For those of you who have used Fabulon floor finish, did you find that it stayed sticky for long period of time? What about bubbles? I can use all the tips I can get. Thanks.

I used it on my oak floors and cabinets. You probably won't find a tougher finish. After six years, I don't see any nail scratches from the dogs or other obvious wear.

Leave the house when you apply it. It stinks really, really bad. The finish will take about a week to really cure to its full hardness. You can walk on it in stocking feet in about a day.

Use a lambswool pad to put it down. Use thin coats. This will help avoid bubbles in the finish. Don't shake the can, that will only create bubbles and entrain them in the finish. Gently stir it to mix up contents.

How long did you let it dry between coats? Did you use the really glossy stuff?

I used the satin finish (semi-gloss?). It's been awhile. I think I let it dry about a day between coats. The product label should provide some guidance on that. They also have a website. I did sand between coats with a 120 grit paper.

Did you sand the floor before the first coat? Or was it new wood to begin with? I've got a really old house, built 1911, and the floor is original. There is old poly on it from about 4 years ago. I'm figuring on sanding at least a little just to rough it up so the new stuff will stick.
Thanks for your input, I need all the help I can get.

It was a new floor. All my uses have been on new, unfinished wood.

Your best bet may be to call the factory. Sometimes old floors have been treated with waxes containing silicone. Unless properly prepped, that will leave a whole bunch of ugly bird-eyes in the new finish.

Hi Tim -

I refinished the original oak floors in my 1921 Craftsman Bungalow. Here are some pictures of the transformation:

http://www.geocities.com/ingridnbuck/What_a_difference_a_year.html

What I did is first sanded the floors with, I believe, 36, 60, 90, 120. The reason for so many different grits is that I had stain on some portions of the wood floor and it was like gum coming up on the higher grits. I also had to use a drum sander (highly recommend!) versus an oscillating sander as the oscillating sander just got gummed up.

After sanding, I took tack cloth and a shop vac and sucked up all the minute pieces of sawdust that were left on the floor. I wanted it stained so that came next.

After the stain, I used the Satin finish of Fabulon. I intended to use a polisher with a screen in between the coats as was directed however, the rental place was out of the polisher and they said the oscillating sander with the screen would work as well. WRONG! Took off not only the Fabulon but the stain in places <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Sooo, stain again and Fabulon again.... My only regret is that I only put 2 coats on. I found that this is enough in regular traffic areas but I have a hallway that the dogs careen around and that was getting scratched up until I put a runner down.

Feel free to email me with any questions <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />