It has long been no secret that the best wood flooring is natural wood. Possessing a number of advantages such as: environmental friendliness, long service life, amazing appearance, wooden floors remain the most popular in the flooring market. Today there are many varieties of wooden floors, which have their own advantages and disadvantages. In our article, we will take a closer look at the most popular types of wood flooring, and how to choose a floor covering depending on the type of room, operating conditions and other factors.

Types of wooden floors

• Solid wood - solid wood is used, of different thicknesses and different types of wood (beech, oak, larch, etc.);

• Parquet board (engineering) - consists of several layers of wood. The top layer is made of solid valuable wood, the lower layers can vary: plywood substrate, pine and other wood species. Parquet floors can be made from different types of wood, but oak parquet remains the most durable and prestigious wood flooring. Oak parquet floors are not subject to severe mechanical damage, easily withstand moisture on the surface without deformation, and allow them to retain their original appearance for a long time.

Which flooring to choose

For office premises, or in those places where there is a lot of traffic, it is best to give preference to parquet made of oak, larch, which perfectly resist mechanical damage, such as marks from heels, chair legs, armchairs, etc.

For rooms with high humidity, it is best to choose teak parquet, which is not exposed to moisture for many years. You can also use other exotic species that contain oils in the fibers of the tree.

Attention! Before purchasing flooring,

Mounting Features

One of the main stages in the installation of parquet or solid wood floors is the creation of certain conditions in the room. The room should have sufficient humidity, but not damp or dry. It is important to maintain the temperature range recommended by the manufacturer, depending on the type of flooring chosen.

Parquet or solid wood flooring can be installed directly on the screed using an elastic adhesive or on any other flat surface.

The main characteristics of wood flooring

• Moisture content of wood - depends on the quality of drying (atmospheric drying or drying in chambers) and the type of production of wood flooring;
• Production technology and age of the tree.

Features of parquet floors

Before answering the question - how to choose a floor covering, you need to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of wood flooring.

Parquet floors are multi-layered, which allows them to be more stable to various external influences (moisture, mechanical damage, temperature changes, etc.). Before choosing a parquet, you should find out the thickness of the top coating, the warranty period from the manufacturer, and check the quality of the bonding of the layers.

Types of parquet flooring

• parquet board

• Artistic parquet, can be made from special inserts of natural stone, metal, cork.

If wooden floors are made in a residential or non-residential building, then it would be wrong to leave them without a protective finish coating. Without it, the surface will quickly become dirty, worn out, moldy or spoiled by microorganisms. Wooden floors are processed using different materials. They not only protect the surface and prolong its service life, but also enhance the aesthetic performance, giving a matte or glossy sheen, a certain color or shade, emphasizing the beauty of the wood grain. To understand how to process a wooden floor, you need to take into account the purpose of the room, the characteristics of the temperature and humidity conditions in it, and the properties of the coating.

Why is wood flooring done?

The plank floor in a private house, apartment, on a balcony or in a non-residential premises is treated to protect against:

• spoilage by microorganisms;
• moisture;
• sunlight;
• mold;
• exposure to high and low temperatures.

Wood is particularly susceptible to microorganism and mold damage in wet conditions, so protection against moisture absorption is especially important. When the temperature and humidity in the room change, the wood absorbs and releases moisture, due to which the material shrinks, swells and deforms. Protective impregnation and varnishing to some extent reduce the effect of these negative factors on the material and make the product more stable.

It is necessary to cover the floor on an unheated balcony, loggia or veranda to protect it from moisture and sunlight. In addition, any coating reduces the degree of surface contamination, increases its wear resistance and strength.

Types of materials for processing and protection

The following materials are commonly used to process a wooden floor:

• an antiseptic is necessary for all wood products to protect against damage by microorganisms;
• varnishes increase wear resistance and surface strength, protect from moisture;
• oils should be chosen if you want to protect the floor from the absorption of dirt, increase its aesthetic characteristics, protect it from moisture and damage by microorganisms;
• after treatment with oils or antiseptic impregnations, wax is often applied, it gives the surface shine, eliminates minor irregularities and defects, protects against moisture and damage by microorganisms;
• if you want to cover the surface with a dense color composition, then choose paint, under a thick layer of paint the board is reliably protected from moisture, sun and other negative influences.

Antiseptic impregnations

Primary treatment with antiseptic impregnations is carried out at the stage of lumber harvesting. After that, during the operation of the finished product, such processing is periodically repeated to extend the service life.

An antiseptic for a wooden floor is needed both for preventive purposes and for visible wood damage by mold and bacteria. In this case, the following types of impregnations are used:

1. Water soluble formulations they are distinguished by the absence of smell, quick absorption and ease of application (even a wet surface can be treated). The ingredients are completely non-toxic. They are used in residential and commercial buildings for processing doors, frames, fences and other lumber. The disadvantages include the following:

• water-based antiseptics are not suitable for boards in contact with water;
• penetrate deeply.

1. Organic Based Blends have deep penetration. They contain many useful additives. But they have a pungent odor and require preliminary surface preparation before application. They are used in damp rooms, for example, cellars or baths.
2. Combinations are also on sale.

Important! All antiseptics are divided into transport, which are designed for temporary processing of wood for the period of its transportation and installation, and long-term, designed to protect the product for many decades.

Lucky

This transparent agent, after being applied to the surface and drying, forms a strong transparent film that gives the product a shine, increases the wear resistance of the floor, and protects against moisture, decay and mold.

Varnishes are produced on the basis of different resins, which are dissolved by volatile compounds. Acrylic copolymers, polyurethane, synthetic and natural resins are used as the basis.

For the treatment of wooden surfaces, the following types of varnishes are used:

1. Water-soluble one- and two-component formulations. The most durable and expensive two-component varnishes. They are odorless and dry quickly. Such varnishes increase the wear resistance of the floor.
2. Alkyd compounds emphasize the natural beauty of the tree, increase the strength of the product. They are not suitable for work at high temperatures, are difficult to apply and take a long time to dry.
3. Polyurethane-based mixtures the strongest and most durable. After their application, the wear resistance of the floor increases significantly. The disadvantage of these compounds is that they are applied only to well-dried boards. Otherwise, defects in the form of blisters and bubbles appear on the surface.

Dye

This opaque durable coating is made on the basis of acrylic, polyurethane or tetrachlorvinyl. Most often, alkyd and acrylic paints are used in houses, which have the following advantages:

• they are very easy and simple to apply;
• the floor surface is easy to care for;
• do not need the use of special cleaning products;
• each consumer can choose an affordable product;
• a large selection of colors, which facilitates the selection of coatings for the color of the interior;
• the paint layer, subject to proper care and gentle mechanical action, will last for more than one year.

Important! The disadvantage of paint is the low aesthetic appeal of the coating in comparison with varnish, oil and wax. Moreover, the paint hides the beauty of the wood, and the coating loses its natural look.

Oil impregnations

Oil impregnation for a wooden floor differs from varnish in that it does not form a dense impermeable layer on the surface. The oil is absorbed into the upper layers of wood and increases the moisture resistance of the material and its resistance to wear.

If you have wooden floors in the nursery, it’s easy to guess how to treat their surface if you study all the features of oil impregnation. The oil fills all the pores of the wood and reduces the possibility of penetration of moisture and dirt. But at the same time, the natural look of the material and the beauty of its texture are completely preserved.

Important! There are colorless oils that preserve the natural color of the material, and compounds that give the product a certain shade.

Oil impregnations allow you to get a pleasant to the touch, non-slip surface. This coating option is suitable for living rooms with low traffic, for example, for bedrooms and children's rooms. But keep in mind that oil treatment will have to be renewed periodically.

Wax

On sale there are special waxes for impregnating wood. They are applied to the surface with the help of special rollers, after which they are carefully rubbed and polished with a soft cloth. Waxing is needed to increase the moisture resistance of the floor, giving it beauty and a beautiful shade.

Important! The main disadvantage of wax is its low resistance to mechanical stress.

However, the wax coating is ideal for floors with defects in the form of small cracks, crevices and irregularities, since after its application all these problems are eliminated. It turns out a flat, smooth and shiny surface.

What determines the choice of means of protection?

Now let's figure out the best way to cover the wooden floors in the house. The use of varnishes should be abandoned in the following cases:

• If the wooden surface has previously been treated with oil formulations. They cannot be removed even with the help of scraping, since the oil penetrates deep into the structure of the tree. If you apply varnish on such a surface, it will swell and peel off.
• Varnishes are not suitable for rooms with high humidity (bathrooms, verandas, balconies).
• Lacquer compositions are not used to treat the floor on an open balcony, terrace, veranda or in the gazebo.

For hundreds of years, the highly artistic parquet floors of the Kremlin and the noble estates near Moscow, the palaces of St. Times and epochs change the tastes of people, but humanity has never created a more refined and noble floor than wood, be it a laconic deck board or an exquisite parquet ornament. And if the pride of the Hermitage - the parquet of the St. George Hall was created from 16 rare species of wood, then modern architects and designers use more than 60 species in their interiors. Choosing this unsurpassed material, you need to know exactly how to cover the wooden floor so that it is durable and retains its natural beauty for many years.

Wood in the interior creates a special comfortable microclimate in the house, it exudes a delicate aroma, its texture is pleasant to the touch, relieves stress and a person surrounded by wood seems to dissolve in his natural environment.

In the traditions of all nations, wood remains the most popular material for the floor, due to its best characteristics:

• High strength and reliability;
• Excellent thermal insulation;
• Availability - renewable natural material;
• Antistatic;
• Anti-allergenic;
• Ability to quickly replace damaged floor areas.

The main advantage of wood - natural origin gives rise to its main disadvantages:

• Low sound insulation;
• High hygroscopicity;
• Soft structure, prone to abrasion, dents and scratches during operation;
• Changing the shape and linear dimensions with changes in temperature and humidity of the environment;
• combustibility;
• subject to decay;
• It is affected by insects and rodents.

Coatings protect the wooden floor from the damaging effects of the environment, increase wear resistance, maintain the natural texture and color of wood

All wooden floors, regardless of what kind of wood they are made of, are endowed with the listed disadvantages to one degree or another and need constant additional protection. To protect the wooden floor from the damaging effects of the environment, increase durability, maintain the natural texture and color, three types of special coatings based on natural and synthetic substances are used:

Properly selected to the type of wood and the operating conditions of the floor, a protective decorative coating increases its wear resistance, can “ignite” wood species that are dull in color, but beautiful in texture. With the help of paintwork, even familiar and inexpensive wood species can be “turned” into an exotic dark chocolate “wenge” or frankly purple “amaranth”.

Lacquers for wooden floors

Modern wood floor varnish protects the wood well from mold fungi and insects, gives it shine, enhances the effect and brightness of its natural texture. According to the chemical composition, varnish is a solution of solid natural resins or synthetic polymers in solvents. Liquid resins, vegetable and essential oils, ethyl or methyl alcohols, water are used as solvents. Depending on the solvent, varnishes are:

• Turpentine;
• Oily;
• Alcoholic;
• Water.

The solid base of the varnish can be natural resins, as well as synthetic polyurethane polymers, polyurethane-acrylate copolymers, urethanized artificial resins.

Varnishes based on polyurethane and organic solvents enhance the natural color of wood, its shade becomes deeper and more saturated, and over time it darkens and acquires a yellowish tint, which is not always desirable. The coating of this type of varnish immediately after complete drying gains maximum strength and is ready for use.

Modern wood floor varnish protects the wood well from mold fungi and insects, gives it shine, enhances the effect and brightness of its natural texture.

Water-dispersion varnishes based on modified polyurethane dispersions, on the contrary, maintain the natural color and structure of wood without changing it over time. The maximum strength of the water-dispersion varnish coating is gaining for a long time and such a floor can be washed only ten days after applying the varnish.

Important: The strength of the coating based on water-soluble varnishes is not only not inferior to the strength of organic varnish coatings, but often exceeds them in hardness.

When applied to carefully cleaned and prepared wood, varnishes form a strong protective decorative film on its surface, penetrating deep into the material to a depth of no more than 2 mm and not changing its structure. If desired, the varnish coating of the floor can be completely removed from the surface by sanding and any other composition can be applied to it.

• Varnishes as a coating for a wooden floor are not used in the following cases:
• Wood is treated with drying oil or other oil-containing compounds;
• In rooms with high humidity or in contact with water;
• In open spaces: porch, verandas, terraces, gazebos.

Oil: beautiful and durable

Oil coatings as a reliable protective agent for wooden floors have long been widely used by architects and parquet craftsmen, and the luxurious parquet floors of palaces of the 18th-19th centuries that have survived to this day are the best evidence of their effectiveness.

Modern oil preparations for covering wooden floors contain natural soybean, sunflower or linseed oils, synthetic polyurethane polymers, sometimes hard waxes - a set of substances that perfectly preserve wood and significantly increase its wear resistance. Wood treated with an oil composition becomes resistant to changes in the humidity of the environment, it does not dry out and does not swell, but it can no longer be varnished.

The floor treated with an oil composition becomes wear-resistant, durable and looks natural at the same time.

Unlike varnishes, oils deeply impregnate wood, passing through the pores and creating only a very thin protective film on its surface. As a result, the floor treated with an oil composition becomes wear-resistant, durable and looks natural at the same time. If pure natural oil is used as a protective floor coating, then a layer of wax is applied to the surface to fix the effect.

Modern oil compositions for wooden floors, containing polyurethane and wax, initially have all the necessary hardening characteristics. In addition, they can create a glossy, matte or silky-matte surface.

Important: the degree of penetration of the oil composition deep into the wood depends on the concentration of the oil fraction in the solvent. The lower the concentration of oil, the deeper the layer of wood it impregnates and vice versa.

Oils should not be used on wood floors in the following cases:

• In conditions of frequent changes in temperature and humidity;
• As a finishing coating in underfloor heating systems.

Floor protection wax

Wax composition for protecting a wooden floor is a mixture of beeswax, linseed oil and a small amount of other additives in different proportions, depending on the manufacturer's recipe.

Waxed floors are moisture resistant, but not protected from abrasion and mechanical damage.

Waxed floors are characterized by a noble silky matte shimmer, a distinct wood grain and a slight golden hue. They are moisture resistant, but not at all protected from abrasive action and mechanical damage, they require constant professional expensive maintenance. Waxes are rarely used as protective coatings for wooden floors in residential areas.

Video: wood waxing

Wooden floors are perfectly combined with all interior styles, filling it with a special charm and comfort. If you choose the right coating agent and apply it without breaking the technology, then the wooden floor will delight you with its exquisite beauty for a long time.

By choosing wood as a flooring finish, homeowners are looking to add coziness and comfort to their home interiors.

Eco-friendly, natural and very warm material is very pleasant and easy to use, but rather capricious in processing.

Choosing the quality and texture of wood coating, preserving all its properties, but adding strength and resistance to external influences to the material is not an easy task. Consider how to cover a wooden floor, depending on the flooring area. What properties will different types of coatings add to wood?

Properties of coating materials

Wood flooring must be covered with a protective compound

Floorboards, parquet or plywood should not be left unfinished. There are various impregnations and coating materials that add strength to wood. The whole range of materials is designed to protect wood from:

• exposure to high humidity;
• insects, mold and rot;
• drying out under the action of UV rays;
• rapid aging.

Of course, not all these qualities are combined in the coating in different proportions, therefore, depending on the place of flooring, it is worth choosing a wood processing material.

In addition, modern interior designers use a little less than a hundred different types of wood in their work, which have distinctive performance properties and require different care.

Wood: pros and cons

The tree is environmentally friendly and has good thermal insulation properties.

What types of coatings exist and what qualities do they add to wood? Let's define the natural advantages and disadvantages of natural material.

When installing a homemade wooden floor in a room, the owner must understand what qualities the floor will have and what they will have to face.

Among the advantages of this material are excellent thermal insulation properties, sufficient strength, ease of repair and environmental friendliness.

The disadvantages include:

When choosing a material for processing wood flooring, you should give preference to the type of coating that will strengthen the weaknesses, while maintaining the natural texture and environmental friendliness.

Types of coating materials

Protective compounds not only cover the tree with a stable film, but also show the texture, give shine

Any tree is exposed to the external environment and has the above disadvantages to a greater or lesser extent.

To strengthen wood, give it additional strength, preserve the natural texture and shade, use one of the following materials based on natural and synthetic substances:

• butter;
• paint;
• wax.

A well-chosen coating material will enhance the natural properties of wood, adding strength to its performance characteristics.

With the help of proper processing from ordinary pine or birch boards, you can create the look of an expensive wooden coating in mahogany or wenge.

How to cover the wooden floor in the house, you should choose depending on the purpose of the room.

Coating material	Advantages	Can not use
varnish	protects wood from fungi and microorganisms	On a tree previously treated with drying oil or oil; In rooms with high humidity; In open street buildings: gazebos, verandas
Butter	increases the wear resistance and durability of wood	In rooms with fluctuations in humidity and temperature levels; On the floor in an underfloor heating system
Dye	increases the period of operation of the tree at times, protects against biological factors	No limits
Wax	used for finishing coating after processing with other materials	In rooms with a high possibility of mechanical damage

When choosing how to cover the finishing wooden floor, carefully study the properties of the coating.

Varnishes and paints

The chemical composition of varnishes for wood coatings includes natural resins or synthetic polymer compounds.

Thanks to this composition, varnishes create a hard protective film on the surface of the wood, protecting the material from fungus, insects and moisture.

At the same time, the varnish retains the texture and enhances the brightness of wood shades. The basis for the formation of the varnish composition determines the quality of the solvent. For different types of varnish are used:

Depending on the solvent, the time to reach maximum strength for varnishes is different. This process takes place most quickly with alcohol varnishes.

The surface, opened with such a varnish, is ready for use immediately after the coating has completely dried, which has gained maximum strength.

Water-based varnish gains strength within 10 days, it is not worth exploiting such a floor earlier, the coating will lose its gloss and evenness.

There is a misconception that water-dispersion varnishes are inferior to others in terms of coating strength. After complete drying, the layer of such varnish is not only not inferior, but often surpasses other types in strength.

Paint is easy to apply by hand

Wood paint has the same properties as varnishes, with one difference - this type of coating is opaque.

The most commonly used acrylic and alkyd coatings. The advantages of paint for wood include:

• ease of coating
• ease of maintenance of the treated surface,
• budget,
• long service life of the coating.

Among the minuses, there is only one property: the paint hides the natural beauty of the wood, and the material looks rather unaesthetically. For more information on how to paint the floor in a wooden house, see this video:

Oil and wax

The oil forms a strong film without changing the color of the coating.

Oil coating has historically been used for wooden surfaces. Modern oil varnishes are made on the basis of vegetable oils and synthetic polyurethane polymers.

Such a covering layer perfectly preserves the tree, making it resistant to external factors. The layer of such a coating can be absolutely transparent, preserving and enhancing the color and texture of wood. At the same time, oil makes it possible to add a shade to the tree, while maintaining texture.

Depending on the concentration of oil in the varnish, the degree of penetration of the varnish into the wood will be different: the less oil in the composition, the deeper the solution will penetrate. The treated surfaces become wear-resistant and durable. If natural vegetable oil was used in the processing of wood, then the surface is treated with wax to fix the effect.

Usually, a composition is prepared from beeswax, flax oil and some additives. The waxed floor has increased resistance to moisture, but is completely defenseless against physical influences. At the same time, wax enhances the textural appeal of wood, and is used to enhance the effect in woody floor compositions. Rarely used as a protective layer. For information on how to properly oil the floors, see this video:

Wooden floors are perfect for creating any style of interior. With the right coating, wood will fill the house with comfort and warmth, delighting the owners with exquisite beauty and uniqueness.

Bars of different quality are used in rooms of different target orientation: in the pantry - a low-grade board, which is enough to paint; in living rooms - a selected log that requires scrupulous care, but at the same time, pleasing to the eye with a natural pattern. The best option for preserving the material is varnishing the wooden floor.

The modern flooring market is replete with material variations. However, it is difficult to compete with the eternal classics, natural wood. Composite materials cannot boast of a natural pattern and color, the unique warmth of wood. Citizens of the post-Soviet states definitely remember how at the end of the last millennium the floors from the bars were actively changed to trendy linoleum, chasing fashion and forgetting about practicality.

Today, many people prefer wooden floors. They are aesthetic, appropriate in any interior, but whimsical in care, require a protective coating. The lacquering of such a demanding material is due to its physical properties:

• The main enemy of the board is water. Moisture penetrates deep into the bar, or evaporates from it after a while, changing the geometric proportions of individual elements, causing damage to the structure as a whole. Widespread damage - drying out, swelling. The protective layer prevents moisture fluctuations inside the component.
• Natural wood attracts gnawing fauna and microflora. Lacquering reduces the risk to a minimum.
• The lacquer adds resistance to mechanical damage to the board, in particular to abrasive loads.
• Cleaning the floor will require less effort, as the board will absorb dirt less.
• The varnish exposes the natural pattern in the best light, favorably shading and emphasizing it. The top layer will help fix the aesthetics in its original form, without abrasion.

Used types of varnishes

Beginner builders are mistaken about the variable variety of material. They may think that there is only one type of varnish on the market for the entire range of surfaces. In reality, there are at least a dozen different types of material, the total number is in the hundreds due to the abundance of manufacturers. The main systematization is by groups: the basis is water or organic solvents are present in the composition.

The first group is more environmentally friendly, emits very little specific odor, however, in comparison with organic ones, it does not add such impact resistance.

The second classification is according to the binding component. The following types of compositions can be distinguished:

• Acrylic - water-soluble, practical for construction work, as they spread well. Of the advantages also - decent elasticity and budgetary cost, of the disadvantages - a low level of strength created.

• Alkyd - have a high drying rate, but at the same time they are not plastic enough, therefore they are not particularly impact resistant. The coefficient of resistance to abrasion is high.

• Oily - the basis of the varnish are organic oils and resins. The varnish is not intended for use as a top layer, it is used as a preliminary varnishing of the treated floor.

• Polyurethane - are produced both water-soluble and with an organic solvent. They have earned a reputation as the golden mean among "varnish colleagues". The material has good plasticity, protective properties. The key deterrent when buying a water-based polyurethane varnish is the high cost, organic - a long period of evaporation of an unpleasant odor after applying the suspension.

• Epoxy - almost ideal (if you do not take into account the rather weak elasticity). There is a difficulty when working with the mixture: the two-component composition must be prepared clearly according to the instructions, the finished mixture does not retain its properties at the beginning of use after a long time after the preparation of the solution.

• Acrylic-polyurethane– mixes of wide application. The strength of the material is lower than that of analogues, however, the properties of polyurethane and the low cost of acrylic are combined in the solution.

• Urethane - a combination of decent elasticity, resistance to mechanical damage, budget cost. Varnishes are acceptable for use inside residential premises with low mechanical loads. They do not link adjacent boards forever, on the contrary, they dampen the vibrations of the floorboards.

• Urethane-alkyd- physical properties are similar to the previous type, but the impact strength is higher.

• Urea-formaldehyde- a rare type. In interior decoration, they are used occasionally due to low environmental friendliness.

• Alcohol - differ in quick solidification (alcohol disappears quickly). Excellent adhesion to any surface. The coating is durable, it gives off a specific shine. The peculiarity of the subspecies is that it can be periodically applied to the varnished floor again, after abrasion, while maintaining aesthetics. Of the minuses - low resistance to moisture.

Preferred paint material

A professional always knows exactly what kind of varnish is better to cover a wooden floor. It will take into account the frequency of movement on the coating, temperature and humidity indicators (daily and permissible critical figures), the type of wood, the aesthetic component (gloss or dullness) and other factors. It is impossible to comprehend the intricacies of the matter after familiarization with the theoretical material, knowledge is acquired with experience, in this regard, it is advisable to cite only the key points:

• When choosing a varnish for floors in the kitchen, bathroom (rooms with increased accumulation of moisture), you should pay attention to water-resistant mixtures - polyurethane, alkyd-urethane or pure urethane.
• When varnishing floors in living rooms, including children's rooms, the main factor of choice is environmental friendliness. When choosing a varnish in a store, look for the EN3 marking on the packaging. Often the best choice is a polyurethane solution with a short curing time (less toxins will evaporate in a short period of time).
• Not only polyurethane, but also epoxy mixtures are suitable for floors with high mechanical stress and abrasive effects (in corridors, on wooden steps).
• Urethane varnishes are endowed with anti-slip properties, so there is no need to think about how to varnish flights of stairs - the mixtures are ideal for the porch in front of the house, which is often a traumatic place in icy conditions.
• It is advisable to choose urethane varnishes (pure and with an admixture of alkyd) to cover the country floor with varnish, where the house is not heated in winter. The composition is resistant to moisture, increased plasticity will prevent deformation due to thermal expansion of the tree.

The nuances of correct varnishing

Before directly varnishing the floors, it will be necessary to carry out a set of preparatory work, the neglect of which destroys the very essence of the actions aimed at varnishing the wooden floor.

Initial preparation of the treated area

Before painting a wooden floor with varnish, a number of preparatory measures should be performed:

1. Loose fibers and large burrs should be removed.
2. It is necessary to level the screws and nails with the floor - they stick out and ruin the sandpaper, which will be needed next.
3. The recesses from the hats of nails - mask with wood putty of the appropriate tone. Putty can be mixed with your own hands: combine wood glue (or purchased varnish) with fine-grained sawdust. It makes no sense to be zealous over putty - it is enough to achieve the desired density. The floor is best left to dry completely.
4. If before that the wood was covered with a protective layer of wax, before covering the floor with a primer, it will need to be washed with a special solution.
5. Resin from wood also needs to be removed (conifers abound in it). A rag soaked in gasoline will help to cope with this.

After following all the instructions, the tree is ready for sanding.

In the video: varnishing the floor.

Surface priming and varnishing

After sanding, the stage of priming and varnishing the floor is provided, which includes the following:

1. When working with paints and varnishes, it is necessary to use protective equipment, prepare a respirator, a protective suit and gloves. A clean rag will come in handy for dusting.

• The optimum temperature regime is 10-25 ° C. Air fluctuations should be maintained in the room (do not close all windows), but do not organize a draft;
• Provide escape routes (for example, flights of stairs are covered through a step);
• It is recommended to test the new solution in a hidden area: see how the board reacts to the mixture.

1. How to properly varnish the floor - it is applied evenly only on the primed surface.

• You can use nitro varnish. Finishing varnish can also be used for this purpose, after diluting it by 1/3 with the main solvent;

It is impossible to prime all types of trees with one type of primer: oak darkens from polyurethane mixtures (it needs a primer with interfering qualities), beech sticks together from water-based mixtures.

• Some breeds resist the process of hardening the paint mixture. Essential oils and resins are neutralized with a cut-off primer (this is their key function);
• The direction vector is along the fibers of the board. A suitable brush is 100 mm, 10-50 mm thick.

1. After the primer has dried, it's time to carry out manipulations with the layer-by-layer application of varnish.

• Before starting work, mix the varnish, leave it for a while until the air bubbles disappear;
• The working tool is a similar priming brush or roller. With a brush, do arcuate movements, crossing each next strip with the previous one. Roller work crosswise: pour the material across the floorboards, spread it along the roller. The strips of the roll should also intersect - by 1/3-1/4 of its length;
• Do not cover the floor with excess mortar - the excess looks unaesthetic;

• After applying the base layer - there is no need to follow the tree, it is left to dry. The situation is similar with each new layer;
• All layers separately (with the exception of the finish) - grind, then the pattern will be rich and uniform (with your own hands with sandpaper 220-400). An alternative is to carefully work out the grinding technique, but such actions will require more concentration;
• Absolute drying will occur after 7 days. The surface is ready for use.

How to varnish wooden floors (2 videos)

Different types of floor varnish (28 photos)