Cure time- A finish is technically cured when 100% of the solvents have left the coating. This is quite variable between the types of finishes. A general rule follows:

• Waterborne finishes-(7-10 days)
• Oil modified polyurethane- (30 days)
• Conversion varnish-(30-60 days)

To fix this problem, we taped off the area and applied a tinted sealer to pronounce the color.

The impact is pretty amazing and should last for a long time until the next refinish when the color will need to be re-applied.

Only ten people were selected for the trip from the United States. The tour included one day of a factory tour/machine maintenance.  State of the art machinery used in production enables Lagler to maintain a consistency of product far beyond all other manufacturers in the industry. Following the factory tour all professionals on the trip were trained on even the finest details regarding proper machine maintenance and operating specifications.

It is important to consider that reproducible quality and workmanship is most likely when machines are running optimally. The other component of producing quality floors resides within efficient and reproducible methods of sanding. Lagler has spent the last ten years in conjunction with various engineers validating their methods for producing floors that are flat and free of error. The students at the July training were all taught and judged on performance afterwards by competing teams.

Beyond the technical aspects of the trip I was really impressed by the dynamics of our group of contractors on the trip. We had contractors represented from nearly every region of the United States, all with varying beliefs in method but a common bond of passion for a perfect floor. I now feel that my network of knowledge and access to the best in the business just jumped an order of magnitude because of this opportunity. I’m certain that with the knowledge from the training and the coming line of products for floor sanding from Lagler that our abilities will advance.

Thanks to Karl Lagler and Jeff Fairbanks for this opportunity. In our next related post I will discuss the real story behind dust collection and validity of endorsements for various “dustless” systems in the industry.

This post is about something a majority of homeowners and surprisingly 8 out of 10 “floor guys” don’t see as a problem with floor sanding…. Chatter from the floor sander.  Look closely at this picture and you should see what I’m talking about

A contractor’s belt sander or drum sander is the cause of this problem. Typically it is because the machine has not been regularly maintained. It is possible to remove chatter, but this requires a methodical hardplating process with either a buffer or a three disc random orbit sander like the Lagler Trio.

The above photo is a before picture from a recent project we completed in the  Alameda neighborhood around Portland. We sanded the floor flat with our belt machine and did a final hardplating using the Lagler Trio. The end result is below.

The point of this post is simply to inform you that if you see this phenomenon in your hardwood floors that it is a real sanding error and you’re not being a picky homeowner. To hide chatter, a number of companies use very low sheen finishes, particularly waterborne finishes because the more plasticized resins do a great job of obscuring the clarity of the floor.

Be informed, be bold in demanding great service, and be a better consumer. You should love your floors, not think they’re just OK when you move back into your home.

When you hire someone to refinish your hardwood floors, particularly on a large project with a dark stain color there are a number of things you should know:

• If you provide a company with a 50% deposit to begin a project, then the cost to  hire another company to fix and refinish an improperly stained or refinished floor WILL exceed the remaining balance you owe to the company at fault.

• If your state has a contractors board, then it will take generally four to six months by the time the problem is resolved and you are awarded any monies to remedy the faulty work. Usually this is paid from the bond of the company at fault. If you hire an unlicensed contractor, then you are pretty much out of luck.

 

• Most states have a “right to fix” clause that allows the contractor at fault to fix the problem. Usually this is 10 days. If you hire someone else to fix the work without following this procedure then you will pretty much lose your case against the contractor at fault.

I’ve witnessed a number of pretty defective floors lately. One floor project was a $9000 refinish that was pretty poorly done. It would not be possible for a quality contractor to fix the work for the remaining $4500. Who wants to lose $4500? Not me and I hope you don’t either.

My advice to you is to get references and thoroughly research your contractor’s background in doing similar projects to yours. I used dark stain refinishing in this example because it can be very high risk for failure, but this post applies to any project out there.

If you have any experiences, please share your thoughts.

• The color?
• If it had a radio?
• Whether it had leather or cloth interior?
• If it had a reliable engine?

Would you hire a contractor to refinish your hardwood floors without knowing:

• The name and specifications of the finish being used
• If they are licensed and bonded
• If they have a reputation of reliability

Every week I talk with consumers who don’t know anything about the finish being used on their floors other than if it is waterbased or oil based finish.

In addition, I talk with various hardwood contractors in the field who never discuss the finish being used with their customers. The contractor just gives the customer a price and depending on the cost of the job and material costs, purchases finish that allows them to stay profitable. The customer generally gets the finish that is the cheapest.

In the last year:

• Insurance rates have increased
• Material costs have increased
• Fuel costs have increased

How is it possible that you can get the best floor for the cheapest price?

In the wake of a toughened economy, the number of desperate contractors has risen dramatically. The end result is that contractors are using very vague language to describe their process so that they appear to be offering more for less. Here are the top 3 red alerts for anyone considering a hardwood floor refinish:

“Oil finishes”- There are two common finishes that are lumped together as “oil” finishes, oil-modified polyurethane or conversion varnishes. Oil modified polyurethane (poly) typically costs 60% less than a conversion varnish or true “Swedish” finish (Made by Glitsa or Synteko). Polyurethane generally gets worn through about 2-3 times faster than a quality conversion varnish because it is considerably lower in solids (the stuff that provides durability). This price difference is how a company can refinish your floors for $1.00/sq foot less than other companies and say they’re doing an “oil” finish without distinguishing the type of finish.

“Waterbase”- Not all waterbased floor finishes are equal. As a general rule, if the finish isn’t a two component waterbased finish, then you’re pretty much getting a very inferior finish. I wrote a lot about that in a previous blog.

Two coats versus three coats- This is funny because it’s the wrong number to really consider. Film build thickness is the key to durability and three thin finish coats actually has less film build than a high build two coat system. Rollers and brushes apply finish much heavier than trim pads and T-bars.

PLEASE don’t get sold on the wrong buzz word phrases and not ask the appropriate questions. Unless you like moving your furniture every three years, I encourage you to become a more meticulous consumer.

I would love to hear from anyone about their stories or observations from the field.