# what method do you guys use to apply poly?



## nymasterfloors

Hi all I was just wondering what method you guys use to apply your poly I use brush in edges and lambs wool coating


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## Floor Surgeon

I have always used poly-foam applicators (padco and bona make them for sure). I feel like I have more control over how much goes down. I think it takes a little more skill though. I used lambswool one time at a school, though we used water-based. Looked like poo when we left it, but ended up fine. I think it is all about what you are comfortable with.


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## pinwheel

I'm an oil based guy & use lambs wool. If it's a really big floor, I'll poor puddles & use a T bar.


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## Jackpine Savage

pinwheel said:


> I'm an oil based guy & use lambs wool. If it's a really big floor, I'll poor puddles & use a T bar.


How do you guys control dripping from a lambs wool? The one time I tried one I had a heck of a time with drips coming off the applicator. Made kind of a mess.


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## astor

Jackpine Savage said:


> How do you guys control dripping from a lambs wool? The one time I tried one I had a heck of a time with drips coming off the applicator. Made kind of a mess.


I use 5 gl pail or clean square kitty litter buckets for oil base poly.Lambs wool will pick up quite a bit finish and I apply perpendicular way to drop the finish first and push or pull parallel to boards to distribute even and lift the applicator to feather. Kind of difficult to explain.


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## pinwheel

Jackpine Savage said:


> How do you guys control dripping from a lambs wool? The one time I tried one I had a heck of a time with drips coming off the applicator. Made kind of a mess.



For lack of more technical terms,I use the plop method.  I load the mop & one course over from the course I'm mopping, I do a plop to unload the excess. Then, move to the course I'm mopping & do another plop about 3' from the wall, before moving to the wall & starting my drag. I drag half to 2/3 of the way & then come from the other end of the room, where the plop from the previous course is waiting to reload my mop. 

Like Astor said, it's kinda hard to explain by typing. Took me years to get the technique I use very successfully now.


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## Jackpine Savage

pinwheel said:


> For lack of more technical terms,I use the plop method.  I load the mop & one course over from the course I'm mopping, I do a plop to unload the excess. Then, move to the course I'm mopping & do another plop about 3' from the wall, before moving to the wall & starting my drag. I drag half to 2/3 of the way & then come from the other end of the room, where the plop from the previous course is waiting to reload my mop.
> 
> Like Astor said, it's kinda hard to explain by typing. Took me years to get the technique I use very successfully now.


Where I get into trouble is in the endgame. What do you do when you get to the other side of the room and you have to leave enough room to walk and can no longer do a stripe at a time?


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## astor

Jackpine Savage said:


> Where I get into trouble is in the endgame. What do you do when you get to the other side of the room and you have to leave enough room to walk and can no longer do a stripe at a time?


that is when you need to walk backward to exit. I leave about 18"-24" space to walk out. Then swing the applicator little by little to cover the space. once in a while you need to squeeze out excessive finish at the edge behind you and when you come to that point be sure to take off excessive and even out.
Maybe I should make a youtube video on this.
Do not ever apply the any finish with paint roller just like this guy does!
Paint roller poly


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## Willy is

I'm not a professional floor refinisher, but I've done it quite a few times with good results.

I use a foam rectangular pad and several extension poles. Yes, the poly is in a clean tub with a hand brush nearby. (seems like they have 7' and 9" pads at menards, as well as minis)

One has to work very fast and keep a wet edge on the poly, and so.....like working concrete, if you tool too much it can get away from you. If you lay it down fast and even the product will tend to even itself out further. Have decent lighting set up; if you over apply, have drips, end stops or areas where you miss they will be visible later, and will be difficult to retool or hide within minutes. You need to be able to see these as they happen.

You have to have a plan of movement. At times I use a helper, other times I skip from point to point, such as from a main field to an opposing inside corner so that the 2 fields meet and I can exit a room. The goal is it is all one uniform coating with no "burns" from tooling a wet field trying to blend it into a dry field. The movements are FAST, long continuous sweeps, with the edge generally at a the edge of the running wood along the grain. If there is a slight surplus it tends to fill those cracks that we like to get extra fill.

One has to take into account fumes, both for the applicator (I mean the person, not the tool) and to avoid the risk of build up to flammable conditions. I often will have a small fan which will run in an open window, not too big or the poly can skin and wrinkle.

I'm a big fan of the foam pads. They are relatively cheap, disposable, lay down a very uniform layer of poly and have a sharp trimming edge. They are light enough that one can also use a number of lengths of extension pole and still have excellent control. They are cheap enough that i always start with a fresh one. I never pollute a coat by introducing a dirty and dusty pad on a fresh coat, and I am not above starting in with another new pad if i feel that i am picking up too much dust as I apply due to insufficient vacuuming or tack clothing. 

I have found that a strong plastic disposable paint pan liner works well for me; 
You *always* start with clean.
The material will not scratch the floor, (a heavy container might, or a metal paint roller pan could)
It is light enough that the pad and pole can reposition it so you can *keep moving*,
When you are done you throw it out.

You always get your flameable waste stuff out of the house pronto. One less cleaning step = a safer process.

Willy


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## nymasterfloors

hey astor you should make vid lol I seen that vid and it is what sparked this thread lol :blink: I stick to the 10" lambs wool block and with water use a water pad lol not once have I used a roller and don't think it would work very well but hey I could be wrong.


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## pinwheel

nymasterfloors said:


> hey astor you should make vid lol I seen that vid and it is what sparked this thread lol :blink: I stick to the 10" lambs wool block and with water use a water pad lol not once have I used a roller and don't think it would work very well but hey I could be wrong.



I can't even imagine trying to do a large floor 10" at a time. 14" lambswool or 18" Tbar for large floors.

As for that last strip, I more or less do it like astor, but I work it down to about a 10" last strip & walk out backwards. Works well till ya make a miss step & bust your ass in wet varnish. I've done that twice in the last 9 months, once while the customer stood there watching me finish up the room. That was embarrassing. Fortunately, no video was being shot at the time.:notworthy


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## nymasterfloors

lol I have made the misstep but thankfully have caught myself before wearing any poly lol:thumbup: I usually use the 10" on households. I was just dumbfounded watching the guy on youtube thinking to myself have they come out with a faster way to coat. I am old school to alot of techniques but in my experience if its not broke don't fix it.


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## InterCounty

16" lambswool on oil.
I like foam on latex but my guys swear by the sheep on water.
As long as I dont get a call back I could care less what they use.

I use a 20" wide by 10" deep window washer bucket.
Stick it in a 22 gal black garbage bag, push down the plastic and you have an no mark bucket with a disposable liner that covers the entire thing.


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## RhodesHardwood

T-Bar


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## NEhardwoodfloor

you guys!!!!

I have had nothing but problems coating until I found........

THE ROLLER!










that one(mohair) for oil and the Bona one for water. Im telling you I swear by these!!!
You can roll any direction and over borders and butt, butt, butter smooooooth surface. Roller has exploded onto the floor scene in boston area.

All 3 coats roller. Have not been called back for a rough coat since I started using it. Really cannot say enough about them.

People think it puts it down to thin, but it doesnt. We use up product at the same rate as a lambswool. Try it.


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## InterCounty

NEhardwoodfloor said:


> you guys!!!!
> 
> I have had nothing but problems coating until I found........
> 
> THE ROLLER!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> that one(mohair) for oil and the Bona one for water. Im telling you I swear by these!!!


I've heard about these and seen a video with a guy using them ...now Im really curious.

Whats the biggest size and what type of roller frame (not the cover) do you use.

I dont see the one you've shown on their website:
http://www.woosterbrush.com/Catalog/RollerCovers/ProfessionalRollers

Which mohair do you use?

Are they one time use? How often do you replace them? How do you preserve/store the used ones?


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## Willy is

I was going to ask the same question. It looked as though on utube there was a video of one in use; looked like a normal size.

It looks great when the flooring is at 90 degrees to a wall..... but....is it also fine when the flooring is at a 45 degree?

I appreciate hearing how other people do it. I would like either a larger applicator or something which works faster since it is sometimes a race to keep up with drying times. I guess that I've settled in the past for smaller slower because I've had very good control with edging and am able to lay down a very flat smooth coat. I want faster, but not at the expense of control.

I think I've been wary of excess build, at the end of a roller stroke, off the edge of the sides. It's always good to know about better ways. I'm interested in trying them.

Willy


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## InterCounty

Im mostly interested in the oil roller.
I see amazon has an 18" mohair, an adjustable frame, and a huge 24" bucket. Gotta be annoying to clean but Im willing to give it a shot in the beginning on the first two outta three coats.


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## NEhardwoodfloor

I've tried mohair ones before with no success. It has to be the candy striped one. Only comes in the small size but it goes fast. 
I roll across and then with. Twice as fast as plow motion!

It goes on a normal roller. We leave it in finish, strain finish every once in a while. Then on last coat we clean it with a roller cleaner and use crash finish.

It's called candy stripe on amazon.......$7


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## NEhardwoodfloor

I don't use that big one because if finish gets inside of roller it will leave thick lines. Might be to hard to even out the edge marks. Just use the candy strip one. It's fast enough and nothing is faster then not adding extra coats due to roughness.
Periodically I will remove roller and drain inside. Of course drain inside before each coat.

No shedding! Don't be freaked by the orange peel look at first. It will level itself. (oil)

5gallon bucket and then dunk and apply. No roller screen or anything. 

Oh yeah and they last Forever!

Inter county use my method with candy strip on first 2 and I bet you you'll be using it on the third!!



We use wood line but have used absco pro finisher last and last and every other type of oil finish with unbelievable results.
Absolutely the best discovery we've made since we started our business.


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## nymasterfloors

Hi all I found a site that offer the roller for $4.25 site is http://www.rsci.com/wooster-candy-stripe-mohair-roller-8125.html I haven't ordered from them yet but looks promising:thumbup:


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## Willy is

Thanks, I think I'll give it a test drive.

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Internati...F8&s=industrial&qid=1298135659&sr=8-1-catcorr

Obviously, 4.50 for a roller and 7.50 to ship isn't the best way to do this. Are you able to buy yours locally? Is there bulk pricing? Do you reclean? The cheaper pads I use I would *never* consider washing. Use once and pitch.

willy


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## nymasterfloors

I usually order in bulk I haven't really searched for the roller I'm sure SOMEONE has to have it lol. As for shipping 15 rollers equals $12.75 in shipping cost which makes the price from $4 and change to $5.42 per roller


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## InterCounty

NEhardwoodfloor said:


> I've tried mohair ones before with no success. It has to be the candy striped one.


Wait isnt the candy stripe mohair? or mohair blend?


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## Willy is

That's doable. It's a very small fragment of the final bill. If it does a superior job it's worth 3X that.

Thank!!!

Willy


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## InterCounty

NEhardwoodfloor said:


> It goes on a normal roller. ....... and use crash finish


Doesnt the roller bend bc its only supported on one side?

and whats a 'crash' finish?


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## Willy is

InterCounty said:


> Doesnt the roller bend bc its only supported on one side?
> 
> and whats a 'crash' finish?


http://hotreadsports.com/amazing-crash-finishes-off-the-indy-500/

Willy


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## nymasterfloors

hi inter here is the info on the candy stripe roller. Wooster’s Candy Stripe roller is made with shed-resistant mohair fabric, and works well with all paints, enamels, urethanes and epoxies. Its distinctive red-and-white candy design adds extra flair and sales appeal. The Green double-thick polypropylene core resists water, solvents and cracking. I never used before but sounds good if it works worth a test on first 2 coats to see what its about.


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## astor

I have used special rollers for "Moisture Cure Polyurethanes". I still have adjustable frame for to hold it at both ends. Even though it was one tough finish, it just stinks, and just not worth it. I believe, still common in Quebec.
This new one looks interesting, specially with a feedback from a hardwood finishing guy.
Thanks Chris.


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## NEhardwoodfloor

Crash finish....hahahaha
I think I meant pure? Finish

They sell them at every supply place around here. Old schoolers don't want to believe the hype and make excuses why not to like it. 
We buy them by the box.
They last a long time. We only clean them before last coat.

I'm telling you. With woodline satin the floor looks smoother than traffic!
Furniture quality as long as you have a clean job atmosphere.

The candy stripe is is shorter or denser as far as the mohair. All I know is I tried the all white one as lowes sells them and it dried orange peeled. Ever since used the stripe and always came out butter!


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## KnottyWoodwork

Hmmm we always used brushes. anywhere from 2-8 guys brushing floors. The bossman would FREAK anytime someone even mentioned using a pad, or anything besides brushes...


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## Jackpine Savage

Anybody use a squeegee? I used to use a floor finisher who used a rubber squeegee instead of a T bar. The guy's floors were unbeatable.


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## Floor Surgeon

Jackpine Savage said:


> Anybody use a squeegee? I used to use a floor finisher who used a rubber squeegee instead of a T bar. The guy's floors were unbeatable.


I have heard this before. But how many times do you have to coat it?


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## Willy is

I was looking for these today. All I saw was the type of sponge squeegee one uses on concrete. 

If one turns up I would like a source. I'd like to try it. I can envision it applying material fast and smooth.

I wonder if it would tend to leave a thicker mill coating, maybe too thick. Since a squeegee won't carry any material, does one pour the poly?

Willy


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## Jackpine Savage

Floor Surgeon said:


> I have heard this before. But how many times do you have to coat it?


He did three coats I think. I had him do my own floor as well as customer's floor. I had a white oak strip floor and he was out of there in two days. Water based. 

I didn't know enough about the trade at the time to really question him. I do know he poured a stripe and then plowed it just like with a T bar.


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## nymasterfloors

Never heard this method what kind of squeegee do you use?


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## Jackpine Savage

nymasterfloors said:


> Never heard this method what kind of squeegee do you use?


This was about 10 or 15 years ago, when I was first getting into general contracting. Since that time, I have finished a few of my own floors, and the subs we use now use strictly T bars. All I know for sure is that the guy did use a squeegee, and he was a finisher with tons of experience.

Just got wondering because no one on this thread mentioned a squeegee. Perhaps it's outdated?


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