Drying time for polyurethane is around 8 hrs depending on weather, although you generally leave it overnight before walking on, for moving furniture back in it is best to give a minumum of two days, make sure you place items down and not drag as it is still curing, if you have rugs or mats it is best to move them around every now and then as the area underneath won’t darken like the rest of the floor, polyurethane actually takes 2 weeks to reach full hardness, this is the crucial time in being carful as it will scratch and get damaged easier.

Depending on the thickness of real timber on top , we need a minimum of 3 mill to be able to sand prefinished or engineered floors.

Our machines have good vacuum systems installed however if the floor is lippy it will create a little more dust as it is harder to pick up, also sanding of stairs creates more dust as the machine isn’t on a flat suitable surface. The dust is mainly atmospheric that settles, there is not dust spraying out everywhere..

Timber naturally expands and contracts in the different seasons, if we fill the gaps between the boards it may crack and get pushed out when ithe timber expands , it will also create a sharp edge which in turn can cut your foot.

The most common finishes we use are a polyurethane finish, this comes in 4 different sheen levels – Gloss,Semi-gloss, Satin and Low sheen.
Obviously with shiny floors scratches and dust will be seen more, as more dull finishes will hide this, Semi-gloss is most common as it has some shine but not too much unless you love the shiny or real flat look..

Another option is Waterbase, the benefits of waterbase are non-yellowing and non toxic and has a shorter drying time. This is a more natural look than polyurethane, the waterbase product we use is a Bona 2pack finish which is used in undustrial and commercial areas and is very durable, it is also softer on the feet as it dries more rubbery compared to harder polyurethane.
This only comes in semi-gloss and satin, the semi gloss in waterbase is more dull than the semi-gloss in polyurethane.

Tung Oil is also available, this is a very natural look, even more so than waterbase, it also has the most ware, you will need to reapply coates once a year to maintain a nice look. This comes in only low-sheen.

With out door decking we don’t install them just re-sand and polish and polish them, one of the main problems that can occur with outdoor decking is if they use screws instead of nails. We can punch the nailed down but all screws must be at least 3mill deep otherwise our sandpaper will hit them and wreck the paper which then leaves lines all over the floor.. Also when there is a railing it must be at least 70mm off the ground for our sanding machine to get underneath. Obviously if it rains we can not do the job until dry.

Our free quote involves expert advice all timber flooring and recommendations on what finishes to use for your particular timber, also a moisture test if necessary to make sure moisture is within recommended percent and of course a written quote sent to your email .  We can meet you and do a personal quote if you need.

I cover all areas from Lennox head to North Brisbane and even further depending on job size.