Q: How do I take care of my finished hardwood floors?
A: Click here to read our hardwood floor care sheet.
Q: Why is there a colour variation between the wood when I stain?
A: Wood is a natural product, with distinctive differences in colour and grain configuration. Humidity could also play a key role in altering any colour into a darker shade. It is these differences that create the warmth and beauty of each piece of wood.
Q: Why does the grain of the wood go dark when I stain?
A: The wood grain acts like a pocket. Stain gathers into this void filling the area giving it the darker appearance.
Q: Why does the wood look blotchy or spotty after I stain?
A: Many soft wood as well as some hardwoods accept stain differently as well as unevenly. Maple, Pine, Poplar, Beech, Ash are a few species that deal with this issue. A wood conditioner could be used to eliminate some of this effect.
Q: Why does the stain seep up from the grain or between the boards after I stain them?
A: There are numerous reasons as to why this occurs. The main reasons could be that there is or was an excessive amount of stain applied to the wood, the temperature of the floor was too hot or a heavily pigment stain was used and did not penetrate deep enough.
Q: Why is the urethane or clear coat finish taking so long to dry?
A: The weather. Humidity is the number culprit of this problem. The higher the humidity the longer the material will take to cure. Cold temperatures will also result in longer dry times. To increase these times lower the humidity levels as well as open windows to circulate the air flow. Having stale air also delays the dry time.
Q: Why does my floor have uneven sheen or gloss levels?
A: Most of the time it is the illusion of the lighting. The floor should be viewed under proper lighting conditions. (Not in front of large windows or high wattage lighting.) Another cause would be insufficient mixing of material prior and during application. Uneven sanding, uneven finish thickness as well as a contaminated applicator are also causes of this problem.
Q: Why is the finish peeling after I applied the final finish coat?
A: One of the main reasons of this problem is that the stain (if used) or previous coat of urethane was not dry. Other reasons are skipping the abrasion between each coat, improper tacking, surface contamination as well as finishes that are not compatible with one another. Cleaning the floor with certain cleaners that contain wax will also make the floor delaminate.
Q: Why are there bubbles in the finish?
A: Shaking and not stirring the material before application is one cause of this. The finish was applied over a hot floor setting up the material too quickly. Over working the material also induces air into the product. Soap, Wax, and or any other contaminates were not removed before coating. The floor was not properly screened or sufficiently cleaned before applying finish.
Q: Why does the finish look milky?
A: There is excessive humidity in the wood. Applying a finish over a coat that isn’t dry could also lead to a cloudy finish. Allow finish too completely dry before recoating.
Q: Why are there fish eyes in the floor?
A: Fish eyes means that there is a contamination in that area of the floor. Whether it be on one single area or the entire floor. A finish container that has not been properly stirred could also result in this problem. Perspiration drops on a hot or humid day could also create fish eyes or little rings on the floor.
Q: Why does the colour matched oil wiping stain provided by Torcan vary from my original flooring colour?
A: Prefinished hardwood flooring is a mechanically stained and finished product. On site staining will vary in colour due to the species and grade difference of wood. Read more...
