PKing wrote:
We recently experienced water damage and now our Maple floors (wide slats) are having to be repaired. We were never happy with our existing finish so now is a great time to correct that. We want a gymnasium floor finish. I like a high gloss but need it to be very durable do to kid traffic, etc. I have heard about Glitsa Infinity II, Deluxe ICI and Traffic. I assume all are water based (our current finish was not). What would you recommend? Thank you.
You won't go wrong with Bona Traffic or Basic Coatings Street Shoe. Both are the long-time industry leaders in waterbase.
You might want to reconsider the sheen level. Gloss accents every little scratch and scuff. Can also be quite glaring in daylight areas. I have found that Street Shoe Satin/Matte mix provides a rich, beautiful, low-lustre finish that is quite livable, but thats personal preference. Have your flooring contractor apply a sample of different sheens right on the floor while he's sanding. When using a lower level sheen, I recommend the first coats be gloss with the final coat as your final sheen choice.
When you say gym finish, what do you mean. Do you want the typical look of a gym? If so, you want an ambered look. This requires an oil base neutral sealer under the finish. The type should be up to your contractor. A pure waterbase system will provide a lighter color. A matter of preference, but most of my customers prefer the lighter look.