Floor Protection That Stands Up To Extreme Wear

Floor Protection That Stands Up To Extreme Wear

For wood floors, there are installations to suit the different budgets and still bring a rich feel to the space. With its natural beauty and warmth, wood flooring spruces up the interior décor, making millions of homes and business owners gravitate to it as the flooring of their choice. It exudes luxury and elegance, enhancing the ambience of the rooms that it is installed in. The strength and durability of the structure enables wood flooring to last for even over a century – as long as it is maintained well. A well cared for wood floor can outlive the property owners, and even serves to increase the real estate value of the property. What of the options to work with? They are numerous. Wood species ranging from Brazilian Cherry and Walnut, Hickory, Tigerwood and Oak, all through to Australian Cypress and Teak – there are different choices that you can pick from to have installed in your space. Even for the same species, no two individual planks have the exact same shade or grain pattern, adding to the uniqueness of the installation. When you want an alternative colour for the floor, there is a multitude of wood stains available for you to apply on the surface. Lacquers also come in, with their different gloss levels, that way you can have the resultant look and feel that matches your individual taste. When it comes to the maintenance, it’s easier for wood floors since they don’t attract loads of debris, or have fibres to trap the gunk in the material. The routine cleaning and mopping are a breeze, allowing you to keep the installation in good shape. However, the longevity of the installation will be tied to the quality of the protective finish that has been applied on it, and that is where formulations like the Bona Traffic HD come in. 

Common Causes Of Wood Floor Wear And Tear

Like other floor installations, hardwood floors still come under attack on a daily basis. Sure, the high durability of the structure enables it to ward off the effects, but this does not mean that it is invincible. Here are some of the common issues that the wood floor faces:

1. Moisture

Every wood floor installation company has probably told their clients repeatedly to watch out for moisture  – and with good reason. Hardwood is sensitive to moisture variations with its environment, where the simple action of using a mop that is drenching wet is enough to see it soak up a dangerous amount of liquid, hence the emphasis on damp mopping.

Spills are an issue as well, since they make the moisture gradient steep, and the wood will readily soak up the liquid. In addition to contributing to water damage, there are issues like discolouration of the wood tissue that can result. Some like coffee, tea, wine and milk are notorious for leaving behind stains that pose problems when cleaning them off. 

2. Traffic

This refers to the people trooping about the premises daily. From the action of walking alone where there is friction generated between the soles of the shoes and the floor itself, to cases of people bringing in dirt from the outdoors and grinding it against the surface of the floor, all through to the type of footwear where you have issues like high heels adding pressure to the floor due to the weight of the wearer being exerted on a tiny section of the surface at a time – it all adds to the strain that the wood floor comes under. 

The sections of the floor which typically see more footfall – like the hallways, kitchens, areas next to the furniture and under the dining table – end up fading faster due to these wear effects. Soiling exacerbates the situation due to the abrasive effect of the gritty dirt. When grinded against the floor, it acts like sandpaper, abrading the surface. In fact, this is a major contributor to floors aging faster, thus the need for agents like the Bona Traffic HD under review that come in as a barrier to ward off these effects. 

3. Heavy furniture

That luxurious sofa in the living room can be a threat to your wood floor. It’s not exactly “stationary”. Whenever people sit or kids play on it, there are tiny movements that contribute to wearing down the surface under them. Blunders like dragging the furniture when you want to shift its position will lead to immediate and very noticeable ramifications, with some heavy furniture even digging gouges into the wood floor. Bookshelves, loveseats to the multi-seaters and refrigerators – all these items should be lifted and carried whenever they are to be moved, to prevent them from damaging the underlying surface. 

4. Pets

For the households that have pets around, then they are already familiar with the tendency of the furry little guys leaving behind scratches on the floor. As they run around the preemies with their claws drawn out, they dig into the floor to get traction, with the negative effect of creating marks that ruin its appeal – which is why pet owners are encouraged to regularly trim the claws of their pets. 

Treating the hardwood floor with formulations like the Bona Traffic HD is key to protect the installation from the wear that it is exposed to, and enable it to last for longer. How does this particular formulation aid in the process? Let’s delve into what it has to offer. 

How You Benefit From The Bona Traffic HD

• Protection that lasts

One of its biggest attraction points is the superior durability you get from the Bona Traffic HD. This 2-component polyurethane formulation has been developed to protect the floors in high traffic environments – the likes of shopping malls and airports, all through to public spaces, hotels and restaurants. The coat applied onto the surface increases its resistance to the wear and tear effects that are attributed to heavy footfall, preserving the structural integrity of the installation and enabling it to last for longer. 

• Reduces downtime

When finish coats are being applied onto floors, the area is usually sealed off to wait for the product to dry and cure. With conventional lacquers, traffic is restricted from these areas for at least a day or two. However, this creates a disruption to the activities in the facility. With the fast drying of the Bona Traffic HD, this is drastically minimised. You won’t have to worry about operations in your facility being grinded to a halt for days. Within 8 hours after the final coat has been applied, the floor will be ready to handle light foot traffic, and full usage can resume in 12 hours. In fact, the fast drying nature of the product is one of the reasons why it is used in establishments like restaurants, hotels and airports where there is an increased emphasis on reducing downtime as much as possible. 

• Non-yelling topcoat

After applying a lacquer on the floor, it can be frustrating to gradually watch it develop a yellow tint over time. This is a common scene for many lacquers in the market today, and is a result of the interaction of the chemicals in the product with the sun’s radiation. This slowly deteriorates the appeal of the floor, negatively affecting the ambience. As such, when sourcing for floor treatment products, a key attribute that consumers look for is the “non-yellowing” property and you can find this with the Bona Traffic HD. This means that you will be in a position to retain that aesthetic appeal of the floor, allowing you to enjoy it for longer. 

Speaking of aesthetic appeal, the waterborne Bona Traffic HD is laid as a clear coat on the floor. It doesn’t change the colour of the installation, instead emphasising the natural look and feel of the underlying floor. That way, the hue of the wood species that is installed, its grain patterns and other characteristic markings that are on it that are unique to the floor boards – all these are made more prominent. This accentuates the beauty of the installation, and given that it is a highly durable formulation, you get to maintain this effect for extended durations. 

• Safer for the indoor air

This waterborne formulation enables you to carry out the floor renovation without putting the persons in the premises at risk. It has very low odours and features low VOC content – coming under 5%. To show how safe it is, the formulation has been taken through independent testing by globally recognised bodies. Let’s look at some of the certifications that it has obtained in this regard.

Bona Traffic HD is GREENGUARD Gold certified. Products are taken through the GREENGUARD certification program to check for the level of chemical emissions. Those that pass the test are guaranteed to emit low VOC content, having met performance-based and field-validated standards. This test is done annually, and over 200,000 products are taken through the program. Manufacturers volunteer to participate in it, and the testing is done in regulated environments where the humidity and temperature levels are controlled. The products remain in these chambers for days and even weeks, to test how many chemicals are emitted. Bona Traffic HD takes it a step further with the GREENGUARD Gold standard, which was previously called the GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification Program, which was particularly developed to meet the stricter standards needed for products used in environments like schools, day-cares and healthcare facilities. This means that the lacquer can be safely used in these environments where there are higher levels of sensitivity, being safe for the occupants of the building. 

Some of the most stringent standards regarding emissions in indoor spaces are seen with the EU’s Building Construction Directive legislation, which looks at the chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and aldehydes emissions with products used in installation and treatment of building components – such as adhesives and floor finishing products. In Germany, the appointed authority that enforces this is DIBt (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik). In fact, Germany was the first country in the EU enforcing the “ER3” criteria from the Building Construction Directive, where the emphasis is on securing the usage of safe chemicals, and decreasing indoor air pollution. Bona products are formulated in line with this, and it can be seen with the Bona Traffic HD winning DIBt approval, which certifies that it contributes to better indoor air quality. 

Treating Your Floor With The Bona Traffic HD

Before applying the lacquer onto the floor, the surface needs to be adequately prepared. Firstly, it is necessary that you ensure that the floor has acclimated well to its environment. This also applies to any floor finishing program, since it is imperative that the wood itself has achieved stability with its end use environment, especially with regards to the temperature and humidity conditions, to avoid drastic expansion and contraction. 

If you’re using the product to finish untreated wood, it will need a primer coat (you can use formulations like Bona Primer or Bona Craft Oil 2K), then two coats of the Bona Traffic HD lacquer. On the other hand, for treating floors that had already been lacquered, simply clean the floor, carry out some superficial abrasion, then apply one or two coats of the Bona Traffic HD.

For the application process, follow these steps:

1. Shake the laquear in its bottle, and add a bottle of Bona Traffic HD Hardener to it. Shake this mixture well. If you intend to use smaller amounts for the treatment process, you can prepare the mixture in a separate container. Simply ensure that you use a 1:1 ratio when mixing the lacquer and hardener. 

2. With the Bona Roller, spread out the lacquer onto the floor, while maintaining a wet edge, that way there won’t be overlap. 

3. Allow the floor to dry.

Ensure that there is proper ventilation in the room to enhance the drying process. This will result in a strengthened film and better adhesion. 

Should there be additional layers of the lacquer being applied, ensure that the initial coat has dried enough, then lightly sand the surface with a screed or alternatively use Bona Scrad System with grit P150 and above. 

Tips For Working With The Bona Traffic HD

– When applying the lacquer onto the floor with the roller, alternate between moving across the wood grain and along with it. This is particularly helpful in avoiding cases where sections of the floor will have more product building up. 

– The Bona Traffic HD lacquer and Hardener mixture that has been prepared should be used within 4 hours, so only mix the amount that you will be certain to apply on the floor in this duration at a time. 

– Temperature plays a key role in the process. For instance, you should allow the Bona Traffic HD and Hardener to reach room temperature before application. Optimal conditions for using the lacquer on the floor are 18-25°C and 30-60% RH. When the temperature is high and humidity is low, this shortens the drying time. On the other hand, when the temperatures are low and the humidity is high, then you end up contending with a prolonged drying time. Actually, the minimum recommended temperature for working with the Bona Traffic HD is 13°C.

– It is generally recommended that you do not apply more than two coats of the lacquer per day, to avoid cases of wood swelling. 

While light traffic can be allowed onto the floor in 8 hours and normal usage in 12 hours, aspects like covering the floor with a carpet should wait for at least 3 days. During this duration, damp mopping should also be avoided. 

Note that if Bona Prime Deep and Bona Create were used as part of the treatment process, then the floor should be given 1 week to cure before placing back carpets and other floor coverings.

Quick Floor Renovations

When the floor has superficial scratches, deeply ingrained dirt as well as scuff marks, you can go the overcoating route, extending the lifetime of the treatment and postponing the next complete floor sanding and refinishing task. The Bona Traffic HD can be used here. It enables you to save on the costs that would go into a full complete overhaul, while still enabling you to revitalise the floor and give it a new look. 

The overcoating process can be split into three general steps:

1. Deep cleaning

This is the first stage of the floor preparation. For newly installed floors that were pre-finished at the factory, you can normally skip this and go to the next step. For the lacquered floors that have already been in use though, it is necessary to first give them a thorough wash before proceeding, as well as those cases where the new prefinished floors have got contamination.

The diluted Bona Deep Clean Solution is used for this task. This is a powerful degreaser that gets rid of the material stuck to the surface. Add the solution to the tank of your autoscrubber and proceed to wash the floor. Ensure that there aren’t puddles of the cleaning solution left behind on the surface. 

2. Abrasion

For the new prefinished floors that have been installed, start the sanding with Bona Diamond Abrasives- the fine grit 240. After this, simply vacuum or wipe off the dust. You can also clean it with the autoscrubber, but this time with just clean water in the tank. 

For the wood floors that had already been lacquered and in use, the sanding starts with grit 80 Bona Diamond Abrasives. In case there is polish or wax on the surface, the initial abrasion should continue until all of the material has been removed. Clean the surface with the Bona Deep Clean solution, then carry out more abrasion, but this time with the finer Bona Diamond Abrasives grit 240. The floor can then be cleaned to remove the dust. 

3. Lacquering

Start by applying a thin Bona Traffic HD layer. You can use a stainless steel trowel for this. Allow it 30 to 60 minutes of drying time. 

Next, use a roller or T-bar to apply one or two layers of the Bona Traffic HD lacquer, and let it dry before allowing traffic back onto it.

Quality Solutions From Bona

With Bona, you’re dealing with a brand that has been in the floor care business for over a century now. Back in the early 1900s, its founder Wilhelm Edner operated a grocery shop in Malmö, Sweden. He mainly sold coffee, but during the 1910s he started dealing in floor wax. Seeing the potential that the latter had in polishing and protecting floors, he went ahead and incorporated the Bona AB company in 1919, and thus started the journey of what is today one of the world’s largest floor care product companies. 

In five years after the company was formed, it had already added floor polish, waxing equipment, mop oil and dry floor cleaner to its range of products. Over the course of its life, the company made heavy investments into R&D, pushing for environmentally sound solutions to floor care while simultaneously enhancing technical performance. For instance, it was one of the pioneers of waterborne finishes, actually being the first company to have a full line of such products. This marked the shift from the solvent-based floor finishing products that had been heavily used before the 1980s. The solvent-based agents came with risks to the contractors applying the products onto the floors, as well as the occupants of the building. However, with the introduction of the waterborne finishes in 1979, they proved to be a safer alternative, while still delivering on the desired floor protection. From London’s Tower Bridge that uses a Bona Classic and Bona Traffic combination, to the Moulin Rouge in Paris which is treated with a Bona Intense and Bona Mega combination, application of the formulations by the brand are seen in multiple locations. 

Another case of Bona’s commitment to sustainable practices is seen with the utilisation of renewable raw materials, which was introduced with the Bona Mega in the 1990s. Here, the formulation uses vegetable oils which, when applied onto the floor, interact with oxygen and cross-link, forming a strong finish that has minimal environmental impact.

Resource preservation is also a part of sustainable processes. Working with the products offering superior durability reduces the need for frequent renovation. It extends the life of the floor, and becomes a cost-efficient solution for building owners. This can be seen with products like the Bona Traffic HD under review, which prolongs the life of the installation and reduces the resources that go into the task. 

With a solid track record, products being sold in over 90 countries, and a rich history that proves its authority in the industry, turning to Bona for your floor care solutions enables you to get optimal value for your money. You get that with the Bona Traffic HD, whose quality and reliability have made it one of the most sought out floor protection agents. 

Your Guide To Picking Floor Lacquers

Given that the floor industry is flooded with numerous kinds of lacquers, how do you pick the right formulation for your needs? Let’s go over factors that you should consider when making your selection:

• Type of finish

There are different kinds of formulations that can be used for the protective coat that is applied onto the wood floor, each with its merits and demerits. Take shellac finishes for instance. While they are easy to brush onto the floor and come with low price tags, the resultant coat is not as durable as polyurethane options, and thus need to be recoated more frequently. Wax finishes on the other hand have been in use for centuries, but they tend to be more prone to staining, and during renovation, one needs to always remove the existing wax coat before applying a new one. Polyurethane finishes have become widespread in the flooring industry today, and even here there are different types, mainly categorised into oil and water-based finishes. For the oil polyurethane coatings, they are easily spread onto the floor but take longer to dry and have a tendency of yellowing over time. On the other hand, the water-based finishes like the Bona Traffic HD dry quickly, have a much lower VOC content, and also don’t end up yellowing over time. 

• Desired level of protection

With lacquers from leading brands like Bona, you have the opportunity to go with a formulation that is suited to your particular needs. After all, the kind of protection needed for a domestic setup is not the same as a high-traffic restaurant or shopping mall. The build of the various products available will determine the target purpose. 

With Bona, there are three general categories of lacquers:

1. Domestic Range products: These are 1-component formulations that are developed for application in domestic areas. Formulations like the quick-drying Bona Novia come into focus here, and they also feature high resistance to household chemicals. 
2. Medium Range products: Here you have 1-component units that have a tougher build for use in light to medium traffic commercial and residential areas. In this category, you have products like the Bona Mega whose particular formulation uses dispersion of plant-based oils, and since there is no side bonding, it can be used for installations with underfloor heating. 
3. Heavy Range products: For this category the formulations can handle heavy levels of traffic. The 2-component lacquers target both commercial and public areas. Here you have the likes of the Bona Traffic line, inclusive of the Bona Traffic HD under review and the Bona Traffic HD AntiSlip variation. 

• Resultant aesthetics

What is the final look that you desire? Do you want to make that natural look of the wood floor more pronounced by applying a clear lacquer? What about the sheen level? Here, you have formulations that can deliver matte, extra matte, natural and gloss sheens for the floor.

• Indoor air safety

With floor care products, one key area that consumers look into is the level of VOC emissions. The volatile organic compounds are carbon-based chemicals which are vapourised and can spread through the interior space. They are released by everything from mattresses and flooring products all through to wall paints. In fact, that “new building smell” that you detect with newly set up properties is due to VOCs. They can be hundreds of them in a facility at a time. With indoor air spaces clocking two to five times higher levels of pollution compared to the outdoors, it is imperative that the treatment products that are being used in the facility do not exacerbate this situation. To ascertain the levels of emission that a product produces, it is taken through testing standards like GREENGUARD, where the emissions are tested for over 10,000 different chemicals. Here, looking at the certification that the product comes with will be a sign of the level of safety that it bodes for the building and its occupants.

• Brand behind it 

The competition in the floor care industry is intense, and there are lots of parties involved. Different companies have come forth with their unique formulations, all promising to give your installation that care it deserves – but how many really deliver on their mandate? Here, going through the track record of the company offering the product is key. How long has it been in operation? What do other consumers say about the products from the brand? Going over the review sections in the online retailers providing the product, to the comments left behind on the social media pages of the company will enable you to paint a picture of the kind of quality that you can expect from the brand. For companies to thrive and remain successful in this industry, they need to meet consumer needs – and the more reliable a company is, the greater the level of positive feedback you will find about it, which will enable you to rest assured that your installation will get the protection it deserves. 

Floor Protection That Stands Up To Extreme Wear | Bona Traffic HD