I installed a prefinished floor for a customer and they questioned whether there was any benefit to adding a couple coats of finish to seal the flooring. She said a friend of hers had it done in an upscale home and liked the result.

My suggestion was that there is not a finish that can be placed on the flooring that would be better then a factory finish but did not have the knowledge to say if there was any benefit or not to adding another coat and that I would look into it.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Keith

Why do it right away? Wait till the finish starts to look iffy, then make the manufacture ppay for it.

I wonder if her friend had some kind of issues with her pre-finished floor after installation, like the sheen. Or the retailer saw dollar signs , and gave her some line about upgrading the finish.

There was a dealer out here that would sell people on a coat or two, telling them it would seal the seams What happens when the floor needs to be re-coated in 5 years, and the customer finds out they had a 25 year finish warranty, before it was coated.

IMO it would lesson the durability, and doesnt compare to a factory finish.
Definetely would void any warranties.

I agree that most factory applied finishes are superior to those applied onsite. The argument that adding a topcoat to a prefinished floor will "seal" the seams depends on many factors.
* Do the seams need sealing?
* Are there gaps in the installation?
* Is the floor a solid or engineered?
* Is the factory applied finished on the edge of the boards as well as the top?
* How tight does the floor fit together?

And so on. If the floor expands and contracts much, it could develop WLS. If it's an engineered and fits well, like Lauzon Next Step, then the "seams" are not an issue. If it's some low grade, ill fitting Bruce floor, then perhaps more finish would benefit the overall installation. As in most cases, there is no "one size fits all" answer.

Seams to me (pardon the pun ), that the manufacturers IMO run the stain & finish slightly over the edge, for overwood issues.
If a floor is maintained properly, sealing down in the seams shouldnt be an issue. I do see the point about maybe sealing gaps , down the road. But upon selling the job & installation the floor shouldnt be gapped or , I dont think require a topcoat.

I agree for the most part. As I said, most factory finishes are superior to on site applied finishes. But sometimes, I am asked to do this for various reasons. Three recent jobs:

1) A bamboo floor installed by others ( not very well done IMO ). They used different types of bamboo in different areas and there was a sheen difference. Plus, by the time the builder had completed the job, the floors were scuffed and there were some adhesive smears and spots here and there. The owners and the builder wanted more finish applied. I educated them both on what top coating would and would not do before agreeing to do the job. I even told the builder that a good cleaning should be adequate but he still wanted a top coat applied. Why argue?

2) A cork tile job where the tiles weren't of an even sheen. Again, a shoddy install IMO. But the builder was SO happy to get it done fast and cheap. Now, he had to pay me to make his "fast and cheap" floor look better. I asked him if the installers rolled the floor. He said he didn't think so. Some of the edges were uneven and looked lifted up. After consulting with the manufacturer, it turns out they use BONA Traffic on their cork tiles. So after proper prep, I applied an additional coat of Traffic. It looked much better.

3) Another "builder special" where his own crew attempted to nail down a pre-finished Junkers floor ( yes, Junkers does make some nail down floors it seems ). Anyway, typical complaints. Scuffs and scratches from the install, not filling some face-nailed holes, some glues smudges, etc. Again, after proper prep, an additional coat of Traffic looked much better. The only downside to this job was all the can lights. Every tiny little spec showed. I was meticulous in my prep and cleaning. Still, can lights in a kitchen are KILLER for a finisher.

Each of these floors were "saved" by adding a top coat. But it should not have been necessary had the installers been top flight. So typical in this business. Hire the low bidder, get a so-so floor with "issues", then hire the pro to come in and "save the day". Sometimes, I just want to scream. But the mindset will never go away. I run across it everyday.

The floor is in great shape. There are very few areas if any that have any flaws. I installed it myself a month ago. It came up because

1. another person had it down and the customer liked the look.
2. The customer is having her new tiles sealed and thought that might be a good idea for the floors.

My concern was that I was not sure of the pros and cons of having a floor resurfaced so soon after installation so I could not give an informed answer.