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By using ultra violet lights manufacturers can quickly apply several coats of urethane finish. This process is called UV-cured urethane. As example, some manufacturers are applying 6-10 coats of UV-cured urethane. In addition, many manufacturers now add small chips of Aluminum Oxide directly into the floor's finish which dramatically increases the life of the floor.
This does not mean that you should wash your floor with a wet mop, but it does mean that these wood floors won't watermark like the old waxed, strip wood floors. The UV cured urethane wood finishes are extremely durable and much more abrasion resistant than waxed floors.
UV-cured – Factory finishes that are cured with Ultra Violet lights versus heat.Polyurethane – A clear, tough and durable finish that is applied as the wear layer.
Acrylic-urethane – A slightly different chemical makeup than polyurethane but with the same benefits.
Ceramic – Advanced technology that allows the use of space-age ceramics to increase the abrasion resistance of the wear layer.
Aluminum Oxide Finish – Chips added into the urethane finish for increased abrasion resistance of the wear layer. Extremely popular on the better grade hardwood floors.
Acrylic Impregnated – Acrylic monomers are injected into the wood cell structure to give increased hardness and then also applied on top of the planks.
Job-site finish means you start with an unfinished wood floor and then the floor is sanded, stained, and finished on the job site. The installation time when compared to a refinished floor is much longer. With pre-finish as soon as the glue is dry or the nail is set you are ready to go. Pre-finish is the only way to go for the do it yourself home owner and most installers. Job-site finish can be helpful with updating an existing hardwood floor because the installer will sand down the old finish and stain of your existing floor and then add back any color you choose and then place a new finish on the floor. Note that this finish is inferior to a UV baked on finish like an Aluminum Oxide Pre-finished line offers. Also this process will make that room or area basically unusable for quite sometime.
While the urethane finishes used on job-sites have been improved over the years, they are still inferior to Aluminum Oxide Pre-finished lines.
Water Based Urethane – Water is used as part of the chemical makeup of the polyurethane finish.
Solvent Based Urethane – Oil is used as part of the chemical makeup of the polyurethane finish.
Moisture Cured Urethane – A similar chemical make up as solvent based urethanes but, this finish needs the humidity (moisture) in the air to cure.
Note: Although contractors doing job-site installations go to extremes to prevent dust, dust will work its way into other areas of the home.
Porter
Hardwood Flooring
Phone:
(501) 529-8235
Fax:
(501) 819-0695
PorterHardwood@alltel.blackberry.com
