Glossary
Water-based finish
A water-based finish is a clear floor coat that uses water to carry the finish onto the floor, instead of oil-based solvents. It goes on clear and stays clear, and it has much less smell than an oil-based finish.
What is a water-based finish?
Every floor finish is made of two things: the solids that harden into the protective coat, and a liquid that carries them so they can be spread. In a water-based finish, that liquid is mostly water. In an oil-based finish, it is a solvent with a strong smell.
That difference shows up in a few ways. A water-based finish has much less odor, so the family can stay home while the work is done. It dries faster. And it goes on clear and stays clear, so it does not turn the floor yellow or orange over the years the way an oil-based finish can.
Water-based finishes come in one-part and two-part kinds. A two-part water-based polyurethane adds a hardener, Part B, that you mix in on the job. The hardener makes it cure chemically, so it is much tougher than a one-part finish.
That is what goes on a FloorIt job. FloorIt Two-Part Finish is a two-part, water-based urethane, a proprietary mix manufactured by ProCoat. It bonds to the screened floor, so it becomes part of the old finish instead of sitting on top.
The family can walk on it in socks after 24 hours, put furniture back in about 3 days, and the floor is fully cured in about 7 days.
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The equipment you need to recoat hardwood floors: a buffer (rent for about $40 a day), screens and pads, a shop vac, a roller and pole, and a two-part finish.