How to Refinish Floors Using Varathane
The final step in most floor refinishing projects is to top the floor with several coats of gloss. You'll generally use varnish or, more frequently today, polyurethane, a clear seal that goes on as a liquid and dries hard and glass-like. Varathane is a popular brand of polyurethane. The easiest method of application is a gloss applicator, which looks like a wide push-broom with a cloth-covered head. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prepare the floor surface, sanding the wood and staining it if desired. Let the stain set at least 48 hours before using the Varathane on the floor.
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Run tack cloths over the whole floor, course by course, to pick up any dust.
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3
Pour a long puddle of Varathane near the far corner from the entrance. Make the puddle as long as your gloss applicator, and positioned so it's lying across (perpendicular to) the direction of the floorboards.
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Lower the pad of the applicator onto the Varathane. Push it forward to the wall, then slowly draw the applicator back along the length of the floorboards. Move it very slowly to avoid bubble formation.
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Lay down additional Varathane and gloss the whole floor, working in courses. Let it set for a day.
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De-gloss the Varathane by lightly sanding it by hand with fine sandpaper. Buff it in light, fast strokes with the grain of the wood. Wipe it down with tack cloths to pick up the dust.
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Spread a second coat of Varathane down, in the same way you did the first. Let it set, buff it, and apply a third coat. Let the third coat set for two to three days.
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Tips & Warnings
Ventilate the area while applying Varathane.
