Sanding for adhesion purposes is not required between coats
of Waterlox Original Tung oil finishes. This makes Waterlox unique and
different from most surface finishes which need abrasion for inter-coat
adhesion.
Most surface finishes such as urethanes require the sanding
process to create what’s called a “profile”. A profile is similar to a
mountain range microscopically. Failure to sand/abrade between coats of a
surface finish can result in delamination of the new coat from the old
coat. With Waterlox Original Tung oil finishes, new coats will actually
bond with the previous Waterlox coat and becomes part of it rather than
a layer on top of it.
Even on a finely sanded wood surface, there are peaks and
valleys as well as spots of hard and soft grain. When you apply the
first coat of Waterlox, it’s like snowfall on the mountains. The snow
caps the peaks and begins to fill the valleys. If you sand, you will
unseal the caps and there will be less to flow to the valleys when you
apply the next coat of finish. This will result in the cap being
re-sealed again, and will therefore result in less available finish to
flow into the valley. If you do not sand, then the next coat will flow
away from the sealed caps and do more to fill the valleys. After the
third or fourth coat, this self-leveling process is complete.1
1This is the most important reason to obtain the recommended spread rate of 500 square feet per gallon per coat.
ABRASION TECHNIQUES FOR AESTHETIC REASONS FOR FLOORS:
- Heavy debris or applicator fuzz can be removed
from the film with 0000 steel wool, 320 grit sandpaper, or a
Scotch-Brite® pad (as shown in the Waterlox application video on our
website at waterlox.com.)
- Some customers perform a
light buffing between the second-to-last and last coat. This is for
aesthetic reasons only. Depending on the size of the project you may
choose to use a new or used maroon pad or a 3M® white pad with a low-rpm
buffing machine. For smaller rooms, try a drywall pole sander or an
orbital sander with 320 or finer grit paper.
- Keep
in mind if you can visually see any sand or swirl marks in the finish
before the final coat, these need to be sanded or removed with a finer
grit paper or pad before proceeding with the final coat as they WILL be
visible. To check for sand or swirl marks, wipe a thin coat of mineral
spirits over an area. While still wet it will give you an accurate
visualization of what the final coat will look like.
- Waterlox Original Tung oil finishes should never be abraded with a coarser grit than 150.
- NEVER sand a surface that has been stained as this process will change the color.
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Before using a new applicator, be sure that any loose hairs
or fibers are removed or cleaned from the applicator. This can be
achieved by any of the following methods:
- Wrap the applicator with masking or painter's tape and then remove the tape completely, or
- Put new and unused applicator pads in the dryer for a spin, or
- Use a lint roller on the applicator pad until the lint-roller paper does not pick up any further hair or remains sticky.
ABRASION TECHNIQUES FOR AESTHETIC REAONS FOR WOOD PROJECTS (e.g.: tables, furniture, etc.): Follow the instructions "For Floors" as outlined above;
however, because these type of projects are smaller in size you may want
to perform a light sanding with 220 or higher grit sandpaper or 0000
steel wool. For fine woodworking, many artisans have used 600 - 800 grit
sandpaper before the final coat.