Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Brushing Application of Water Based poly

When you brush on Water Based Poly do you use full loaded brush-fulls or do you do any wiping of the brush on the can edge?

David,

I use a 12" brush. Load up the brush and wipe it on the floor.

AL

Thanks for the replies Al.
Dave

Can you give me any tips on brush application of the Waterbourne Varathane? I have chosen to use brush application since my rooms are not big, so many walls, closets, hall, doorways... I put on 2 coats yesterday. Will need to light sand tonight to remove grain raise and continue with coats. How thick do you apply? To apply, I dipped the 4" brush into the can, let the excess drip off then started to apply. As you first start applying the stuff is pretty thick so I kind of spread it evenly as quickly as I can with overlapping. As I work across the room with the grain I work in sections of about 4 boards and lightly feather into the last section done. Does this sound right? I can see some slight brush marks in the finish. I certainly don't want to see any brush marks on the final coat. Do you clean your brush after each coat? I just wrappped mine in saran wrap and resused it without cleaning?

Dave,

Buff the floor with 150 grit sanding screens. They will gum up fast with varethane so flip the screen. Shave off the crud with a wide putty knife to get extra life out of the screens. Do not sand to long with crud on the screen or it will leave swirl marks in floor. Varethane says that you don't have to screen floor until before final coat but it doesn't hurt. Before your final coat screen the floor completely and put on a thin final coat covering every square inch of the floor. The satin has the flattest sheen that I have been able to find in floor finish.

Good Luck, AL

Thanks for the input Al.

I can see some slight brush marks in the finish:

These are not actually brush marks. As I worked down the hall, I went with the grain, but my sections were like box area's moving down the hall. At the transition of some of the box areas there is a "ridge" where you can clearly see that I did not feather into the last "box" well enough. Or maybe it was the end of the job and I just wasn't moving fast enough.

Oher than these "ridges" and random grain raise the floor is beautiful. I used gloss finish for the extra hardness and the "fresh waxed look". The floor looks good enough until you look closely.

Can I sand down the grain raise and ridges with a hand sander or random orbital sander using the 150 grit screen?

I am also planning to "thin" the poly with a little water for the last 2 coats. This should extend my time working with the poly, make the poly flow onto the wood more smoothly, and I'm guessing it will reduce the likelihood of brush marks.