Hardwood Floor issues- Bona Fast Dri Stain or Contractor issue?

4 years ago

Hello,
Help! I recently had my hardwood floors refinished by a ’certified Bona installer’… we chose this product after reading the detailed protocols and best practices…
I now have swirl marks, see horitontal bands across my floors, and numerous other issues. The installer says it’s the color I chose, ’sometimes it does this’… which is ridiculous. After looking at some camera footage, I see the workers actually phyically working on top of the stain as the rub stain on and off, using rags and no gloves, walking through the stain with dusty shoes and walking on the bare floors with stained shoes…and sealing over the dusty shoeprints on the new stain without cleaning, and making wide passes vs. long narrow passes as they apply the stain. I see large circular movements as they wipe off the stain. Am I incorrect in not believing ’it was the color | chose’? Please help! The owner of the company is coming to look later today… likely to convince me, its not their issue..it’s my selection. Help!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

millworkman
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
All application errors, 100% on the finishers not doing the sanding and application properly.
PRO
G & S Floor Service
4 years ago
I see sanding issues. No swirls allowed for staining.

As far as walking on the stain. it is fine to do as long as you wipe up the mess as you back out.

The dark blotch looks like someone may have sweat on the floor.
Related Professionals
Lake City Carpenters · Ogden Carpenters · Gary Flooring Contractors · Beatrice Flooring Contractors · Oxford Flooring Contractors · Lake Charles Kitchen Remodelers · Spring Kitchen Remodelers · Wausau General Contractors · San Diego General Contractors · Kalamazoo Basement Remodeling · Monroe Basement Remodeling · Hartford Bathroom Remodelers · Manchester Bathroom Remodelers · Stockton Bathroom Remodelers · Salem Bathroom Remodelers
PRO
Leininger Hardwood Floors
4 years ago
Definitely sanding issue—swirls, chatter. None of the marks were caused by the stain. Agree with G & S, application method ok as long as you wipe as you go.
Timothy Winzell
4 years ago
Your first picture shows very faint evidence of chatter, which you can read about online. It generally involves vibration in the drum/belt sander, which requires inspection and repair. Removal requires starting over. Using a multi-plate sander like a Lagler Trio in the regimen generally eliminates chatter.

Your second picture shows some light swirl, which you're likely to have at least somewhere on every floor. Your picture can't be used for evaluation since it's obviously taken to close to the floor. The generally agreed upon height for evaluating a wood floor is 50". If you have some light swirl that's not apparent from 50", it's not an issue. If you can see it from a standing position, it is an issue. There's a fine line between sanding the floor so slick that it won't absorb sufficient stain, and leaving faint swirl marks in the floor.

It's not unusual to see swirls in the dry stain which don't show up in the finished product. I've seen this before and panicked, but it went away with the finish application.

Penetrating stains are used on flooring, so when you get some on the raw wood during staining, it's taken care of by the staining and wiping, as is any dust that might get on the floor.