Hi guys.
I have a customer that hired me to refinish 1200 sqft, 2 1/4 inch white oak floors 3 months ago and she called me the other day complaining that she has large cracks in all of the long seams of her floor. Very LARGE cracks according to her.
Heres where I think I messed up but I just need more opinions: her floor was origionally natural white oak finished with oil based polyurethane. When I sanded her floor I filled all the cracks with bona filler, did my last cut with 100 grit paper and buffed with a 120 grit screen. I then applied 2 coats of glitsa infinity 2 water based poly in a 2 hour period. Then buffed the floor, tacked it, and applied a 3rd coat of glitsa infinity 2 on the next day.
I have been doin this with water based for a long time but I wonder if it is because I didnt seal the floor with a stain or a sealer?
This customer is very upset. I asked her to turn up the humidity in her home as high as it will go since this is kansas and we have a pitch in humidity every month and to call me in 2 weeks to see where we are at. dont know if I should re-sand or wait until summer to see if the problem fixes itself.
Please tell me how you would address the problem. I have never had this happen.
thanks

sounds like the floor may have panelized ..and yes..this can be attributed to not sealing the floor first..the heating season we are in now is extreme and long de the temperature drops.

I wouldn't make any rectifications til spring when humidity levels start to increase.

you have 2 options the way I see it..

go in and screen the floors heavily and leave them as is til spring/early summer..then prep and coat..this sill break the skin if the finish and allow the floor to hopefully correct itself once moisture levels rise.

2) sand it and start over.

didnt read your last paragraph thoroughly..I see your in Kansas..dont know what your temp is like there..

d

I was thinking I could wait until summer to screen the floor, and coat it with an oil based sealer since the water based is cured out. Then top coat with an oil based finish the next day? I dont want her calling me every winter and I would like to avoid resanding the floor.
Thoughts?