Hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for your home, as wood has the exceptional ability to absorb excess moisture without changing its structure, it retains fewer dust mites and dust if you suffer from allergies, and it’s an excellent sound-insulating material that is easier to clean than carpets. Nowadays, there are several durable finishes for hardwood floors, as well as environmentally friendly options, such as eco-friendly floor varnishes. Indeed, varnished hardwood floors are elegant and better protected from damage than unvarnished hardwood floors. Below you will find the materials you need, as well as instructions for varnishing your hardwood floor.
Does properly varnishing your hardwood floor extend its life?
Yes, and it’s practically very simple! With good preparation of the work surface and the help of a high-quality varnish to preserve hardwood floors and increase their strength. However, not everyone knows how to implement the varnishing steps. Using a varnish brush will be necessary for the preparation of the work. Here are the 10 steps suggested by the experts at L’Artisan du Plancher Montréal to properly varnish a hardwood floor:
1. Choose and buy the appropriate varnish, depending on the purpose of the space: if there is a constant crowd of people, a two-component varnish with polyurethane is necessary as a base. It’s important to choose the desired sheen based on the level of shine you want to give your floor. You have a choice between matte, satin, semi-gloss, and glossy finish. 2. There are several options for applying varnish to the wood floor such as manual preparation, where the varnish is applied with a roller, brush, spatula, etc., or mechanical application using a spray gun. Before varnishing the wood surface, make sure that the working conditions are comfortable so that the room is not too cold, nor too hot, and that there is no humidity. 3. It is also necessary to prepare the wood floor for the application of varnish, that is, to polish the wood and make the necessary adjustments, eliminating cracks and other irregularities. A final sanding layer eliminates all excess filler and the parquet becomes surprisingly uniform. 4. The last step is to prepare the surface by vacuuming all the dust and particles released by sanding the wood floor. 5. Apply the color chart on the floor, which serves as a priming impregnation. It is applied along the structure of the floor with a brush 10 cm wide and 1 to 5 cm thick. It is necessary to carefully monitor the work so that there are no omissions. 6. After the primer coat, the main varnish is applied in a minimum of two coats. However, remember that the more layers there are, the more durable and resistant to abrasion the parquet will be. 7. With a brush or roller, it’s up to you to see what is more practical for you. The first coat of lacquer is applied along the wood fibers, working very carefully on each slat. 8. Whether you work with a brush or roller, generally the varnish is applied in the direction of the wood. In other words, the movements of the tool used are applied across the wood lengthwise to spread the varnish, then lift slightly and start all over again. 9. Let it dry all day, and the next morning remove small roughness using sandpaper (180 to 250) with a circular motion. The wood floor should become smooth and beautiful. 10. Then, the surface is vacuumed and washed. After all these procedures, a second coat is applied. If multiple coats are planned, the wood floor can be cleaned before the final coat of varnish.
