Than to paint a hardwood flooring

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The hardwood flooring is one of the most durable, reliable and aesthetic ways to finish the floor. Every owner who wants to extend the service life of the material as long as possible should pay special attention to protection against water, damage, fading and much more. Our expert will give you some tips on how to paint the hardwood floor in the house – nicely and for a long time.

Types of protective compounds for hardwood flooring

Before choosing any type of product, you should read the classification. The most popular today are the three types of coating, suitable for interior decoration.

  • Enamel (paint)
  • Lacquer
  • Oil and wax impregnations

Enamel (paint)

The paint is a multi-component decorative and protective composition, the function of the base in which can perform:

  •  Synthetic resin (alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane). This type of enamel is the most common in production. Their peculiarity is a dense, turbid film. The shade of paint can be different.
  •  Mineral oil, the role of which is often played by an oil, which makes the composition universal in its application (metal, concrete, wooden surfaces). In addition, the scope of application is not limited to internal works.
  • Solvent. This group includes paints on ester cellulose, nitrocellulose and other resins in acetone. With acetone-containing enamels, or rather their combination with other types of paintwork materials, one should be extremely careful, because the reaction of these two compositions to each other can be extremely unpredictable. For example, when painting a floor previously painted with acetone, an acrylic mixture may produce a matte rather than glossy effect. The most undesirable consequence is the appearance of spotting, subject to cracking and peeling on the hardwood floor.

How to paint hardwood flooring in Toronto? It’s simple enough, following the technology. Thanks to enamels you can get a uniquely smooth and stable surface of the floor, however, to perform their functions, it is advisable to prepare the base (clean, grind, harden).

In this case, the impact resistance of the decorative and protective layer depends on the number of paint layers, as well as density values and correctness of work. In order to obtain the thickest layer, it is optimal to use a roller. The thinnest layer can be obtained by using a sprayer.

Varnish

The varnishes are also multi-component. Their main purpose is to create transparent or matt transparent film. The peculiarity of the varnish is that it emphasizes the structure of the wood through a light toning effect.

They are composed of:

  1. Film forming agents. Such agents are resins of natural or polymeric origin, bitumen and others.
  2. Solvents of organic or synthetic nature;
  3. Performance enhancing additives (plasticizers, modifiers, hardeners, pigment particles).

Special varnish composition for hardwood can be:

  •  Oily. The composition includes organic solvents, vegetable oils, as well as natural or polymer resins. In demand today, oil and rosin means, universal in use. It is distinguished by a shade of yellowness, but the layer is absolutely transparent.
  •  Based on solvent. The main advantage is strength and durability of the layer. However, everybody knows that work with compositions on solvents is accompanied by a sharp chemical smell, which negatively affects the body.
  • On resin (acrylic, urethane, alkyd, etc.). Resin-based lacquers create a transparent or semitransparent layer with extraordinary resistance to abrasion of various types, so they can be used not only for residential premises with low load on the floor, but also for commercial and public.

How to paint hardwood flooring in Ontario with varnish? You also need to prepare the floor thoroughly and then treat it with primer. Application is carried out with a roller, brush or other convenient way. Varnish requires an intermediate sanding.

Oil and wax impregnations for hardwood flooring in Toronto

The basis are natural or synthetic components. Unlike enamels and varnishes, oil and wax is rubbed into the floor surface. The good thing is that the products do not form a vapor-permeable film on the base, but they are perfectly absorbed into wood pores, protecting the coating from water and dust.

Oil-wax impregnations also have a significant disadvantage – rapid abrasion. It is necessary to renew the layer every 2-3 years.

As it turned out, the most effective are enamels and varnishes, so further comparison will be made between them.

Hardwood flooring: paint or varnish?

Painting of a hardwood flooring should be done only with those compositions that are designed for the existing flooring. For example, the parquet floor requires a parquet varnish, and for an ordinary boardwalk you need a composition marked “for the floor”. In addition, preference should be given to narrow special paints or varnishes, because universal (for all wooden surfaces) have a fairly short service life (not more than 3 years), and enamels for the floor will last at least 5 years.

When choosing material a hardwood flooring in Ontario, you should consider the degree of gloss or glossiness. There are matte, silky-matt, glossy and semi-glossy impregnations. In living rooms, the effect of excessive gloss can quickly become boring.

However, shiny floors will help to visually increase the height of the ceiling.

What color to paint a hardwood flooring is no less an important question among owners, because the floor decoration should be in harmony with the style of the room. Both varnishes and enamels have a natural color scheme. Enamels have a somewhat limited range of shades (8-10 shades), but there is a possibility of coloring in any color from 7000 possible.

Varnishes can be both transparent and tinted. You can get acquainted with the shades from the seller by asking for a color from one or another company. It should be noted that the number of layers and type of wood is of great importance in obtaining a shade.

For example, coloring in 1 layer will help to get a light tint, and in 3 layers – the brightest and richest. Coverings of larch are whitish, so to get a deep color you will have to paint wood in more layers than a darker oak floor by nature.

The question with the choice is not closed. The sphere of application plays a decisive role. In no case should the means for internal or universal works be used for external works. In most cases, compositions for outdoor painting are more toxic, and therefore, their use indoors is not justified.

Country house or summer cottage – the premises of seasonal residence. In such cases, it is optimal to use enamels for outdoor work or universal paint, in particular, alkyd or nitrocellulose. But the lacquer is quite “capricious” because of its sensitivity to temperature changes, which may result in cracks on the base.

For heated premises (private house, apartment) it is appropriate to choose any paints marked “for internal use”. Universal, as well as oil and wax paints are also suitable.

Methods of application to hardwood flooring

In conclusion about the methods of application. It may be a brush, roller or sprayer. Water-based products are better applied with synthetic, nylon, polyamide roller. The sprayer will help to speed up the work, it will also provide a thinner layer.

So, what is the best way to paint a hardwood flooring ?  Enamels, paints, oils and waxes are suitable for internal use. The oil and wax coatings cannot guarantee 100% protection of the hardwood flooring from mechanical and shock effects, but they also provide excellent protection from moisture and give the floor antistaticity.

Varnishes and enamels are more practical and durable. The service life can reach 5-15 years without renewal.

In Conclusion

The variety of products for hardwood flooring allows you to choose the right oil for any situation, or paint is well suited for rough flooring at the cottage, wax and mastic will be an excellent choice for covering expensive parquet, and for the floor in an open gazebo will be suitable as a paint and varnish. The right choice of protection and care product will allow the hardwood flooring to retain its appearance and strength for many years.

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