floor lacquer - 3 coats, when to denib?

[seneca]

Hi everyone,
I've just put down a coat of Bona natural primer (water based) over my newly sanded floor and have calculated that I have enough Bona Traffic HD for 3 coats (very close, but I'm hoping it takes a tiny bit less with successive coats.) I was originally planning 2 coats and denibing with a 180 grit sanding block between first and second. If I plan to do a third coat, should I denib after 1st and 2nd coat, or just after the second coat. I thought it may be safer to go with light denibing between each coat. Any thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Ideally you should denib between all coats, but it really depends on how much crud there is in each coat. If you trap dust, etc by overcoating it will always be there. Cleanliness is next to, etc.....

 

[seneca]

What do you mean by over heating? I've got the heating down low and it's only on a few hrs in the day. It's mostly cool? Do you think 2 thicker coats of Traffic are better than 3 thin? Won't the floor take a bit less each coat? I've got 5 litres, Bona say 8-10m per l, so I'm thinking mix 17m, 16m, 16m (whatever is left). They say denib after first coat, but that's for 2 coats in total. I thought I would lightly hand sweep with a 150 grit and clean between all coats. Partly to denib, but also leave a bit of roughness for the next coat. Make sense or crazy?

 

[johnny2007]

2 coat goes on without further prep.
Just make sure there's not too much dust, which shouldn't be as i don't think you live any near the Sahara.

 

[seneca]

So Johnny, 2 straight coats, denib and then the third? Or leave it at 2 and chuck the almost third coat into the bin?

 

[seneca]

Just out of interest, did you pour your finish onto the surface or roller try/scuttle bucket? The videos show both. I figure pouring is easier is easier for shaking a container to mix and no dripping excess.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

What do you mean by over heating?

Should be over coating - bloody autocorrect! Three thin coats are generally better than two thick ones; if nothing else they dry faster and more consistently. The main thing I find is to thoroughly vacuum out the room before you start, let the dust settle a few hours, and then wipe off the boards with a tack cloth or a lint free cloth dampened with white spirits. Similar to what you do if spraying furniture. If it's really clean you'll need to do next to no denibbing. Also, try denibbing using the back of fine sand paper (I.e the backing side NOT the abrasive side).

 

[johnny2007]

So Johnny, 2 straight coats, denib and then the third? Or leave it at 2 and chuck the almost third coat into the bin?

After initial prep, 2 coats, then with fine sandpaper (or even wet&dry 400) quick smooth off, hoover and quick pass with a lightly damp cloth, then final coat.
It will be like a mirror.
Just seen you're using bona, instructions are on the container, follow them.

 

[seneca]

Hi Johnny. I did use a third of the traffic and hardener for my first coat and had a bit left over. maybe I applied it a little thinly, but didn't want to leave those white patches which look like there's too much on. Should it be rolled to clear, or left a little cloudy? Left a few marks in places where the roller lifted off and the occasional line where the edge began to dry. I split the room into 3 long sections, so maybe made it harder for myself. Maybe 5 long section would be better, but thought longer strips were better than squares. Leaving it to dry, so hope they improve with drying. I may give a few hrs extra drying and feel the surface. I'll definitely get 2 more coats, still to decide if its worth sanding between each of the 3 coats, or do 2 and then sand before the final one.

 

[johnny2007]

Surely you cannot go too thin on first coat.
Also, first coat dries pretty much as you put it on, so you will see lots of imperfections.
They will almost disappear with the 2nd coat and completely disappear with the 3rd.

 

[seneca]

My first ever attempt, so first coat was thin, as worried about leaving thicker spots and puddles. Ended up stretching it a bit thin in parts. Got better with next coats and used almost all of it up. It did look better with subsequent coats, but now I realise that it’s crucial to be spot on and close to perfect with first coat, as errors will be there throughout the coats, albeit less severe because the next coats obscure it. Glad I went ocd cleaning between coats, as I imagine dirt, like imperfect technique will show through the next coats. Also important to change out of work clothes as dust and debris from can fall off into the finish too!