just got done with a bona class and they showed how to buff on stain with a piece of carpet .it worked great and used about a quarter of the stain.

Tanner,

We sometimes buff on the stain if we are in a large open area. We bought some of the Buffer Brush pads as shown in the video at the link below and they work pretty good but the white cleaning pads sold in the janitorial supply stores can also get the the job done. We never used carpet but many people do.

The method used in the video below is similar to how we buff on the stain. Make sure your computer speakers are on if you view the video.

Is the method used in this video similar to what Bona teaches?

http://s128.photobucket.com/albums/p173 ... edom01.flv

Ive been buffing stain on for sheesh, ever.

We use a brush and do the edges, we put it on kind of like poly, feathering it out along the way, then one guy grabs the buffer with a carpet pad pours some stain on it, buff the section (we usually do it in about 100 ft sections, unless its a bunch of ins and outs, closets bathrooms ect)
Then one guy wipes the edges with rags, and the other switches the carpet pad to a nice clean/er one, and buffs off all the stain. we repeat for the rest of the house. we do aprox 100 ft every 5-10 minutes. (2 guys)

when i saw how even it went on i was amazed,he used very small amount of stain too.always put stain on with an applicator hands and knees ,and seems like you have alot of waste even though stains cheap.

I buff it on because of the time factor, I worked for a company where they put the stain on with a lambs wool applicator, rubbing it in, then one guy followed wiping. They did it in 4 or 5 board row incriments. It took me and their head guy almosta full day to stain. The next job they sent me and one of thier helpers with me in charge, we stained more floor in a quarter of the time.
The owner didnt believe us when we returned to his house and said it was stained.
They have been buffing ever since

yea iv always used a padco applicator and tried to put it on as thin as possible. i always try to push people towards a natural finish just because i hate to stain so much ,but if this works out good i might be doing alot more.by the way how is business back there

I was always forced by my old boss to apply stain by hand on our knees .He was truly a guy who couldn't be taught new tricks.

I figured out how to apply with a lambswool but also tried using a buffer and the buffer simply works incredibly well.

You don't have to buy special pads, just go to any carpet store and buy plush style remnants. Cut the remnant into the appropriate size circle and there you go.

As mentioned, the buffer method gives you the look of hand applied stain but is far more efficient and uses maybe 35 to 40 percent less stain .The reason in my opinion is that the stain is trapped under the buffer and carpet pad.This prevents it from gassing off quickly and spreads it out nicely.

I typically don't need a 2nd carpet pad to buff off or blend anything.One pad applies and blends with ease. However, if I am doing more than 1000sq feet , I will switch to a 2nd pad to avoid over loading the 1st pad with solids. If this happens, you will start making the floor darker and darker.