Hi,
I am a wood flooring contractor. Most of my business is refinishing hardwood floors. I am in the middle of a project, the existing floor is a pre-finished maple, it was sanded with a 40 grit, 80 grit, 100 grit and screened with a new 120 grit screen. I applied Fabulon gloss as the base coat followed by a coat of Fabulon Semi-Gloss then topped off with a coat of Fabulon Super Saten. I use a T-bar applicator to apply the finish. I know it was designed for water-based finishes, however, it does a beautiful job with the oil-based finishes, better than a lambs wool applicator. I now have applicator streaks running through the entire room. I initially thought it was sanding lines until further inspection and realized they were applicator lines. I thought the finish may have dried too fast and didn't have time to lay down properly. I added Penatrol to the poly to have it stay wet longer (which in theory) should lay down better. The applicator marks have appearded again on the 4th coat (which is also saten). I now have these applicator lines which when you get close enough to the floor, it almost looks like very thin lines of gloss finish coming through. These lines didn't appear until the saten coat was dried. FYI- the floor was screened, vac. and tack between each coat.
Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to avoid having these lines appear in the finish? Why would these lines only show up with a saten finish? I screened a small area today and coated it with gloss to see what may happen with those lines.
Thanks for your time and consideration on this problem of mine. If you have any questions or need additional information, you can e-mail me at acwoodfloors@yahoo.com
FYI-I've never had these lines before, this is a first for me in 20 years in the the business and 3 years using the T-bar applicator meathod.
Thanks,
Craig

I know that this may seem basic, but I know that sometimes I overlook the simple solution. Did you mix the poly REALLY well before you applied it? The dulling agent in the satin has a much greater tendency to settle than in semi. Could it be that you are getting dull where the edge of the applicator is putting down more dulling agent? That could be why you only see the marks in the satin coat (more of the dulling agent)

Hi Chris,
I did mix the poly well. The applicator marks that I see looks like brush strokes, however, they are through the entire length of the room. You can only see the gloss part when you get down down on the floor and look about 2"-3" away. The difference in sheen is not in a blochy partern or larger streaks, it's almost like someone used a tothpick and ran it through the wet poly (saten coat) and it dried that way. Also, when I added the Penetrol to the 2nd coat of saten, I mixed it extremely well. Like I said, I've never seen these applicator marks like this before. The only applicator marks I may get is if I set the applicator down on the floor too hard when I'm pulling out an area towards me (such as a hallway), the marks I have look like brush strokes through the entire length of the room.
Thanks for trying to assist me. I alway mix the poly well before I use it to avoid any problems with the finish being blochy. If you could assist me any further, I would greatly appriciate it. Thanks again.
Craig

try a new applicator, and you should stir the poly occasionally while coating the floor. we always roll our floors , takes alittle longer but worth it. justin

Yeah, I figured that you had taken care of everything that I suggested. I roll my floors too, so this isn't really an issue that I have run into. Somebody must have an idea though. Good luck.

Roll the topcoat!!

Yes ,we roll all the top coat. A little slower than t barring but so much better , in my opinion. justin