The project

This modern home west of Melbourne was treated to a full interior refresh, and the floor transformation had the biggest impact on the final result. Even though the existing polyurethane coating was not badly scratched or scuffed, it had darkened to an orange shade. Worse still, the high gloss finish was outdated and overwhelming, reflecting glare hiding the timber grain.

The challenge

The owners were keen to achieve lighter, more contemporary looking floors. They needed a highly durable coating that looks like natural, bare timber, but has all the protective qualities of a high performance floor finish. One that could cope with their busy household without obscuring the raw beauty of their Spotted Gum floors.

The owners asked flooring expert, Joe Cristiano from Nature's Best Floors, to recommend a top quality timber coating solution, one that would:

•              Meet the demands of a busy household.

•              Retain and protect the look of natural timber

•              Dry to an invisible finish

•              Not yellow over time

•              Be environmentally friendly

•              Dry quickly so they could return home faster

The Intergrain solution

Joe consulted Intergrain Trade & Industrial Technical Sales Executive, Pat Guarnaccia, to provide professional assistance on the most suitable coating solution for the project. Pat recommended Intergrain Enviropro Invisible Floor Finish as a complete water based system to achieve the look and feel of bare timber. In order to meet the client's aesthetic and performance demands, Pat recommended the addition of a catalyst or hardener to the single pack invisible finish. The recommendation of Intergrain Enviropro Endure 2 Pack Part B at a ratio of 1 part to 9 parts Intergrain Enviropro Invisible Floor Finish provided added performance assurance and is a unique benefit of utilising the Intergrain Enviropro floor coating systems.

The process involved:

•              Sand of the timber floors, including nail punch

•              Fill with water based timber filler

•              Fine sand and vacuum to remove all dust and surface contaminants

•              First coat applied by brush and roller

•              Second day, a light 'cut back' or abrasion of the surface to address any grain rise followed by a vacuum

•              Final top coat applied by brush and roller

The results

Rejuvenated floors make a dramatic difference to the look of any room. Homeowners are often surprised by the contrast, because it's difficult to imagine just how impressive the results will be. This was certainly the case with this flooring project.

"The owners were extremely pleased with the outstanding results," Pat says. "Fresh paint is a great way to update interiors, but rejuvenated floors can have an even bigger impact on the overall look of a room."

"This 2 coat system is easy to apply, fast drying and low in VOCs compliant to Green Building requirements. The owners wanted to use Enviropro's water based coatings so they could avoid yellowing and discolouration of the finish in the long run," Pat says. "They also wanted a low odour solution so they could return home as soon as possible. They were able to replace their furniture just two days after the project completion. All boxes ticked!"

Get in touch

Contact the Intergrain Trade & Industrial team for expert product knowledge, service and support for your next project. Call our Help Line on 1800 630 285 or visit our project gallery for more inspiration.