Parquet wax coating: features and application rules

The wax coating of the parquet is much more convenient than varnish - it is warmer to the touch, less prone to deformation during operation and is much lighter and faster to apply.

Types of wax for parquet

Wax can be solid, liquid and has a paste consistency. Hard wax is diluted with water before use, as it is sufficiently dense. The final shade depends on the degree of dilution. Liquid wax does not need dilution. It is very convenient, as it allows you to cover the most inaccessible places. The paste has a liquid-average composition between solid and liquid wax, it is applied with a brush or spatula.

In addition to consistency, wax can also vary in shade. There are colorless compounds, brightening and dark. They are selected based on the floor material. So, for example, lightening compounds are suitable for birch flooring, and dark - for oak or cherry.

With a little effort, polishing wax can be made independently - from beeswax with the addition of turpentine or olive oil.

Wax flooring process:

1. Surface preparation. This is a mandatory procedure for all types of coatings. The floor is carefully cleaned from the remnants of the previous coating and sanded. Small cracks and chips are quality coated. Then grinding and dusting is performed. There is an option to apply wax to an oil coating. To do this, make sure that the wax and oil used are compatible. Compatibility determines the presence of the same solvent in the composition, or the absence of solvent in both compositions.
2. The first floor covering is made with wax. There are two types of coating - cold method and hot method.
   In the cold method, wax is applied in an even, thin layer with a brush or spatula with rounded edges. After a short period of time, the excess wax that comes out is removed with a cotton cloth.
   With the hot application method, wax and the floor are preheated - wax in a water bath, and the floor with a thermal drop. Hot wax is then applied with a spatula. It is not necessary to overwrite it, since with this method of application, the composition is usually completely absorbed.
3. After a certain time - individually for each composition, it is written in the instructions - the floor is polished. With the cold application method, polishing is done with a flat-polishing machine or manually. When hot - thermal drop.
4. Reapply wax. Accordingly, hot or cold method.
5. Final polishing is carried out.

Full drying of the waxed floor occurs after 2 weeks, however, it is not recommended to load the coating heavily for another month.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of wax include: environmental friendliness, pleasant smell, preservation of the natural structure and relief. The floor is warm to the touch, it is pleasant to walk on it barefoot. Penetrating between parquet dies, wax fills the gaps, and the floor does not creak. Wax increases the resistance of parquet to physical damage and moisture. In addition, a waxed floor is easy to restore, either in whole or in part. You can apply a wax restoration layer to the old layer without scrubbing.

However, the wax coating also has some disadvantages. The floor will get dirty faster than varnished. Do not place furniture with metal legs on it. Wet cleaning should only be done using specialized products. If moisture gets on the surface, it must be quickly removed, since spots can form on the coating during prolonged contact with water.

Conclusion

Waxing the floor is an inexpensive and effortless procedure that allows you to tidy the floor on your own and in a short time without resorting to the services of specialists.