Bona - T -Bar Application Method
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Learn how to apply Bona Finishes and Sealers to a hardwood floor using the T-Bar application method.
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Thinking that gentleman should have been wearing knee pads! Blew my bursa sac out 5 mintues on the floor.
Hi DS - Hope you heal up soon! Yes, this profession is physically challenging and personal protective equipment should be worn by the craftsman as determined by their particular needs; including eye, ear, knee, and skin protection. A good caution for everyone watching.
Finally a a u-tube video showing how to CORRECTLY apply floor finish. This is what you use. It is called a T bar and is made from micro fiber and gives a smooth no bubble finish. I see these U Tube wanna be experts using a roller going back and forth putting a zillion bunch of bubbles in the finish. It looks good on the tube video but close up you can see the micro bubbles. I can;t count the number of times people have called me to re do their floors after a U Tube movie star demonstrated how to do it thinking they were knowledgeable . Watch there pros as they really do KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING> I have been in the floor re-finishing and restoration for 55 plus years and still going strong. This is an ART not a trade.
Hi Captain - Glad you enjoyed the video and fully agree that doing hardwood floor sanding and finishing the right way is an art, requiring true craftsmanship with lots of different tools, machines and techniques. T-bar application is a very good method to have in your arsenal, but so is rolling. Both have their advantages and their watch-outs. Most professionals around the world only apply with a roller; with the t-bar being pretty unique to North America. If you know how to do both, there's not a wood floor layout that you won't be able to tackle. Hope you keep on going strong for many more years. All the Best!
i've been sanding floors for 45 years. key is to use a mohair roller and NOT the floor finish roller.
This is the best floor-finish video ever.
One thing I would add....is to use lighting to your advantage. Meaning, if you are working in low-light....position a light source across/away from your working area so that you can "see" a reflection. This helps you determine puddles or missed dry areas.
Great tip, Randy! That's one thing that we do talk about in our S&F Schools is to have a bright, low source of light to look back across the wet finish for missed or thin spots, etc. You can even buy light sockets that will plug directly into the wall outlet (low) if you need to create a source that's more useful. Some guys even put a timer on it so that it's not on all night if they're coating last thing. Thanks for watching and for your comment/tip!
@@BonaProfessional .... even if there is a white wall on the other side.... light can be "bounced" off that.......any way to get a reflection is good. Great video.
How did Todd from Breaking Bad end up in this?
It's my second calling, Jacob! Breaking Bad was just my start in filmdom, and now I'm making all kinds of hardwood floor videos! Love that grain!
how many of you guys have had a cat or dog come along as you are right at the end?
Hi Earl - It happens, and there are some funny (and some not so funny) stories out there about exactly that!?! Making sure pets are properly restrained and kept out of the job site is a big key in pet-friendly homes, but good intentions don't always work out as they should. Did you have that happen? Thanks for the question!
Been working on this home improvement for going on a year (really!). Am to sealing/finishing the floor, finally, and have been fearful of pulling the trigger on it. Have watched every vid i can find on the topic and this is the absolute best. Wish i had seen it b4 i bought the 18" tbar. That thing KILLS my back. But it is what it is.
Used Amberseal and am following up with Traffic HD commercial satin. My area is quite small so im able to put 4 layers of Amberseal down which i consider fortunate in light of the learning curve im dealing with bc, hey, t-bar.
Thanks for the terrific vid. Will let u know how it went.
Hi Janet - Glad that you finally pulled the trigger and that it's going pretty well thus far. Patience (and good lighting) will help immensely! Good luck with the rest of the project!
This is a really well done and helpful video, and Bona makes great products. however, this morning i sealed the floors on the second floor of my house using Bona NaturalSeal and now there are stripes all over my floors wherever i poured a line of sealer. I was working really fast. I don't think any of these puddles sat for more than 15 seconds. my poured lines were just drying immediately, before my eyes, as i worked frantically to get the material spread evenly. My 1870s heart pine floors drank up this product like it was light beer. It was 9am, the temperature in my house was about 70-80 degrees, regular humidity, etc. I also filled all of the cracks in the floors before coating, so my material wouldn't all run out (i saw some other comments mentioning this) - Im going to apply Traffic HD tomorrow morning, but i may just use a paint roller. the t-bar was kind've a hot sweat. Good video though - very thorough.
Hi David - Thanks for the comments and questions; and sorry that you experienced some issues with your application of NaturalSeal. Do you know if the lines were from excess material coming off the top of the T-bar or just from your lines drying too fast as stated above? Regardless, you may be able to soften the affect by applying an additional coat of NaturalSeal. Seems like a lot of your environmental parameters were good, but completely shutting down any air flow is the biggest (and didn't see that mentioned). If you need more assistance, please give our Tech Services team a call at (800) 872-5515. Hope this helps (and hope your project comes out beautiful)!
That's a horrible technique. You would see every backout mark you did with that finish.
Hi @joewhittaker445 - Hmmm, didn't realize we included footage of the floor drying to see if they went away or not?!? While there are several methods that professionals use to work their way out of a room (and curious to know what your method is?), the S-curve, push/pull/feather method is the one most commonly used throughout our industry - and if done correctly (as with any other method), there will not be any marks visible after the finish dries. Have used this method (and others) for 30 years while exiting small residential rooms and equally successful on 175ft gyms. Cheers!
EXCELLENT VIDEO...
I Love this video...
Thanks Judi! Any other type of training videos/subject matter that would be helpful for you? Just let us know. Thx!
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Where do you get the roller with training wheels ?
Hi Doug - The Bona Roller Covers are available at most Bona Professional Wholesale Distributors throughout North America, and via some online sources such as FloorMechanics.com. If you need help finding a Bona distributor, here's a link to the locator on our website: www1.bona.com/en-us/professional/find-a-distributor/
Hope this helps!
Talk about making something look easy!
Hi Joseph - Thanks for the compliment. Really, though, applying waterborne finishes is kind of like riding a bike. Takes a little bit to learn and some key things to keep in mind to ensure consistent success; but both the T-bar and Roller applications are used everyday by folks around the world to create beautifully finished hardwood floors.
Your students should have seats to sit down so they can take notes.
Hi Byro - They do have seats in the classroom; but in the hands-on room we'll do a quick demo and then let them try it out for themselves. A little on-the-job training without the fear of messing something up and not getting paid. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this video. Me and my wife just bought a little rancher with hardwood floors. Our plan is sanding, filling Bona pacific filler, Bona 2k craft oil and finish with 3 coats Bona HD Traffic matte. I was thinking about T-bar first but i think I am going to use a roller instead. Since we on a tight budget it's going to be a DIY job. This video is helping out immensely.
Glad you're finding it helpful, Robert! One coat of Craft Oil should be enough - only add another coat if blotchy on the first; especially since you're overcoating with Traffic HD. Also, if applying with roller, then 2 coats will likely be quite sufficient (but feel free to add a third if desired); though you can't go wrong with the insurance of adding another coat depending on lifestyle, high traffic areas, etc.
Now try it in a real house with baseboards and closets and cabinets
Good one, Bill! Didn't you film all your shows in a "studio" too?!? Same tools and techniques when used in a real house, retail store, office building, school gym, etc. As the label says, "For Professional Use Only". Cheers!
Take a drink every time he says "tack."
Hi Justin - Even better, just "tack" every time he says "tack" and your floor will be incredibly clean prior to sealer and finish applications! Thanks for watching!
Good Demo - BAD TACTICS! - Nice demo of how to apply this product, but, I have an issue with the last few minutes of this video that concerns me "DON'T LET THE HOME OWNERS WATCH YOU COAT, COME IN WITH A OSHA SUIT" and , "DON'T ALLOW THEM TO WATCH THE FINISH DRY!", I have been working with fortune 50/500/1000 customers for over 40 years, and this applies to home owners (like all of us), you should always prepare them first for what you are going to do, what it might look like while it's drying, etc! They have a right to be there (staying out of the way), and most importantly, It's not your house! Not your expensive wood floor! and, THEY are paying you a lot of hard earned money to do this work! Do you want to pay other contractors without watching what they do, or how they interact with you in your own home?
Hi Pat - You make a very good point and we'll look at adjusting the video on our next run. What was meant in jest isn't always seen that way by the viewer. A big part of a successful business is how you interact with the homeowner and create that trusting relationship. While it can always be a bit unnerving for a customer to watch everything you're doing; just answering their questions (if they're truly interested) can go a long way in easing their concerns or fulfilling their interest. But it can also make the job drag on way longer than needed if they're hanging over your shoulder all day, every day. That's where experience and relationship skills really come into play with those types of customers. How to ease their concerns and let you do your job. Thanks for the comment!
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I have freshly sanded to raw wood and will be using ClassicSeal satin. This being my first wood floor project, I plan to use the roller method and through my research I believe the sealer will soak in a bit. Is it recommended to do two coats or am I over thinking it? If I do a second coat within several hours, shall I abrade first? Thank you!
Hi @dansarfert3585 - Yes, the sealer does soak in a bit (to seal the wood), but also sits up on top to start providing some build. Only one coat of ClassicSeal is recommended. If it's dried more than 48hrs, you should abrade with a Conditioning Pad prior to coating with finish. If you have any further questions, please give our tech line a call at (800) 872-5515. Thanks!
excellent good job I love this video how you teaching how you do the best
Thanks Ruben - "Best Practices" are always a key point of our training and what we believe a customer is looking for - Treat them like you would your own floors in your own home!
Can you do a video about correcting imperfections/bubbles when applying finish using the T-Bar method?
Hi @williamstanley637 - Those kinds of touch-ups all depend on the amount and type of bubbles in the surface film; what's underneath (how aggressive can we get?; and what's going on top? Basically you need to scrape and or abrade the bubbles out - all the way down to the bottom (or else the outline may still show through. However, if you're using a satin or ultra matte sheen then you don't need to be nearly as aggressive as the low sheen will help cover the remaining imperfections. No plans for a video like that at the moment, but we'll add it to the possible docket of content. Thanks!
I'm not a fan of Bonas t bar. They recommend there lightweight plastic t bar but I us the swivel steel t bar with a lightweight handle and get great results . They also claim Bona is a no build product but 1 coat sealer and 2 top coats get a decent build . Potterybarn is one of the retail stores I use this product on.
Mike B love the steel bars
Hi Mike B. - If you're using the lightweight steel t-bar and getting good results and the proper coverage rate then keep up the great work! There's lots of ways to get to the same end result. Not sure who claims that Bona is a no-build product, but it's not us?!? 1 coat sealer and 2 top coats should get you a minimum of 3mils thickness. One coat of Bona waterborne sealer/finish applied at 500sq/ft gallon should get you about 1mil thickness - equal to 1 piece of copy paper. Because that's such a thin layer to begin with is why we recommend the Bona t-bar, as the lightweight steel one weighs twice as much - so it will apply it thinner. Hope this helps. Thx!
Had my floors done in October 2021 with bona traffic HD Satin 2 coats only and in November started to see separation around the edges of floor near trim and middle of floor where dining room and kitchen meet. The floor guy that installed had stated due to change in weather cold and having heat on? Said it will rejoin in summer? Too soon to see floors with separation Can another coat be applied?to fix? And does the floor have to be buff again to do? Watching this video was great to see and done application professionally.
Hi Yvette - Were the floors installed in October; or just sanded and refinished? Floor shrinkage is caused by a change in the moisture content - either from a floor being installed too wet and then adjusting down to its equilibrium level in the new environment; and or due to seasonal changes between the cooling and heating seasons (as your installer suggested). If installed too wet, then gaps will be permanent; but if seasonal, they should close up when you reach the wetter season for your area. To prevent seasonal issues, you might consider getting a humidifier installed to keep the relative humidity in your house fairly constant throughout the year. Definitely not something that another coat of finish would "fix" - in fact, might make it worse. Not sure where you're located and there are too many details that might be affecting your flooring to go over in this type of forum; so please give our technical services department a call at (800) 872-5515 or reach out to the National Wood Flooring Association at (800) 422-4556. Thanks and hope this helps get your floors back to where you'd like them.
Your product is good but your application method is terrible simply because most floors have gaps between the boards. You would loose soo much of the expensive quality coating between the boards. A bucket and roller works best after brushing the edges. Get it on evenly and fast before the edges dry and job done!
Thanks for the input, Stu. Agreed that if there are a lot of gaps between the boards that you can lose sealer and finish into the abyss; but the t-bar is still the most widely used application method by professionals throughout North America for waterborne products (and we sell a lot of Bona Pacific Filler to take care of those gaps too). We've been teaching the Bona Roller method for more than 15 years and prefer that for flexibility, application of a thicker coats; and as you state, a big reduction in the amount of product lost in open seams.
i've been sanding and finishing wood floors non stop since 1978.
this t-bar method is incredible for big areas. for smaller domestic jobs i use a fine mohair roller.
Hi 5799! Agreed! While I've used t-bars and rollers for both large and small jobs, I typically prefer to roll residential settings and t-bar on gyms and larger commercial spaces! Thanks for watching and for your comments! Cheers!
Where can we buy a Bona 12" T-Bar w/ sleeve and a cutting pad? All I am seeing is 18" T-bars.
Hi Yemmhart - You can search for Bona Distributors closest to you via the locator on our web page: www.bona.com/en-US/Bona-Professional/Where-to-Buy/ and give them a call to see if they've got the 12" t-bars/sleeves in stock; or there are also a number of online distributors like www.floormechanics.com where you should be able to purchase those as well. Hope that helps!
Excellent video. Thank you very much.
You are welcome!
Question. Can you reuse the roll after been cleaned?
Hi Isabel - Yes, you can surely reuse the roller or t-bar applicator sleeves. Simply rinse them really well with water after usage and keep damp between uses (closed up in a ziplock bag works really well). When ready to use again, rinse once more and squeeze out excess water and dry to just damp with a clean rag (too much water may dilute finish and affect sheen level where you start). If it's going to be weeks and or months before reuse, throw the ziplock bag in the freezer to prevent mildew/mold growth on the applicator. Thaw when you're ready to use; rinse, dry to just damp and you'll be ready to go. Hope that helps and feel free to call our Bona Technical Services department at (800) 872-5515 if you have any further questions. Thanks for watching!
Is this the same procedure for a gym / racquetball court ? ... And what type of finish you use? (water or oil) thank you
Hello again S&S - Yes, the t-bar method is perfect for large, open spaces with gym floors and racquetball courts. Personally, I like to use the 12" t-bar (or 9" roller) on residential jobs, and up-size to the 18" t-bar for sport floors. IMO, the 24" t-bar is too big and a bit unwieldy to use, but the 18" is perfect for these larger floors!
Incredible. Very Pro. Thanks!
Thanks, John G! Hope that it helped address any questions that you might have had about t-bar applications!
Does anyone know if you can reuse these T Bar applicator pads?
Hi Michael - Yes, you can definitely reuse t-bar sleeves. After use, just rinse the sleeve out as much as possible; squeeze out any excess water, then keep it damp by storing it in a 2-gal Ziplock, or welding rod cases work really well too. If you're not going to use the sleeve again for several weeks, put it in the freezer (to prevent mold/mildew from forming). When ready to use, just let it thaw (or run under warm water), give it a fresh rinse, squeeze out excess and towel dry to just barely damp. Hope that helps!
Also what is the dry time here ? ... 2 - 3 hors per coat ? ... how many coats ?
Hi S&S - In general, you can expect dry times for Bona waterborne sealers and finishes to be anywhere from 2-3 hours between coats, depending on the environmental conditions (room temperature, humidity, and air flow); cooler temps and higher humidity will increase dry times. While we recommend zero air flow during the actual application, you'll want to turn the air back on (or even add extra) after the finish coat has flowed, leveled and defoamed for 20-30 minutes. If you want to be sure the previous coat is dry enough to apply another coat, you can use a dual-depth pinless moisture meter. Once the reading gets back to within 1-2% points of where you started (before finish was applied), it's dry enough to apply the next coat.
A typical "system" of stain/sealer/finish needed for good performance on a floor is going to consist of one coat of stain and or sealer, topped with 2-3 coats of the desired finish; with 2 coats being normal and a 3rd coat added for heavy traffic areas (or if needed because the previous coats were applied too thin - and floor still looks like it needs some more finish).
Hope this all helps!
can i use mineral spirit to clean my finished floor if i find dust or debris?
Hi Nadej - Bona would not recommend that you clean your floor with mineral spirits. One, for regular general cleaning, mineral spirits is too harsh of a solvent and may dull or damage the finish over time; and Two, there are many 'grades' of mineral spirits and some may leave a greasy residue all over your floor.
Unless you're trying to clean off a particularly difficult spill/mess/stain that one of the Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner products won't remove, stay away from using harsh solvents regularly on your hardwood floors. Hope that helps.
Very thorough and helpful. I would like to know how it may vary if you weren't using bona, if at all and if you could also use lambs wool applicator or just synthetic only. Good job.
If not applying Bona products, you may have to apply thinner coats. Because of Bona's top-notch formulations and production control from batch to batch, the defoaming, leveling and flow of our products is just second-to-none! Because of that you can typically apply a thicker layer of Bona products without worrying about bubbles, foam, streaks, etc. Check the recommended coverage rate and if it's thinner than what we recommend, it's usually a tip-off that they're not very good at tweaking the product application characteristics - so you have to thin to avoid trapping any bubbles and foam in the layer.
Definitely would not recommend a lambswool applicator - only the synthetic kind.
Hope that helps and Thanks for the questions and comments!
Which finish is the hardest and less prone to scratches water-based or your oil-modified finish?
Hi Gary - Thanks for your question. 2C waterborne products (like Bona Traffic HD) dry harder than oil-modified finishes, which might make them a little less susceptible to scratching. Both types of finish are good and will protect your floor well (if use high quality products) and Bona makes both kinds; but my money is always on the high-end waterborne products for my own floors.
heres a question, can you buff off dust nibs on your gloss finish after it has cured for a few days?
Hi Brando - good question. While you can't buff off the dust nibs or other debris after the last coat is dried or cured (without putting on another coat); you can try using a coarse Steck Nib File (Eastwood Company) to try and shave those down without touching the surrounding finish.
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Do you use a light or heavy T-bar
Hi Good House - We always use a lightweight t-bar for applying waterborne Sealers and Finishes. One coat of product applied at 500 sq/ft gallon is only about 1/1000" thick (= one piece of copy paper); so, if you use a heavyweight t-bar and apply the product at 750-1,250 sq/ft per gallon, you're probably going to have issues with the product drying too quickly (and not enough time to flow/level/defoam) and will definitely need to apply more coats to get the right film thickness for performance and protection (min. 3mils full system on the floor). Hope this helps!
@@BonaProfessional thank you
Question guys,can you recoat with Bona on engineer hardwood floors that have aluminum oxide?
Hello Spotless - Most likely, yes, as long as that particular prefinished floor is "recoatable". Most are, but a quick adhesion test would let you know for sure (basically performing the Bona Prep and Recoat method; or testing the Bona Guaranteed Recoat System on a small test area). The aluminum oxide present doesn't cause any recoating issues, as it's more dependent on what the actual IC finish is made up of, and if they made it recoatable to begin with from the factory.
Hope that helps!
@@BonaProfessional thanks
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Nice job thanks for video
Thanks Andre! We appreciate you taking the time to watch!
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Por favor falar em português
Olá Oli - Entre em contato com nosso Distribuidor Bona no Brasil, Resitech, para treinamento em português. Obrigado!
www1.bona.com/es-lat/profesional/donde-estamos/
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What are the stains/sealers on the floor from left to right?
1 coat each from LtoR - Bona AmberSeal, Bona Intense, Bona NordicSeal, Bona ClassicSeal, and Bona NaturalSeal. **Nordic, Natural, and Amber have colored pigments (white or amber) - allowing you to stack two coats if desired for more color/depth. Thx for the question!
How do guys reccomending washing yr T bar when yr done? Looks awesome!
You can try to clean the Tbar pad, but it's unlikely you will ever clean it totally for future use, days later. It's best to use a brand-new pad every session/day.
Plus, when rinsing a pad in the sink....you will be depositing chemicals down the drain, which is a no-no. Just let the old pad dry-out, and use a fresh pad the next day.
Good question. Wash your application tools out with water (cool to luke warm; not hot). Wash, squeeze and rinse it out as much as possible, and squeeze out to just damp; then store in a air tight cannister (welding rod cannister) or simply a 2gal. Ziplock bag. If you're not going to use it for a while (several weeks), put the Ziplock/applicator in the freezer; which will prevent it from getting mildewy/moldy (if it's smelly, toss it). Let it thaw before next job or run under warm water at the job to prepare. The sleeves and cut-in pads will last a long time if you keep them cleaner out and prevent from getting smelly. They do get better as they age (as any/all loose fibers are eliminated); but may develop hard spots or smelly if you don't care for them the right way. Hope that helps!
Pad it out.
HI Justin - Not sure if your comment is a question or a statement? "Padding out" means to push the applicator down gently (and rock it back and forth a couple times) to squeeze out the excess sealer/finish. If you don't do this, then the excess can leave a heavy spot wherever the applicator is put back down on the floor.
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Terrific. Just what I needed. Question-I assume that sealants go down the same way?
Hi Inroad - Yes, the sealers would go down the same way. Because they are the first coat on raw wood (unless floor is stained too), sealers can be a bit trickier - maybe need to work a bit faster, or more care taken with the pigmented products (Sealers Best Practices webinar: ua-cam.com/video/fXXMPMkwV_o/v-deo.html); otherwise, the process is the same.
@@BonaProfessional thank you!
Awesome video, as always. I Love ❤️ Bona Products
Glad that you found it helpful! And, thanks for your business - truly appreciated!
@@BonaProfessional Hi, thanks for your great products. I live in Puerto Rico and have a wood house that have laminate floor, and I want to know, if you have a product to seal that kind of floor that prevents water leak damaged? Thanks!
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Any reason I should not use the Bona Super Sport HD on my home floor?
Hi William - You can definitely use the Bona Sport finishes in a residential setting as well, no problem. Only caveat is they only come in high gloss which will show everything on your floor. 95% of residential floors are being finished with much flatter sheens - commercial satin and extra matte (which can be found in our Mega and the Traffic family of Bona finishes). Hope that helps!
@@BonaProfessional I really appreciate your responses, which product would you recommend for Douglas Fir floors?