Successfully refinishing a hard surface floor depends a great deal on how the finish is actually applied.
 
According to Rob Dodson, product manager for  Betco Corporations floor care division, "There is a step-by-step process that must be followed when applying floor finish. This helps ensure the finish is properly applied and all areas of the floor are coated."
 
Dodson says the process of applying finish starts at the room's entrance. Here, the technician begins by walking around all four walls of the room, applying finish along the baseboards. "This is often called 'cutting' the floor," says Dodson.
 
Once this step is complete, the technician makes a 180-degree turn, moves over to the edge of the third wall (furthest from the entrance) and starts applying finish in a back-and-forth "figure-eight" pattern, walking backward.
 
With this area completed, the technician then turns around and continues applying finish in a back-and-forth pattern, again walking backward, until the next section of the floor is finished. Eventually, the process ends where it started-at the first wall and entrance to the room.
 
"With the back-and-forth pattern, there is invariably an overlap," says Dodson. "This helps ensure that finish is applied to all areas of the floor."
 
If performed properly, this step-by-step process helps provide complete floor finish coverage and guarantees that the technician never has to walk over an area of the floor where the floor finish might not be thoroughly dry.  
However, Dodson says, this application process must be repeated at least four times, because it typically takes about four to six coats of finish to adequately protect flooring and produce a shine.
 
"This is actually one of the most time-consuming parts of the job," continues Dodson. "Fortunately, at least one floor finish is available that dries in 10 to 15 minutes, significantly reducing the [amount of time] to complete this part of the job."

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