All homeowners who decide to choose natural wood as a decorative flooring, at some point ask themselves what varnish for wooden floors from pine, beech or oak. Sometimes this choice is difficult, especially if you do not know all the characteristics of wood and varnishes, do not take into account the degree of their interaction with each other. It is about these nuances that will be discussed in our article. At the same time, we will find out what it is necessary to pay special attention to when choosing compositions for DIY coating processing and how to preserve the unique texture and pattern of the tree.
What are varnishes?
In addition to the aesthetic effect, varnishing bases fulfill a very important mission - they protect wood from aggressive environmental influences, thereby preserving and highlighting its unique structure. The strength of the products themselves and their basic characteristics depend on the resins included in their composition.
Depending on the type of solvent used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes, they can be divided into two types:
- Organically soluble.
- Water soluble.
In the first case, we will have to deal with a pungent odor and toxic emissions during the drying of the material. The advantages of this category of goods include increased resistance to mechanical stress and shock, as well as abrasion due to heavy traffic.
During the application of such varnish with your own hands, you do not need to adhere to any special rules and requirements, most importantly, do not forget about personal protective equipment - respiratory masks. In this case, you can use the room only after the characteristic smell has completely disappeared from it.
In turn, water-soluble varnishes do not have a pungent odor, since their drying process is accompanied by the release of water vapor only a small amount of the components that make up the resins. This group is distinguished by excellent operational properties, but only if the painting was done correctly and the entire technological process was strictly observed.
Separately, I would like to say about children's rooms, because the varnish for the wooden floor in them should be primarily high-quality and safe. These characteristics are possessed by products labeled EN 71.3, which indicates strict compliance with European standards applicable to the production of children's toys.
Resin classification
The main component of varnishes is resin, depending on the type of which, the compounds are divided into the following categories:
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Polyurethane - possessing high elasticity and excellent strength indicators, which in itself is an achievement, because other types of varnishes, the more durable, the less elastic, but here things are different. Of course, you will have to pay extra for the unique characteristics of the coating. The combination of environmental friendliness and optimal operational capabilities has made such tools the most expensive;
- Polyurethane Acrylic - less durable than the previous sample, but are not so expensive, because the acrylic component is cheaper than the polyurethane, which is here diluted in acrylic. Good flowability can be noted here. Such a coating is applied where there is no high mechanical stress. All varnishes containing acrylic in their composition are exclusively water-soluble, they are less stable, but quite flexible, are not very expensive and are environmentally friendly;
- Urethane - quite flexible, resistant to shock loads, are characterized by low water absorption, which are similar to polyurethane products. They gained wide popularity due to their average abrasion resistance and affordable cost.
- Urethane Alkyd - they have all the advantages of urethane analogues, plus they are more resistant to abrasion and have sufficient strength. Whatever the impact, resistance will not be compromised.
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Alkyd - dry quickly, but do not withstand friction and impacts very well, besides they are less elastic than polyurethane;
- Epoxy - Although very resistant to mechanical stress, they also have a significant minus: they are toxic, as they relate to acid-hardening substrates. When working with this category of materials you can not do without a respirator. Toxic substances are actively released here for approximately 72 hours, and it is forbidden to use the premises all this time;
- Urea formaldehyde - also belong to the acid-hardening group. Formaldehyde carries a danger to humans and wears out for at least 96 hours, after which you can stay in the room without risk to health.
Varnish for a wooden floor made of oak, beech, pine or exotic wood, which you plan to apply yourself, can be chosen according to the degree of gloss. For glossy and high-gloss decorative protective agents, this indicator reaches from 80 to 90% (almost a mirror image). In semi-gloss samples, this value is at the level of 40-50%, and in matte and semi-gloss varnishes, the degree of gloss is minimal - only 10-15%.
Wood grade selection
One of the essential criteria when choosing a floor covering is the type of wood that will be processed. The following information will help you choose the right foundation.
Hardwoods should be treated with the means with good elasticity that polyurethane, urethane and alkyd-urethane bases have.. If the material contains tannins, then after using them, the surface of the boards is likely to darken. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, before applying the coating yourself, do not forget to treat the floor with a special primer (cutting off).
Beech belongs to unstable types of wood, so there is also no way to do without special soil, but with slightly different characteristics. To protect and decorate pine, and all conifers in general, alkyd and urethane varnishes are chosen. According to the instructions, before the main stage of work, the floor must be wiped with a cloth soaked in gasoline - this procedure will dissolve the remnants of wood resin.
In order to neutralize the essential oils of samples of exotic origin, a special composition is used, after which any type of varnish can be painted.
An exception here will be only those wood species that contain inhibitors that significantly slow down the drying process of the paintwork. And here again, a cutting primer designed to work with heavy rocks will come to the rescue.
We varnish a floor in different rooms
The purpose of the room is also taken into account when choosing a coverage. Where frequent furniture rearrangements and high traffic are planned, the stake is on the stability of the varnish, and expensive means are chosen. If the territory is not subject to high traffic, you can find a less expensive and not so stable option.
In the "wet zone" (bathroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.) it is better to apply moisture-resistant materials with one's own hands, which include urethane, polyurethane and urethane-alkyd bases. On the steps, in reception rooms, in the halls and corridors, it is recommended to give preference to acid-hardening and polyurethane composition.
Application technology
Before starting work, we need to stock up with the necessary tool, for which we will need:
- polishing machine;
- abrasive;
- putty knife;
- rollers and brushes;
- vacuum cleaner.
With the mechanical method of application, a spray gun is used, and with your own hands the coating is applied with a roller, tampon, special spatula or brush. Before varnishing, the floor is thoroughly wiped and dried.
The main stages of work are as follows:
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Grinding and scraping floors. Before the last grinding, all the cracks are closed with putty and then the floor is treated with a grinder.
- Priming wood. This step is carried out with a brush in the direction along the wood structure. Here you need to carefully monitor the uniform application of the product.
- Application of varnish (from 2 layers or more). The process is carried out along wood fibers. Each layer dries for 24 hours, then the floor is treated with emery, vacuumed, wiped with a damp rag and varnished again. The process is repeated until the desired result is achieved.
If the varnish does not want to dry, then this can happen for some reason. Firstly, you could choose a product that is not suitable for this type of wood, and then you need to raise the temperature in the room. Secondly, the reason may be in a two-component product, in which an insufficient amount of hardener has been added. Here the temperature is indispensable and the varnish will have to be polished. The varnish can dry slowly due to the fact that optimal ventilation is not ensured, which means that you need to worry about active air circulation. If all the work is done correctly, then your floor from pine, oak, beech or exotic species will last without problems for many years.