Hardwood refinishing

[lep]

We had a highly recommended contractor refinish our downstairs (~1500 sq ft) hardwood floor. (we live in Houston).

When the job was done, we noticed some 1/16" bubbles in quite a lot of areas. We called the contractor and said the bubbling could have been the result of a "bad batch" of poly-urethane, the temp, the humidity, etc. So the contractor prepped the surface (by "scruffing") and applied another coat of polyurethane. Presently, the additional coat is essentially bubble-free and quite nice.

In the middle of the entrance way 5 feet from the front door, however, is a typical "start-stop" line that's characteristic of applying another coat maybe 30 minutes after the underlying coat was applied. (the blemish measures about 5 feet by 2-3 inches). Fundamentally there would be nothing wrong in terms of the integrity; however, the problem is that it is an unattractive blemish. Although I am not a floor refinishing expert, something tells me that there would be rule-of-thumb standards of quality such that if you had to re-start later, or open and stir a new can, or do something, then don't restart in the middle of an entrance way.

Would it be worth asking for another coat to get rid of this, or is it possible that something else will come up? (i.e., if it's not one thing it's another).

Is it possible to get a high quality refinish with absolutely no bubbles and no stop-start again blemishes that are characteristric of time-breaks in applications?

Just seeking an opinion from others.

thanks. lep

[HayZee518]

anytime you apply a second coat to a surface, you are going to have an overlap line because the base material didn't soften up enough to accept the new coat. this is true with most water based paints. solvent based paints exhibit this property but with much less risk. the solvent softens the previous coat so the two finishes blend together. in the case of polyuirethane which is "heavy" to begin with, it might be possible to "polish" the meeting surfaces with a buffer and different grits of a lapping compound, much like you'd use to buff out an automotive finish. a wet sandpaper of 600 grit or more will do the job too but it's labor intensive.

[Allison1888]

I agree the floor company should be able to do something to minimize the problem area. Otherwise your options are covering it with a rug, depending on how that looks, or living with it until you can't stand it anymore and then redoing the whole floor. Just realize that you can only sand hardwood 3 times. Here's a link to a wood floor association that might have some resources for you. Good luck!


National Wood Flooring Association - Wood Flooring Professionals Source of Information