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How To Finish Wood Floors

STEP 3. Dusting

Remove all dust from the floor with a vacuum cleaner, dry cloth, brush or dry mop; include also window ledges, baseboards, and any other surfaces where dust appears.

STEP 4. — Applying the finish

After the sanding and dusting operations are completed, the floors, old or new, are ready for the application of the finish. This operation should follow as soon as possible, since moisture from the air may enter the open pores of bare wood. If freshly-sanded floors remain exposed for any considerable length of time, the wood pores may absorb an excessive amount of moisture. Later, this moisture may work its way upwards through the pores and attack the finish from beneath, resulting in objectionable "white spots," chipping, peeling, grain-raising, etc.

Choosing the Right Finish

Good Preparation Demands Right Material for Final Satisfaction

Having performed all of the required operations for proper surface preparation, the entire floor finishing cycle is actually 90% completed, as far as time and labor are concerned! What is your assurance that this expensive time and labor are well-invested? There is but one answer . . . choosing the right finish. Now, what facts are available to guide that choice?

According to a U. S. Government report on floor finishing materials, "the prime function of a finishing material for wood floors is to protect the wood, but other performance characteristics such as attractive appearance, durability, ease of maintenance, and a capacity for being retouched in worn spots without revealing a patched appearance, are qualities expected from high-grade finishing materials."