Cleaning Post-Construction hardwood before screen and recoat?

7 years ago

Hello all, I have a townhome that we are installing new oak hardwood on the upper floor. During a long renovation process, the lower floor hardwood is going to need a screen/buff and recoat. I need to clean the floors (incredibly filthy from construction dust).

I am shop-vacuuming the floors throughout, but it seems there are a lot of places people have walked through the dust with wet shoes. So several of the spots need a good scrub.

My flooring guy is going to screen and re-coat the floor on Tuesday (it's currently Saturday night). He told me not to use water-based cleaners because it might affect how the water-based polyurethane goes down. He told me to use mineral spirits instead.

Now, with how filthy the floors are, I have scrubbed with mineral spirits for a good 3 hours on my hands and knees - not really getting that far in the total square footage. I plan to spend the day tomorrow working on this, but I'm wondering - If I'm careful not to leave water sitting on the floor, could I use a water-based product so I can properly mop the floor? It would have almost 48 hours to dry before the screen/recoat, and the floor was refinished about a year ago - it just got gouged and mistreated by my first contractor.

Any advice that would save my back would be much appreciated.

OR if there are any speed tips to help with this process - I purchased 100 Terry cloth towels since you can't rinse and reuse these in a day...

I'm including a photo of the kitchen so you can see one of the rougher areas - even after vacuuming, it was not much better than in this photo. Many thanks for your advice!!

Featured Answer

SJ McCarthy

7 years ago

Mineral spirits are death to water based finishes. Both the existing finish or the NEW finish can experience problems. My first reaction was, "Why isn't the flooring contractor coming in and doing the CLEAN for you?" The real buff-n-coat professionals are SUPER UP TIGHT about how this goes. They are FULLY AWARE of the "failure rate" of their process. Which means they normally do a FULL "health history" of the floor before touching a buff-n-coat process. They want to know what cleaner was used, how often and with what application tool.

If a dirty floor (post construction dust) is their next job, they should be the one's to clean it. That way they have full control of the process - start to finish. There are floor strippers out there (Bona makes one) that can be used for deeper cleans...but they all need time to dry. Which is where the moisture meters come in to play.

I'm sorry but it sounds like you (and the refinisher) ran out of time. I would delay the buff-n-coat until you can find the right solution to the cleaning job. Getting it right the first time is WELL WORTH it if getting it wrong means you need a full sand and refinish.

Please find out what product the professional is going to use for the buff-n-coat.

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Comments (6)

PRO
G & S Floor Service
7 years ago
Your best bet is to hire a flooring contractor that will come in and do a deep clean and de-contaminate the floor. Then the floor can be mechanically buffed and recoated.

Note: Use mineral spirit for oil base finishes. Use water for water based finishes. To avoid chemical issues.

There are special products that will strip contaminants and etch the finish to prevent adhesion issues. Bona have a re-coat process, that involves wet sanding the finish. It's a 6 step process performed by a certified Bona professional. You can find one in your area at Bona.com
Will M.
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you! I have hired a pro to do the screen/recoat but I’m not sure at this point if i can lock someone in to do the work in time - so I’ll maybe just ask if I use a water-based cleaner (the floor has a water based coat currently), will it be a problem for them to screen and recoat the wood in 48 hours?
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PRO
G & S Floor Service
7 years ago
A Moisture reading needs to be taken prior to the cleaning to determine its normal state. Screening can be performed, when moisture content returns to its normal state. It can take anywhere from a few hours to days.
Will M.
Original Author
7 years ago
I believe that is why the contractor was recommending using mineral spirits, to avoid having that moisture issue. But would mineral spirits be a bad idea on the water based poly there now?

I apologize, I only have today to do the work and don’t have the tools of a tradesman handy unfortunately.

Thanks for your advice!
PRO
G & S Floor Service
7 years ago
If, the flooring contractor is applying a water base system. Using anything other than water for cleaning will cause a chemical reaction. For water base finishes, use water. Oil base use mineral spirit. These are already part of the original ingredients of the finish.

The mineral spirit will dry off the surface of the floor, but what about the cracks and gaps?

Deep cleaning solutions are water soluble. You have to dilute the product in water before using. Safe for water base finishes.

You must be careful not to use too much water. Water will cause the flooring to swell and cup. Using a wet vac to remove any excess water will help.