Dear Rob:
I recently had my floors refinished, and the poly came out very uneven. Some places it’s really shiny, and others, it’s very dull. Any ideas on a quick fix to even it out? I have to move furniture into these rooms this weekend.
-Lacey G. from Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Dear Lacey:
I assume that you have a polyurethane floor, so I will base my answer on that. The dull and shiny spots in your hardwood floor indicate that your installers did not apply the finish correctly.
Dull spots in polyurethane floors usually mean the finish was not applied evenly. The applicator may have had a dry spot. The finish may also have been thinned with a solvent such as mineral spirits. That is a major mistake. However, some contractors use it as a shortcut to reduce material costs.
Shiny spots can occur when the finish does not flow out properly. It may pool in certain areas. Inconsistent screening between coats can also create uneven sheen.
There is no quick fix for this problem. I recommend having the refinishers return and screen and coat the floor.
A screen and coat involves lightly sanding, or screening, the existing finish with a floor maintainer or buffer. It does not use a traditional floor sander. This light abrasion helps even out the finish. It also removes surface debris and roughens the surface. That allows a new coat of finish to properly bond to the existing finish.
There is no other way to even out the finish.
-Rob
Hey rob this is extremely helpful for me I actually have a high speed floor buffer with a soft hugs hair pad and I was wondering how long I should wait after my floors been palyed to run that over it or screen it as you put it before I put another coat? Thank you!
The finish manufacturer will be able to give the best recommendation for that.