I recently finished a new floor I installed in my home (hickory). It took me 2 trys to get it to an acceptable state. On the first try, I had 'tiger stripes' where I cut out of the room across the grain. Was using Bona Drifast sealer and it apparently it seals the wood quickly so that when I crossed the grain over a few areas I already touched, it dried a different amber color.

I sanded that down and got it right the second time. My new problem is I have a few lap marks in the layers of traffic I put down. Any techniques on getting these out other than a full screen/recoat?

Thanks! And let me admit - you pros are definitely worth the money. This was quite a learning experience and although I'm happy with the outcome, it took me several months of devoted weekends to get it done....

Bona traffic is difficult waterborne to apply. you picked about the hardest one for a beginner!. It is very thick and does not level out like some thinner finished so you really have to take your time and "airplane" the turn marks at the top and bottom of the room and use EVEN pressue with the T bar. Dont put too much finish or too little.

You can try to hand scrape the lap marks out or hand sand but your going to have to screen and go again. I had the same problem the first time I used traffic and had to recoat. I dont use Bona products for that reason. When I use waterbase I use Basic emulsion and a coat of streetshoe as the last coat. easier to apply and every bit as hard if not harder. Anyway good luck. I know traffic isnt cheap so a recoat will hurt if you need to do that.

I went back and forth between Basic and Bona before finishing, and I had more folks telling me Bona. But I definitely figured out why it is only available to pros.

I think the main problem is I used too wide of a t-bar that became difficult to control. I have a hallway that is 4.5 feet wide and 45 feet long - I did the entire length with a cut in pad and it came out beautiful. It was only in my kitchen where I had to jockey around the island and was using the t-bar, which resulted in a few lap marks. The dining room and living room are wide open, and that came out very well.

I'm reticent to do a complete screen and recoat (I'm looking at 1300 feet here), but I will if that is the only way.

I did 'polish' out a lap mark in a 'hidden' area last night. Used 400 and 600 grit wet sand paper and blended with very fine steel wool. The finish is now smooth, but the sheen is definitely different.

I read in another post it is possible to tape out the board(s) impacted and just screen and recoat those. Do you think this may work with Bona?

Thanks for all the help - this forum is great!

Yes. You can try to tape off the area/ you want to tape right along the edges of the boards. If the laps aren't big you can tape off a relatively small area and hand sand or scrape the lap mark out. If tye area the lap mark is in is not too long then tape from wall to wall in a straight line and give yourself a rectangle to re touch. If its a large area then basically tapr aropund the lap mark. Traffic is a finnicky finish to touch up. When you re apply the finish dont put it on as thick as you did when doing your full coats, apply a thinner coat and take your tape off fairly soon, dont let it skin over of dry or you'll be left with an edge on the new finish...Good luck. You can also call the customer service number at Bona, some of the tech guys really know there stuff and practice this stuff all the time during schools etc'

Go to Sherwin Williams paint store and get some Dove white rollers. Made by Purdy.

keep a wet edge.

I have found that sometimes if you let Traffic and Mega sit awhile those lapmarks will kind of even out due to aging. I have been using Bona finishes for 2 years now and if they are not terrible they might age out. let it sit a couple of weeks if you can and see what happens.