Polyurethane on hardwood floors feels rough - help?

8 years ago

I just completed the long endeavor of refinishing original hardwood floors that were under the carpet upstairs. I applied the 2nd coat of satin poly (Minwax Super Fast Drying Polyurethane for Floors) and the floor feels mostly smooth except for some "rough" spots.

I can see dust bubbles but those areas FEEL smooth - which I can live with. Aesthetically they're not my favorite but we scrubbed and wiped and cleaned every inch of the upstairs, changed into clean clothes, wore feet covers, did everything to try and keep the environment dust-free but we don't live in a vacuum.. so I think the dust bubbles are just inevitable..

However, I am bothered by the feel of the "rough" patches. I've done endless search both on Houzz and on Google/YT but I haven't found any solid advice. I've heard the following:

Use a spray poly for the final coat
Re-sand and coat again, and repeat until surface is perfect
Use very fine grit (600+) sandpaper with mineral spirits to locally sand and wipe away

Has anybody actually had luck doing any of these to remove the rough spots? I REALLY don't want to do #2 if I don't have to... so. tired. of. sanding. I'm nervous that #3 will "dull" the poly (even though it's already dull cause it's satin but youknowwhatImean).

For further info, after sanding we cleaned and then laid the 1st coat of poly down via push broom (with lambskin applicators). Let it dry for 24 hrs and then lightly re-sanded with 220 grit, wiped down, obsessively cleaned (walls, windows, lights, everything), and then applied 2nd coat, and that's where I'm at now...

Thanks for any input!!

Featured Answer

PRO

Cancork Floor Inc.

8 years ago

Lets start with the basics: HOW MANY sanding passes did you do? What were your grit levels and in WHAT ORDER? What about sanding between coats? What about grain popping/not grain popping?

All of these things or lack thereof can lead to rough spots. Walk us through what you did and then we can help pin-point the issues.

And Minwax is not a professional grade finish...which means you may not have the results you were hoping for...but if you can live with it, then you are miles ahead of someone who expects perfection out of Minwax.

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Comments (14)

PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
8 years ago
Why not check with the Houzz Flooring Forum?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/flooring
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
8 years ago
You have dust coming in from somewhere if your forced air furnace is running that would be my guess.
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Heather L
Original Author
8 years ago
BeverlyFLADeziner I just posted in Flooring, thanks! Patricia Colwell Consulting, we turned off the heat and even taped off the vents, but still were unable to prevent dust from landing. :(
Heather L
Original Author
8 years ago
Cancork Floor Inc. this is what I did:
1. Pulled carpet, removed staples, countersink any nail heads
2. Belt sanded with 36g
3. Sanded with 60g
4. Sanded with 80g
5. Sanded with 120g (w/ each grit, we went over the floor once but overlapped boards)
6. vacuumed/hand wiped with cloth/again with tack cloth
7. Applied 1 layer of stain, let dry for 24 hrs
8. Wiped the floors, used a tack cloth
9. Applied 1st coat of poly, let dry for 24 hrs
10. Sanded the poly with 220g (lightly)
11. Wiped floors with damp cloth, cleaned everything intensely
12. Applied 2nd coat of poly
No grain popping, pre-treatments or sealers were used (regretfully). This was probably my mistake. But is there any way to fix it now!?

I've come to terms with the aesthetics of the air bubbles (which you can only spot if you're looking for it with a flashlight) but I would like a smooth floor for my feet to walk on..
PRO
Ellsworth Design Build
8 years ago
The sanding between coats, what machine did you use? Usually I screen between costs with an orbital or oscillating sander.

Alternately the mine ax oil finish is fairly thick, are these tough areas where you overlapped wet into dry?

Unfortunately the only real solution is bugging the whole surface and re costing.
Heather L
Original Author
8 years ago
Ellsworth-Hallett Home Professionals, we used a push-broom with the 220g sandpaper on the bottom to wipe it across the floors.

I was nervous a ROS or palm sander would be too aggressive. The rough patches are random spots around the floor and are not necessarily where the transition between wet/dry was. I do have 1 spot where you can see the 1st coat there was a dry patch, and there's a small rim of poly around it. :( The 2nd coat smoothed it out but you can visibly see it.

I was really hoping the high grit (600+) sandpaper trick + mineral spirits would work but it sounds like nobody's tried it...?
PRO
Bradson Flooring
8 years ago
Screen it and recoat it.
PRO
ULTIMATE HARDWOOD LTD
8 years ago
To expand on Bradson Floorings post .... Take 220 strips and stick them to a used maroon polisher pad. Buff out the floor. Vacuum. Tack. Recoat. It should turn out smooth. Post pics!!
Heather L
Original Author
8 years ago
Do I have to use a buffer or can we sweep the 220 strips across the floor with a broom stick?

Also should we be pretty liberal with the poly? The 1st and 2nd coat we just tried applying a thin layer but maybe we need to be more liberal with the 3rd?
PRO
Ellsworth Design Build
8 years ago
You need to use the correct tool for the job, which is a buffer. You can rent a large square buffer at Home Depot that uses a screen that is easy to use.

Thin coats is the way to go, thin and even
Heather L
Original Author
8 years ago
Does the screen do the same thing as the sand paper?
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
8 years ago
And remember: the more coats you add, the LONGER the cure time. The "cure times" written on the can are for the PERFECT square footage in 2-3 coats. Every coat over the "perfect amount" you add on several more days of "cure time".
PRO
ULTIMATE HARDWOOD LTD
8 years ago
Screens leave swirl marks. 220 gr comes in 3" wide rolls and the back of the ppr is sticky. I'm not sure Home Depot sells that. You may need to visit a paint or flooring wholesaler. Use a buffer. Not you can't be 'liberal' as the finish will specify a mil thickness. Perhaps it may be worth it to call a pro in to finish this off for you guys?