We need to hire someone to refinish our 40 yr. old white oak floors. We've been through the oil vs. water based debates and have narrowed down to a couple of contractors that will use oil based finish. The new question is: 2 or 3 coats of finish over a coat of sealer?

Based on the pricing, my impression is that the extra coat is the real money maker and that's why they dangle it. The only explanation I get from either contractor is that "it's a better finish". I don't know what products they use or how much of it they use or what other variables there are that are more important than how many coats, but any opinions on the number of coats?

Thanks.

The sealer is a coat. 3 more is overkill.

so if my 2 contractors who seen my fllors say 3 coats is best for my floors, that is overkill? and Oil Based Polyurethane or Water Based Polyurethane which is better?

SEALER ACTS AS A 3RD COAT, THEN GO WITH 2 OILBASED POLY COATS.

iF i was putting down waterbased I might go with the third coat, water tends to go on thinner than oil so you might need that third coat to get the build the same as it would be with two coats of oil.

The final finish is going to be satin but say that they start with gloss to get more solids down, making a better finish. This sounds sensible but is this just talk or a good idea?

They use Harvester - Gym Finish 55 and 56 oil based poly.

Many finishers believe that using satin for 1st and 2cd coats before final will cause the finish to be "cloudier". If they can produce a floor with the results you are looking for, I personally don't think it matters. The only difference between a gloss and satin poly is the addition of glass beads as a flattening agent. Using gloss for your first two coats won't make it thicker, harder, better, etc. IMO, it doesn't matter.

There is a misconception with tfloor finish that more solids equates a more durable finish, its just not that way. It has much more to due with the quality and type of solids thats left behind when the solvents are gone not how much of it is there.

I'am very impressed on how my floors came out. I just had 1000 sq feet sand, refinish with 3 coats of clear satin minwax oil based polyurthane and a sealer and the 3rd coat they mixed 2 differnt kinds of polyurthane, which are MINWAX AND ABSCO PROFESSIONAL SEMI-GLOSS POLYURTHANE. Why they mixed it, I don't understand?? Any how I love the floors, they did one hell of a job. The 1st day they worked over 12 hrs sanding, buffing, cleaing up and putting down the 1st coat and a sealer, the next 2 days they came and recoatd the floors and in between coats they used a paint thinner to clean the floors. e-mail and I can show pictures of the job they did. OIL BASED is awesome!!