Frequently Asked Questions...
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q4. How do I clean my floors when they are finished with a Synteko floor finish?
Q5. How heavy should I apply Synteko Best, Extra or Pro?
Q6. When can I put down area rugs or doormats on the finished floor?
Q7. How do I slow down the drying of Synteko Classic?
Q12. I noticed some cratering in the Synteko’s finish. Why does this happen?
Q14. There is a lingering odor in my house after refinishing my floors. What should I do?
Q16. The edges of the room appear to be a slightly different colour than the rest of the room.
Q17. Applicator marks are visible on the surface of the finish.
Q18. The floor has changed colour over time.
Q19. Can new floorboards or parquetry bond together? What is the effect?
Q20. What finish do you recommend for my new timber floor?
Q21. Can a waterbased finish product be coated over a solvent-based sealer or stain?
ANSWERS
Q1. I prefer to have my floor finished as naturally as possible. Which Synteko product will give the clearest appearance without an amber/yellowish appearance?
A. Synteko Best or Pro will provide a natural appearing water clear finish.
Q2. I prefer a warm/amber coloured floor finish on my wood floor. Which Synteko products will give me this look?
A. Synteko Extra, Classic, Urethane and Solid will give you the appearance you prefer. Synteko Extra is a waterborne floor finish, Classic is an acid-cure product and Synteko Solid is a penetrating floor finish, which gives you a more natural wood finish without film build up. Urethane is a high solids oil modified finish.
Q3. When my hardwood floors are finished with Synteko floor finishes how do I keep them looking good for as long as possible?
A. There are several things you can do to enjoy your Synteko finished floor and prolong the life of the finish.
- Use felt or fabric protective pads on the bottom of all your furniture placed directly on the finished floors. Felt or fabric pads are recommended.
- Place door mats in front of each entryway to trap dirt, dust and other debris your shoes bring in from the outdoors.
- Dust mop and vacuum frequently to remove dirt, dust, etc.
- Remove any spilled liquid immediately to prevent spotting or damage to the floor finish or the floor itself.
- Avoid spilling ammonia or alcohol based cleaners on the finish as this may discolor the finish and/or the wood of your floor. Immediately wipe up any spills to avoid damage.
- Do not leave wet shoes or wet clothes on the floors, as again, this may damage the floor finish or floor.
- Pet nails should be trimmed regularly as they may scratch floors.
- High heel shoes will damage your floor.
Q4. How do I clean my floors when they are finished with a Synteko floor finish?
A. Vacuum your floor frequently.
Damp mop when needed, using Synteko Superclean; Do not use a generic floor cleaner that contains wax or oil. For Synteko Superclean availability check with your floor contractor or his supplier.
Do not use ammonia or alcohol-based cleaners as they may damage or discolor the floor finish or the wood floor.
We do not recommend the use of wax or soaps that leave an oily
residue on floors finished with Synteko finishes. These cleaners
may cause adhesion problems when you decide to screen and recoat
your floors.
Do not use Gemini Floor Seal.
Q5. How heavy should I apply Synteko Best, Extra or Pro?
A. Generally speaking it is always recommended to apply Synteko Best, Extra or Pro according to the recommended spread rate (see Technical Data Sheets).
However, during high humidity and/or low temperatures ( both conditions will slow down the drying) it is recommended to stay on the higher side of the recommended spreading rate and apply thinner coats to avoid moisture from getting trapped in the wet film. During low humidity and/or higher temperatures, it is recommended to apply Synteko Best, Extra or Pro a little thicker (towards the lower side of the recommended spread rate) to avoid too quick drying as the moisture evaporates more easily during these low humidity and/or warmer conditions.
Never apply Synteko Best, Extra or Pro too heavily as moisture
may get trapped in the drying film and cause a white/milky-coloured
appearance.
Cover windows when the sun is shining directly on the floor,
and check the temperature of the timber floor before applying finish
to ensure surface is not too warm, otherwise it will cause the waterborne
finish to dry too quickly.
Q6. When can I put down area rugs or doormats on the finished floor?
A. Floors finished with Synteko Classic; Best, Extra or Pro should cure at least for 7 days.
Floors finished with Synteko Solid should cure for at least 3
days.
For all products wait longer during periods of high humidity.
Q7. How do I slow down the drying of Synteko Classic?
A. Add 5 – 10% Synteko Retarder to the last coat to allow more open time.
Apply a heavier (but do not puddle) coat of Synteko Classic for your last coat as it takes more time for solvents to evaporate, therefore allowing more open time and better flow.
During the application only, reduce ventilation in the room where Synteko Classic is applied. Thereafter, ventilate the area. Cover windows when the sun is shining directly on the floor.
Q8. After applying a stain, how much time should I allow for the stain to dry before applying a Synteko floor finish?
A. Allow the stain to dry completely as recommended by the manufacturer and allow more time when it is humid or cooler.
Never apply any Synteko floor finish over a stain which has not dried the recommended time.
Some stains require up to three days of drying/curing before a waterborne floor finish can be applied. Never apply a waterbase sealer over stain.
Q9. My Brushbox floors were finished with Synteko Solid a couple of weeks ago. I noticed a few little soft beads/bumps on the edge of some boards where there is a bit of a gap between the floorboards. What should I do?
A. Take a synthetic scuffing pad and rub these little beads/bumps away. Next take a lint free cloth and buff the area. This will take care of the problem.
When there are some small gaps between boards (which is normal), excess Synteko Solid or Synteko Urethane may accumulate in the gap, and during curing it can sometimes ooze out and may form small soft bumps/beads of product.
Periodically check for these little soft droplets/beads as they may appear during the first couple of weeks after application of Synteko Solid or Urethane.
Q10. My floor was sanded and recoated last winter. All the gaps between the floorboards were filled with wood filler before coating. Now this summer a lot of small bumps show up between the floorboards. What is happening and how do I fix it?
A. The formation of bumps are caused by the wood filler being
pushed out by the floorboards. During the winter months the relative
humidity of the air is usually very low. As a result the wood floorboards
will dry out and shrink a bit in the winter and gaps will form.
During the summer the relative humidity rises and the boards will
absorb moisture in vapour form and expand, and gaps will usually
close or become smaller. It is not a good idea to fill gaps during
the winter months as the expanding floorboards can push the wood
filler out of the gaps.
To fix the bumps, carefully scrape off the bumps, screen and
recoat the floor.
It is a very good idea to use climate control system in the buildings especially when new flooring has been laid to control the humidity and movement of floorboards.
Q11. After the Synteko floor finish has been applied I noticed a bit of uneven gloss over the floor. What is the problem?
A. Not mixing the product well before use or catalyzing can cause this problem. Flattening agents should be thoroughly stirred and mixed in well before use.
A contaminated applicator may also cause this problem. Use only one applicator for one gloss level.
Another problem, which is often the cause, is applying the floor finish in an uneven layer thickness, or undercoat has been screened back too severely.
Screening and recoating is the fix for this problem.
Q12. I noticed some cratering in the Synteko’s finish. Why does this happen?
A. Cratering (also called fisheying) is typically caused by a contaminated substrate. Oily substances, silicone lubricants, wax or other contaminants can cause these problems.
Sanding and screening followed by recoating is usually needed to remedy this problem. In extreme cases the floor may need to be resanded down to bare wood.
Q13. I have food in my kitchen cabinets. Should I be concerned about this when my floors are refinished?
A. Yes, solvent fumes may absorb into paper or absorbent packaging. Remove food items in absorbent packaging or cover all cabinets with a heavy mill plastic taped securely to the cabinet framing.
Q14. There is a lingering odor in my house after refinishing my floors. What should I do?
A. Some odour is normal. After coating application it is important that windows should be opened to allow the building to ventilate well. Carpets, draperies and other cloth materials may absorb solvent odours of the floor finish being used. So, it is always a good idea to remove such items or to cover them with heavy mill plastic before application of the floor finish. Adjacent rooms with fabrics should be isolated from the application area to prevent this from happening.
Q15. Recently, my floors were screened and recoated with Synteko. I dropped something on the floor, and now where the object fell some of the floor finish is loose. I can peel it off easily, and it seems like it is peeling off easily around this spot. What’s going on?
A. The product does not have good adhesion to the previously applied floor finish. This is likely caused by a contaminated floor substrate not being cleaned properly before screening and recoating. It may be that floor polish or wax was used or if the homeowner used furniture polish on wood furniture this can also leave local contamination around furniture on the floor. Use a small putty blade and try to see if the adhesion loss is serious around the damaged area. If so, check some inconspicuous areas for coating adhesion. When this condition is widespread, re-sand down to bare wood and recoat. When damage is local, try to carefully scrape and sand to create a smooth transition, and then spot repair the floor finish by feathering it into the surrounding area.
Before screening and recoating, Synteko recommends that the floor is first cleaned with Synteko Remover. Waxed (spirit or acrylic) floors should be sanded down to bare wood.
Q16. The edges of the room appear to be a slightly different colour than the rest of the room.
A. Caused by sanding the edges of the room differently than the
field, either smoother or rougher than the centre makes the finish
appear different.
Resand the floor, being sure to use the same sanding procedure
on the whole floor.
Q17. Applicator marks are visible on the surface of the finish.
A. The applicator used had hardened spots, the finish was not
applied evenly. If the finish is satin or semi-gloss, the finish
may not have been mixed thoroughly. The finish may have been applied
to a floor subjected to direct sunlight.
Screen and recoat the floor.
Q18. The floor has changed colour over time.
A. Oil-modified finishes amber and yellow in appearance - this is to be expected. Floors subjected to direct sunlight will also change colour over time. Timber also oxidizes, a process that is a natural feature of timber and cannot be prevented.
Q19. Can new floorboards or parquetry bond together? What is the effect?
A. Board to board bonding can occur with polyurethane finishes. This has the effect of preventing timber from moving as it naturally expands and contracts, and can lead to the possibility of large gaps between boards and cracks appearing in the timber itself.
Q20. What finish do you recommend for my new timber floor?
A. New tongue and groove strip flooring and parquetry products are best finished with water-based urethane finish or oil type sealers.
Q21. Can a waterbased finish product be coated over a solvent-based sealer or stain?
A. No! This could result in delamination or rejection of waterbased finish coat.
