Help/Expertise needed with Wood Floor

[jstucky]

Customer has a Mirage Classic Wood Floor. Has scratches from German Shepard pretty bad. I'm not into sanding nor really have urge to.

Who has experience with chemically stripping?? With steel wool pads??? And maybe a Stripping gel???

She wants scratches gone and re finished. Doesn't necessarily want to sand or change stain color.

http://www.miragefloors.com/ENG/type-classic-hardwood.php

 

[Ray Burnfield]

You can maroon pad and recoat if the scratches are on the finish.

 

[D Rice]

Call the manufacturer and question them first. Are the scratches in the finish or have they gone deeper? This might be one to hand over to a floor re finisher. Some of these guys do a good job at a price I wouldn't touch it at. BE CAREFUL this might be one you have to live with until they shoot the dog.
If you do as Ray suggest I would use a square scrub or rent one at home Depot ( Clark Square Buff Floor Sander) and use the maroon pad as it won't leave funky swirl marks.

 

[J Scott W]

If this is just in the finish the Hydro-Force wood floor maintenance and finish will work great. If the scratches go down into the wood, it is a job for a wood expert.

If you want to see videos of wood floor scratches being removed, it is on this page - http://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=CW025GL

There is a chemical and extraction method as well as a mechanical method.

 

[jstucky]

The maroon pad is all dry method isn't it??? I have yet to try maroon pads but have heard good things about them.

 

[jstucky]

And can someone explain these Hydroforce finishes vs regular Polyeurethanes?? And how do they compare to VCT waxes??

Also is anyone doing GYM floor type finishes on wood?? I have 1 on my wood floor at my house, it was a 1 coat thing used on factory and gym floors. It was very thick. Not sure where my Pa got it.

 

[Ray Burnfield]

Some of the coating manufacturers are using acrylics as a wood floor coating. It's similar to mop and glow. Dogs will scratch it quickly.
The professional wood refinishing companies use urethane finishes and would never think of using acrylics on wood floors.
If you make a mistake applying a urethane coating you will have to sand to correct it.

 

[jstucky]

How about gym floor finishes???

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Is she keeping the dog?

 

[jstucky]

Yes!!! She is. he isnt as crazy since being a puppy but still energetic. German Sheppard

 

[J Scott W]

The maroon pad is all dry method isn't it??? I have yet to try maroon pads but have heard good things about them.

Maroon pad could be called "dry" in the same way some carpet cleaning is called dry. But low moisture would be a more appropriate description. The wood does not get soaked but there is some moisture involved from the cleaning solution.

You can see a video of a couple wood floor jobs here - http://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=CW025GL

 

[J Scott W]

And can someone explain these Hydroforce finishes vs regular Polyeurethanes?? And how do they compare to VCT waxes??

Also is anyone doing GYM floor type finishes on wood?? I have 1 on my wood floor at my house, it was a 1 coat thing used on factory and gym floors. It was very thick. Not sure where my Pa got it.

The Hydro-Force finishes contain both urethane and acrylic. The urethane is a harder and more durable finish. The acrylic is easier to apply and more forgiving. The HF finishes are rather low solids. A high solids finish is thicker (think warm honey), will last longer but is also more difficult to apply without leaving marks from the finish applicator.

In short, the Hydro-Force Wood Preservation finishes are great for carpet cleaners / tile cleaners and such who do some wood floors. Someone who is going to focus solely on wood floors would want to learn to use some of the thicker urethane products.

 

[jstucky]

Who are some of the Wood floor experts on the boards here???? I'd be willing to offer some $$$ for expert advice by phone or email!!! There is no IICRC classes for wood refinishing is there???

 

[Joe Appleby]

Scratches?
Sand it or she'll never be happy.
Trust me on this.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Who are some of the Wood floor experts on the boards here???? I'd be willing to offer some $$$ for expert advice by phone or email!!! There is no IICRC classes for wood refinishing is there???

I'm NOT an "expert" but know enough about wood and refinishing to tell you It's not something you learn "over the phone" .
and Mrs Phiff's home ain't no place to "practice"

I'd suggest you partner with a pro refinisher in your area ...or you might be in real trubble on those floors if you start sanding/screening and applying finishes ..
in particular on that floor..cause it doesn't look too bad from the pics...be different if it was an old beat to hell, worn to chit rental they were just looking for "improvement" on the cheap


..L.T.A.

 

[Donwand]

If a wax or finish was ever applied to hardwood floors are their products that can safely remove them prior to cleaning?

 

[J Scott W]

Who are some of the Wood floor experts on the boards here???? I'd be willing to offer some $$$ for expert advice by phone or email!!! There is no IICRC classes for wood refinishing is there???

IICRC does not have a wood refinishing class. There is an IICRC wood floor inspection class but not offered very often and only at one location that I know about.

Interlink Supply and Bridgepoint offer a 1/2 day class (which does provide IICRC continuing education credit) for cleaning and preservation finishes. Full refinish class including sanding and screening would more than likely come from wood store installation company for its sub contractors.

 

[J Scott W]

If a wax or finish was ever applied to hardwood floors are their products that can safely remove them prior to cleaning?

Most finishes can be stripped or abraded away depending upon floor conditions. Paste waxes are more difficult and often can not be removed short of sanding the floor. The paste wax gets down deeper into the pores of the wood while most finishes are on the surface.

 

[Joe Appleby]

I agree with Larry. You can do very well by partnering up with a floor re-finisher. As far as we're concerned, re-coating has it's place but does NOT get scratches out. More than half the wood floor jobs we do are sub'd out to a floor re-finisher because the client wants the scratches out. In Cali you need a contractor's license for that. Work out a referral fee.