured. It is based on formaldehydes, and the surface does not need to be primed before application. The floor will remain in its original form even with large changes in temperature and humidity. You can cover the floor with a roller, brush or spray gun, but before work you should wear a mask or a respirator: the varnish emits too strong a smell, but after careful ventilation, the unpleasant odor disappears.
The right choice of varnish
When buying, pay attention to the purpose of the room: for example, waterproof varnishes are suitable for kitchen rooms and a bathroom, and it is appropriate to use abrasion resistant ones for the living room and stairs, it is recommended to cover the floor with non-hazardous water-based varnish in the nursery. Polyurethane and polymer varnishes are ideal for public places and work areas. If the varnish is based on several harmful solvents, its choice should be discarded.
Amount of varnish and application features
The standard consumption of varnish applied in a single layer is 1 liter per 10 square meters. m. Parquet must be covered with three layers, in addition to the primer. For good drying, it is necessary that the air temperature is not higher than 22 degrees, but not too low. A day after covering it is already possible to move around the floor, and it is advisable to bring cabinets and sofas into the room after 3-14 days. To protect the floor from scratches, on the legs of the furniture you need to wear special heels from felt. Note that light wood darkens after applying varnish, and dark woods usually lighten. And sometimes, under the influence of chemical composition, the color of the board can radically change.