How To Finish Polyurethane Floors How Many Coats Needed

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How to finish polyurethane floors how many coats needed.

To protect your surface apply at least two coats of polyurethane. For the smoothest finish wipe the surface with a sticky tack cloth before adding another coat. Some parquet and solid wood floors are very old. This leads to the question how many coats of polyurethane do you need.

Prepare the polyurethane by reducing it about 10 percent with mineral spirits unless you re using water based polyurethane which doesn t need thinning. Regardless of whether you have a maple oak mahogany or bamboo hardwood floor it will need recoating every 10 years or so. 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. If sandpaper is inadequate to remove dried drips or other imperfections shave them off with a razor.

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. Start with a thick coating. In most cases polyurethane gives a lovely glossy finish and offer protection at the same time. Applying this substance will ensure a protective coat is added and the wood will last longer.

In this article. Sand polyurethane lightly between coats with 220 or higher grit sandpaper. Apply the first coat of polyurethane. How many coats of water based polyurethane should you use.

That s not to say you should apply each coat thickly. 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. The pristine finish of hardwood floors can make any room pop. Within 24 hours of applying the seal coat brush on a coat of finish right from the can.

How many coats of polyurethane are needed to achieve a beautiful finish. You are best off using 3 coats of water based polyurethane for the best results. Spread the varnish over the entire surface with long even strokes. Thinning the polyurethane makes it flow on more smoothly and reduces brush marks.

Avoid wiping the brush on the rim of the can as this may introduce air bubbles. Four regular coats of urethane applied one over the other is a good starting point. Repeat as needed applying 1 to 2 coats when using a brush and 2 to 3 coats when using spray. You should see a fine white powder after sanding if not allow it to dry longer between coats.

This will affect how many coats of polyurethane are required to bring the wood back to life. To reveal flaws bubbles brush marks etc as you work shine a light at a low angle across the. Each coat also makes the finish a bit smoother. If you can apply the right amount of polyurethane you will end up with an excellent finish.