Wood flooring is a wise choice both as an investment and in terms of appearance, and is suitable for any living space due to its durability and the range of finishes available. For a long time, carpeting apartments, houses and hotels was the most desirable option. Then came the fashion for tiles which, thanks to the ease with which they could be cleaned, even made their way into bedrooms. But gradually people turned to wooden floors.
Pardoseli made industrial
For houses or flats, ready-finished parquet can be used, or parquet or floorboards can be installed and then finished.
In the first case, the wood is finished in factories with special technologies and materials. The most commonly used method is varnishing and drying with UV radiation. The finishing products used are specially formulated for such technologies and can be either solvent-based or water-based. More information on these technologies can be found at here.
Mounted bollards in white
The main characteristics of the products used to finish floors are high hardness and very good scratch resistance to withstand traffic. They can be polyurethanes, acrylics, polyacrylics, carbamides, oils or waxes.
If unfinished wood floors are installed, it is advisable to check before finishing whether the wood has been thoroughly dry. Wood for flooring or flooring is usually harder and if it is not well dried, tensions can occur in the wood with very unpleasant repercussions. If the moisture content of the wood is too low the flooring can swelland if it is too large the wood shrinks, resulting in holes in the floor. In both cases the floor will need to be re-laid.
Finishing in the house of the parquet
Finishing ready-made floors is different from industrial finishing. When the flooring has been beaten in the house, varnishing should be done in such a way that it does not affect the other finishes of the house. For this reason, spraying of finishing materials should be avoided, using a brush or trowel instead.
It is good to use materials that are as non-aggressive as possible. It is advisable to use water-thinnable materials, thus eliminating the aggressive and persistent solvent smell.
The advantage of installing white flooring or floorboards is that the finish can be done in harmony with the other finishes of the house. It can be done in a modern or "antiqued", matt or glossy, transparent or opaque, depending on your wishes.
There are certain finishes that can only be done on a floor installed directly in the house. For example, a high gloss floor with a continuous, seamless film can only be achieved by finishing it at home. You can buy high-gloss parquet, but it will not be a continuous film because the gloss will be interrupted by the fitting lines. You should be aware, however, that high gloss has the disadvantage that it accentuates all the flaws (every little scratch will be very visible) and is more difficult to maintain.
Materials with specific results
In the case of an old-looking finish you can use ageing skids as in the case of furniture or oils specially formulated for parquet. The oil protects, but does not film, and the appearance will be similar to that of country homes.
You can also use skies, but scratch resistance will be much lower. If wax is used, it is best to use wood that is as hard as possible (oak, frasin, acacia) that is resistant to mechanical stress. The waxed finish looks great on wood floors with a floorboard look. Modern oils and waxes are preferred both because they bring out the natural look of the wood and as natural option for covering floors. Last but not least, the ease with which defects can be fixed often makes them the material of choice.
Lately the offer of finished parquet is very varied. Involvement designers has led to the emergence of special finishes that can meet any durability and appearance requirements.
The use of reclaimed wood for wood flooring is now trending and I think you have already seen whatused barrel wood floors are made. Why reclaimed wood? Because it's a wood that has reached equilibrium and will not have dimensional variation problems. The signs of age, combined with a simple and durable finish, will make the floor the focal point of the room.
As you have seen there is a very rich offer. To be satisfied with the result, the choice must always be integrated into a project. The floor can look nice in the shop, but have no connection with the place where it is installed. And then its beauty is lost. It's also good to take into account the other elements in the house when finishing the floor, not just the fact that a particular finish is trendy or we really like.
If you're still undecided about which parquet to choose, you can also read related article.
Your comments are welcome below. Share the article if you find it useful. Thank you.
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Mrs. Radu,
Congratulations with gratitude for all the information provided.
For a new, untreated spruce wood (B quality), what do you recommend as a finish so that over time it doesn't turn yellow, doesn't get that slightly orange color? We would like it to look as natural as possible, matte and not change color too much over time. We were thinking to apply 2 coats of waxed oil (bona or chimiver) but we don't know if it's enough and resistant over time. Do you think a water based varnish would be better? Thanks in advance for your answer.
Good evening!
Thanks for your appreciation!
Water-based varnish is the less yellowing of the two options. An even better option is solvent-based acrylic varnish. It is recommended when you want to preserve the original appearance of the wood.
But with resinous, the problem is not so much the varnish/pulp as the wood itself. Spruce, like other softwoods, starts to change color as soon as it is sawn into planks, slowly turning to that orange-yellow. The process is slowed if UV absorbing varnishes are used.
The most commonly used method to keep the color as close as possible to the original color is to apply a layer of semi-transparent white white enamel before the varnish. Apply a thin coat without covering the fiber completely. After drying, apply varnish. This will lighten the grain to the appearance of natural, uncolored wood. The varnish retains its color over time giving the impression that the wood does not change color.
If you can't find one, you can use a diluted white paint 100% (1:1). A solvent-based white paint is preferable because it lifts less fiber than a water-based one that is also diluted. After complete drying, a clear water-based or solvent-based clearcoat can be applied. No oil may be used over thinned white paint.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for your prompt and detailed reply! I took note.
To many more dedicated and passionate people like you. Good health.