How to Mix Two-Part Floor Finish: Ratio, Rest Time and Pot Life

Before you open anything

• The floor is tested, stripped if needed, screened evenly, vacuumed and tacked.
• Windows are open and fans are set to pull air out of the room.
• The room is in normal conditions: about 65 to 80 degrees and 40 to 60% humidity.
• Your roller, trim pad and extension pole are ready, and you know your path to the door.
• You have your gloves and goggles on.

Mixing is the last thing you do before the coat goes down. Everything else comes first.

The mix, step by step

• Pour the crosslinker into the gallon. The ratio is 1 ounce per gallon, so one bottle goes into one gallon. Nothing to measure.
• Close the gallon and shake it for 30 to 45 seconds.
• Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Then cut in along the walls with the trim pad and roll the open floor with the 9-inch roller, with the grain, toward the door.

FloorIt Two-Part Finish comes in two parts. Part A is the finish in the gallon. Part B is the small bottle of crosslinker.

Why the ratio is fixed

Part B is what makes this a two-part finish. It locks the finish into one hard, clear coat as it cures. The crosslinker is matched to the gallon, 1 ounce per gallon.

Do not split a bottle between gallons, and do not add extra to make it harder. The label ratio is what the finish was made for. If you only need part of a gallon, plan the job so you do not have to.

Pot life: about 8 hours

Once the crosslinker is in, the clock starts. Mixed finish stays usable for about 8 hours. After that, it is done, whether you used it or not.

Eight hours is plenty for one job. It is not enough to carry a mixed gallon to tomorrow.

So mix by the job, and by the room on a big job. An average 1,000 square foot floor takes about 1.8 gallons a coat. Mix the first gallon, start the floor, and only mix the second when you know you need it.

On a two-coat day, the first coat is dry in about 2 to 4 hours. You can mix fresh for the second coat once the first is ready.

Safety: respect Part B

• Part A, the finish, is an eye irritant. Gloves and glasses. A respirator is not normally needed with good ventilation.
• Part B, the crosslinker, is the dangerous one. Its safety sheet lists serious eye damage, a skin sensitizer and 'suspected of causing genetic defects.' Wear butyl gloves and goggles when you pour it. Do not breathe the vapor.
• Mix with the windows open and fans running.
• Keep the homeowner, kids and pets away from where you mix.
• Safety data sheets are available for both parts. Read them before your first job.

The two parts carry different warnings, and you should know both.

What to tell the homeowner

Homeowners see you pour something in and ask what it is. Keep it simple and true.

'This is the second part of the finish. It's what makes it cure hard instead of just drying. I wear gloves and goggles when I mix it, same as any pro product. Once it's on the floor and cured, it's a hard, clear finish like any other wood floor.'

Do not call it non-toxic, and do not say there is no smell. Say it is water-based with a mild smell that fades as it dries.

Leftovers and clean-up

• Let it harden in an open container, outside.
• Once it is solid, throw it out as solid waste where your local rules allow.
• Clean rollers, trim pads and tools with water. That is one of the upsides of a water-based finish.

Leftover mixed finish never goes down a drain, a sink or a toilet.

Storing unmixed finish

Unopened, the finish keeps for 1 year from production. Every gallon has a 1-year shelf warranty.

Store it above freezing and below 95 degrees. Keep it inside. Never leave it in the truck overnight. A frozen gallon in January or a baked one in July is a gallon you cannot trust on a customer floor.

• Every stage of a recoat job

Common questions

What is the mix ratio for a two-part floor finish? For FloorIt Two-Part Finish, 1 ounce of crosslinker per gallon. One bottle goes into one gallon.

How long does mixed two-part finish last? About 8 hours once the crosslinker is in. Only mix what the job needs.

Why do you let two-part finish rest after mixing? The label calls for a 10 to 15 minute rest after a 30 to 45 second shake, before the finish goes on the floor. Follow it every time.

Do you need gloves to mix two-part floor finish? Yes. Wear butyl gloves and goggles when you pour in the crosslinker, and do not breathe the vapor. Part B is the hazardous part of the product.

What do you do with leftover mixed floor finish? Let it harden in an open container outside, then throw it out as solid waste where local rules allow. Never pour it down a drain.