We are about to attempt to recoat our prefinished hardwood flooring.

I'd be grateful if you would let us know if our gameplan sounds about right Or not!! I realise with a prefinished floor there's not much room for error.

I should add that the floor has been coated, periodically, with Bona's, "Refresher" product ... and understand that the IFT and abrasive pad should remove it. Is this correct? Want to use Sealcoat in case there's a bonding issue.

Clean floor with Basic's IFT
Clean floor with Basic's Squeaky Clean
Abrade with Bonakemi Maroon conditioning pad
Vacumm walls, window ledges, floors, etc.
Use dampened microfibre cloths on floor

Apply one coat of Zinnsers Universal Sealer with Padco pad
Apply two coats of Bonakemi's Pacific Strong with their 18" T bar applicator.

The other thing we're not entirely sure of .... how dull should the floor be after abrading with a maroon pad? Should there be zero shine and a fair bit of finish kicked up? We intend to use an orbital buffer rental machine.

Any tips, or, "what I know now's but didn't know thens" are really appreciated


Thanks so much!

If this were my job, I wouldn't be mixing products and I would be following the manufacturers recs to the letter.
I don't think I would use the Zinsers just because it is an ambering product.
I don't think Basic IFT recommends abrading, although it might not hurt. Doesn't Bona have a similar system? If using their finish over their recoater product, I would use their bonding system.
You don't say what your prefinished is coated with, if an early aluminum oxide, it won't abrade and at any rate, a maroon pad will do nothing but slightly dull any surface(no dust).
I would find a better finish than Pac Strong, it is outdated.
Have you called Bona technical assistance? They are the people who know their products the best and will be backing up the use of those products.

Thanks so much for the prompt response - really appreciate it Back to the drawing board


Would you mind sharing how you would go about recoating a prefinished floor? It's a Mannington 5 ply product, we had it installed 8 years ago; it's definitely not the alum. oxide finish. It's only ever been cleaned with Mannington/Bona products and their refresh products and is in pretty good shape, (a few dings and scratches, but no exposed wood.)

Do you have a preferred finish for recoats?

Thanks again!

I just had to do the same thing for a homeowner except it had not been coated with Bona Refresher. Bona's system for bonding finishes is to use Bona Prep and buffing with a maroon pad. The "Prep" is supposed to slightly soften a finish to allow the pad to abrade it. This is Bona's recommendation for prepping a factory finished floor. I used this over an aluminum oxide factory finished bamboo floor and had no problems with the finish coat, Pacific Strong, bonding. Marco is right. You don't want to mix all those systems and I'd also forget the Zinsser's Seal Coat UNLESS the floor is old and worn looking and a darker color, then the Seal Coat will add some color back to it. I would use Bona Traffic or Basic Street Shoe. If using Traffic, I'd use Bona Prep system to clean and prep the floors. After cleaning well, then apply Traffic OR Seal Coat, then Traffic the next day. If using Basic's Street Shoe, Basic's Tycoat System doesn't use a buffer. One starts with the IFT (intensive floor treatment), then clean with Squeaky Cleaner, then apply Tycoat per instructions. When dry, you can apply the Street Shoe floor finish. Best to check with Bona about that refresher and what's in it that may interfere with recoating. Good luck.