One of Waterlox®’s product performance characteristics certainly does not include “scratching or scuffing easily”. Often times when customers call us to report this perceived “lack” of performance; we try to learn what the spread rate of the material was when the finish was applied and what methods of application were used.
A properly finished surface with Waterlox® finishes should be applied at our recommended spread rates. The total number of coats will vary depending on the type of wood being finished (review our Wood Hardness FAQ (Janka Chart), but will generally be between 3 and 4 total coats of finish for a floor for example. We recommend watching our product application video on our website to view how we recommend applying the finish, as well as reviewing the project guide for your project type, all available on our website.
Waterlox® Tung oil-based finishes are penetrating oil finishes. Therefore, when they are applied at the recommended spread rate and number of coats they penetrate into the pores of the wood and build up to a film (TRUETONE® penetrates the wood pores; but doesn’t form a film – it protects from within). It would be normal for a working surfaces to scuff easily for example, after coat 2 or 3 of a 3 or 4 coat system because there is not enough film build yet.
At this point, calculate the amount of material that should have been used to finish with our Purchase Assistant. Depending on the amount suggested to be used vs. the amount used, one or more additional coats will need to be applied, following the proper cross-ventilation techniques and spread rate.
Some situations where scuffing has been reported are due to aggressively sanding or “smoothing out the film” between coats of finish as they are being applied. Sanding for adhesion purposes is not required between coats of Waterlox® ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL VOC COMPLIANT, TRUETONE® and UTOS coatings, making them unique.
Even on a finely sanded wood surface, there are peaks and valleys as well as spots of hard and soft grain. When you apply the first coat of Waterlox® ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL VOC COMPLIANT, TRUETONE® and UTOS coatings, it’s like snowfall in the mountains. The snow caps the peaks and begins to fill the valleys. If you sand, you will unseal the caps and there will be less to flow to the valleys when you apply the next coat of finish. This will result in the cap being re-sealed again, and will therefore result in less available finish to flow into the valley. If you do not sand, then the next coat will flow away from the sealed caps and do more to fill the valleys. After the third or fourth coat, this self-leveling process is complete.1
When completing your calculation of coating used to complete the job, also factor in how much of the film was depleted through the sanding process. Any film that was stripped from the floor in the finishing process will need to be made up with the new coat(s).
1This is the most important reason to obtain the recommended spread rates.
