Cork Tiles and varnish...

[mart77]

Hi there,

Just wondered if anyone has come across this problem and has a solution. I have laid cork tiles in our bathroom and then sanded and varnished with Ronseal floor varnish. All good so far. However now if any water gets on the floor it lifts the varnish and produces a white patch. This is very frustrating!!!!!

Any advise on why this is occuring? The varnish cost quite a bit and says its waterproof and chemical resistant.

Thanks in advance.......

 

[WoodYouLike]

It could be lime-scale in your water supply. Some areas (like here, Kent) have high amounts of lime-scale in it, solution: water softener.

 

[mart77]

Thanks for your reply. I am in the Highlands and I believe our water is soft. Don't think its limescale. To be honest just not sure why water would lift the varnish. Do you think I havn't laid it thick enough, and scratches have gone through to the tiles underneath, and then water has penetrated?

 

[yodajonesy]

Hi
Just to let you know I have had the very same problem with Ronseal's Diamond Hard floor varnish on cork tiles. I did exactly what it said on the tin apart from putting 4 coats instead of 3. I contacted Ronseal and they said that I had not allowed the varnish enough time to fully cure and that any water spilt was reacting with solvents passing out of the surface coat, plausable but its been down about 5 weeks so should have cured by now.Suggested that I rub down and recoat, but not being funny, that stuff aint cheap and I'm not going to go to the expense and have the same thing happen again.We dont live in a particularly hard water area so I'm at a abit of a loss.Let us know if you come across a solution.....
Cheers.... Steve

 

[mart77]

Hi there, got fed up and have sanded/scraped it all off. Now bought some gloss cork sealant. Name escapes me at the minute. Will get it later. Not sure whats going on with the Ronseal. Had a leftover which I had varnished ages ago, and decided to do a test. Put water on and left it over night, and hey presto it had started to lift the varnish at that point!
Let us know also if you find a solution as I would be very interested!