Oak parquet is a classic among floor coverings. Choosing a varnish for oak stairs Cover oak

Wooden flights of stairs durable and stylistically unique. The woody texture adorns the interior, makes it more natural, and adds tranquility. To emphasize it, varnish coatings are used. There are many of them - with different properties, characteristics and prices. We invite you to find out which varnish to cover the oak staircase with.

You need to choose compounds that emphasize the texture of the wood. They must be transparent. Options with oils in the composition look good. With their help, you can darken the material, making it more aristocratic. They are suitable for oak and other hardwoods.

Types of coatings for oak structures in home

All varnishes form a dense film on the wood. Its characteristics may differ. It can be shiny, matte or glossy. The main question here is what you like best and what suits the overall interior.

Choosing which varnish to cover the oak stairs, many are guided by the price. In fact, completely different coatings can be bought in approximately the same price range. Here are the main ones:

1. Alcohol. Dry very quickly - up to a couple of hours. Plus they are easy to polish. But they are very sensitive to moisture and cold. It is necessary to ensure a stable temperature and humidity regime in room. Alcohol varnishes are used for flights and flights of stairs.
2. Nitrocellulose. They contain plasticizers, resins and solvents in their structure different levels volatility. More resistant to different kinds influences, but indoors they are used not so often. Suitable for outdoor use.
3. Formaldehyde. Rightfully one of the most popular. They are often used in homes, they are resistant and durable. Formaldehyde resins in the composition provide excellent adhesion to wood surfaces. The only drawback is the strong smell. Over time, it wears off, but at first it is better not to inhale it, but to live outside with a staircase.
4. Alkyd. They cover the steps where the stairs are not used too actively. For example, in the country. Such varnishes tolerate mechanical loads well, but by themselves are not durable enough. Can be used as a temporary solution.

Whether there is a general adviceWhat varnish is better to cover oak stairs? Only one. Many masters say that for the steps it is necessary to choose formaldehyde varnish or an analogue for water based... It is better to refuse other types.

The aforementioned alkyd compounds can also be questioned. They penetrate deeply into the wood, but the top ball is very thin. As a result, with active use, it is partially erased after a few months. This option is suitable for oak furniture. But for stairs, it's best to consider an alternative.

Transparent and Opaque Finish: what varnish is better to cover a wooden oak staircase

The oak has a beautiful natural texture. Hiding it behind a layer of paint is often wrong. Therefore, it is wiser to use clear coat. The composition completely covers the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe wood, but does not hide the structure. On the contrary, it emphasizes it, makes it more contrasting and expressive. If there are minor imperfections on the surface, pre-filler may be required. But such a need arises quite rarely.

The varnishing process is simple. The main thing is that the surface is dry and clean. The layer is applied evenly, you need to ensure that there are no drips. After drying, the design will become even more contrasting, it will be better combined with the interior.

Note that the oak darkens over time. This is not due to paintwork, it's just that this breed has such a property.

When are opaque coatings used? Mainly if you want to hide obvious wood defects and wood grain imperfections. In this case, such a varnish is usually applied in several layers. Otherwise, the structure will be viewed. Previously, the old coating must be completely cleaned, primer and putty are performed. And only after that - varnishing.

If you varnish yourself

Any varnishes are toxic. Some are larger, some are smaller. But if you are varnishing a staircase in a residential building, make sure that no one is inside during the work. All work must be done in a special protective mask to avoid poisoning. If the work is carried out in a permanent place of residence, choose the fastest-drying compounds. Otherwise, you will have to temporarily move to a hotel or to your relatives.

It is still better to entrust the work to the masters. So you get excellent result, the coating will be uniform, without streaks and untreated areas of the wood. This is the only way to guarantee a long service life of the entire structure.

When choosing a finish, the overwhelming majority of craftsmen give preference to compositions from natural components, primarily oils. There are many options for impregnating a new board, but practice shows that the most effective solution in this matter is the use of petroleum jelly, which is not difficult to find in a pharmacy.

An alternative vaseline oil can become herbal counterparts, in particular, nut or linseed oil... But, despite the environmental friendliness and simplicity of such a finish, over time it can transmit food in contact with wooden board, unpleasant rancid odor. When covering the product with linseed, petroleum jelly or any other oil, you will have to periodically renew the impregnation, which will wear out as the board is used.

How to oil a cutting board?

The impregnation oil is applied to a well-sanded and dried surface. Evenly distributing a generous amount of the finishing compound with a brush or tampon, it is given the opportunity to soak into the structure of the wood (15-20 minutes), after which the excess is wiped off by running the tampon along the fibers.

A new wooden cutting board is processed in at least two to three layers. Each fresh layer of oil is applied after the previous one has completely dried. This is not very convenient because vegetable oils pretty low. Dry the boards in a well-ventilated area.

Are other finishing compounds hazardous to health?

This question still provokes heated discussions, despite the fact that unambiguous and authoritative answers have long been given to it. For finishing wooden productsin contact with food, you can use any finishing compounds, including oil, polyurethane and nitrocellulose varnishes, shellac coatings and linseed oil. These materials are completely harmless to health, but only after complete drying. This is a very important point!

Before you start using kitchen board, which you decide to paint with one of these compounds, you need to make sure that the coating is completely cured. Remember that the presence of a surface film does not mean that the composition is completely dry inside the wood.

How to keep the attractiveness of the finish?

By following these simple instructions, your cutting board will remain attractive for years to come.

1. Wash the product well after use warm water, if possible with minimal use detergents... Wipe off the remaining moisture without special diligence and do not allow the board to stay in water for a long time.
2. The finish of the kitchen counter needs periodic renewal. Outer layer "Refresh" as it wears off, usually every 4-5 months, depending on the intensity of use of the product. By controlling the condition of the protective layer, you protect the board from cracking, swelling, and mold formation, while maintaining its visual appeal.
3. When working side the boards will be badly damaged by knives, it is sanded and re-finished.

Turning a cutting board into a spectacular decor

Inspired by ideas in our gallery, you can create a product that turns from ordinary household utensils into original decor for your kitchen. Such an expressive and functional piece of furniture will become a spectacular gift, to which no housewife will remain indifferent.

Consider which paint material choose for painting oak boards. Today distinguish different types LMB. The first category is opaque paintwork materials, that is, enamels and paints. They are distinguished on - polyurethane, alkyd and acrylic. They are practically non-toxic and dry out in a short period of time. In addition, when compared with oil paints, which after a couple will begin to crack, they are distinguished by their durability.

Alkyd types of paints are mainly used for wood processing, which will later be used for interior decoration. But acrylic paints are used for wood, which will later be used to decorate the outside of the house. Another variety acrylic paint - it is water-dispersive. It is often used for both indoor and outdoor work. It is durable.

Another category is transparent paintwork materials, which include a component that protects against UV rays. These are all kinds of impregnations, varnishes and stains. It all depends on the area of \u200b\u200bapplication of the boards. If the boards will be used to make a fence in the country, then varnish will do. Distinguish between colorless and tinted varnishes. But the masters recommend applying a stain on a colorless layer of varnish, giving the tree the necessary shade.

Before processing, oak boards need to be prepared. If the boards were previously painted, then the previous layer of paint must be removed with special removers or the surface must be sanded. Smooth the sharp edges of the boards with abrasive paper. The areas where the wood adjoins the painted and unpainted surfaces is thoroughly cleaned and sanded.

Apply a new layer of coating when it adheres perfectly and does not begin to flake off. In addition, it is imperative to find out what kind of means the wood was processed with before, since there are compounds that are incompatible. That is, when working, new paint may lay down in an uneven way, bubbles may appear.

After removed old paint we clean the boards from accumulated dust and dirt. Then a primer is applied and at the end the surface is allowed to dry.

Stages of painting oak boards

Consider several ways to paint oak boards, depending on the material chosen.

If you want to apply on oak planks oil paints or varnishes, then for painting we use a brush with soft bristles. Apply the mixture with smooth movements. Such material is applied in a couple of layers, and we wait until any of the applied layers dries. Alcohol-based varnishes do not need to be used for outdoor use.

Now let's look at how to work with impregnations. You can use any tool to apply such mixtures. For example, brushes with rollers. After painting wooden surfaces, we protect them from external influences.

Each of us, at least once in our life, faced the problem of choosing and searching for a product with a set of desired characteristics. Remember how in a famous movie:

• Do you have exactly the same one, but with mother-of-pearl buttons?
• Will seek!

With a choice parquet boards usually the same thing happens. Of course, if you have a lot of money and complete absence If you want to spend time thinking over the design of your house (summer house, apartment), then you can turn to the services of a designer. In this case, you will greatly facilitate your life and your wallet, but are you sure that the result will meet your expectations?

This article was written for other categories of people:

• For those who are not ready to spend money on the services of an interior designer (due to the lack of "extra" money or because of distrust based on past experience);
• For those who have taste and enjoy direct participation in the process of creating the interior of their hearth;
• For those who are so fastidious and pretentious that they can only be satisfied with the decision that they made on their own and only the work that they have done with their own hands.

Today you can find on sale a parquet board made of various types of wood, including species exotic for our country. Many manufacturers offer a parquet board that already has protective covering, applied in the factory, and has a certain tinting (the wood is given a certain color that differs from its natural color). On the one hand, it is very convenient, because having bought a board of the breed you are interested in and the desired color, you just have to lay it and the floor is ready. But on the other hand, in most cases, you will not be able to find "exactly the same, but with mother-of-pearl buttons." Each manufacturer has in its assortment a certain number of colors and a certain number of species, as a protective coating - a traditional varnish. As soon as you want to buy a board of a certain breed and a certain tinting (different from the set of "standard" colors), you will face a problem. If you decide to use not varnish as a protective coating, but for example oil and wax, you will face a problem. Is there really no way out? There is. There is only one way out - to purchase a parquet board of your chosen breed, without coating.

A lot of people come to us and more than half of them ask a question about what are the options for the protective coating of a parquet board. What are the options for laying the board. What are the options for coloring the board.

What has long been forgotten in our country is flourishing in Western Europe. Remember the shops called DIY? In English it sounds like Do it yourself and it has become fashionable. This phrase has been transformed into the abbreviation DIY (pronounced as "DiaWay") and is promoted in the Western world as a way to break the boundaries of standard solutions, give flight to your imagination and even save money. Today in our country more and more more people choose parquet and solid-solid floorboard without cover. Buying a high-quality uncoated parquet board, you get a floor with a finely sanded surface, suitable for any size of the room and does not require sanding or primary sanding. After installation, the floor can be coated with oil or varnish according to your wishes, with the possibility of pre-tinting the floor in the desired color or tone.

So, what is a floorboard protective coating and what are the options?

A protective coating of a parquet board is understood as a coating that can protect the board from moisture and pollution. The traditional protective coating is varnish, but there is another, less advertised, but widely used option - oil, wax, oil + wax.

Varnish, oil, wax? Advantages, disadvantages, features.

PARQUET LACQUER, GENERAL INFORMATION

Parquet varnish - is the most durable protective coating. Its strength will depend on the chosen varnish brand and type. Parquet varnishes are water-based (this does not mean that after application it can be washed off with water), alkyd-based, acrylic-based and nitrovarnishes. Nitro varnishes dry almost instantly, the drying time for parquet varnishes on water, acrylic and alkyd bases is longer. IN recent times specially formulated “deck” or yacht varnishes are gaining popularity. Distinctive feature deck varnishes are their increased strength (resistance to wear, abrasion) and increased resistance to moisture.

Today, water-based parquet varnishes are produced on two binders: polyurethane and / or acrylate.

Water-based parquet varnishes on pure polyurethane, have good wear resistance. But they are not resistant enough to chemical influences, moreover, they do not tolerate alcohol well. If vodka is poured on such a floor, then an indelible stain may remain on the varnish film.

Acrylic based waterborne varnishes dry faster and are difficult to scratch (which is important if you have a dog in the house). True, it wears off faster than polyurethane varnish. This, you know, is bad, because the main function of varnish is to protect the parquet. But the price of acrylic-based varnishes is cheaper.

The new polyurethane / acrylic hybrid varnishes are advanced fatty acid based polyurethane varnishes. These varnishes have exceptional wear resistance, which is very important, as you probably already understood. They are also resistant to chemical attack. When this varnish is applied to wood, especially oak, the wood is slightly “set on fire”.

Acetate nitro-lacquers are falling out of use today due to their content a large number aggressive volatile substances, which imposes increased requirements for compliance with safety measures when applying these varnishes.

PARQUET VARNISHES, APPLICATION

Usually the varnish is not applied directly to the board. First, the board is covered with a primer varnish. The primer must be compatible with the varnish - have the same base (water, acrylic, alkyd or nitro) as the varnish. If you neglect this rule and apply, for example, nitro varnish over a primer that has alkyd base, you might encounter collapsing. It looks about the same as curdled milk (the primer can flake off and roll into flakes). When choosing a primer and finishing parquet varnish carefully read the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer. Using a primer and topcoat from the same manufacturer will save you unpleasant surprises.

Application methods may vary depending on different manufacturers, but in general they are common:

• a primer (priming varnish) is applied to a sanded, dry, dust-free board. After hardening, the surface is sanded. Sanding is necessary because the first layer, be it a primer varnish or an ordinary parquet varnish, raises the pile on the wood;
• then parquet varnish is applied in several layers with intermediate drying of the layers. If necessary, repeated intermediate grinding... The recommended number of layers of parquet varnish is 2-3. For an area with a high load (the number of people living more than 6 people and there are animals), it is recommended to apply 4 layers. Can be applied and large quantity layers, but it must be borne in mind that this will significantly increase the terms of work (taking into account the need for intermediate drying of each layer).

PARQUET VARNISHES, DISADVANTAGES

Possessing undoubted advantages, parquet varnishes, nevertheless, are not devoid of disadvantages, which include the following:

• the complexity and duration of the procedure for applying to a wooden floor;
• the need to attach felt pads to the furniture legs and use special parquet rollers for armchairs and sofas in order to protect the parquet varnish from scratches;
• fear of alcoholic liquids, various household chemicals (depending on the type of parquet varnish);
• fear of freezing and overheating, as a result of which the varnish can irreversibly turn white or even peel off (depending on the type of selected parquet varnish);
• parquet varnish is prone to scratching; you cannot walk on it in shoes with metal heels;
• in case of damage to the lacquer coating (formation deep scratches, chips, white spots) it is often impossible to carry out local repairs. In this case, it becomes necessary to completely scrape the parquet with the subsequent application of a new varnish coating.

PARQUET OIL & WAX

PARQUET OIL and WAX, GENERAL

An oiled parquet floor has a much more natural look than a varnished parquet floor. Oil saturates the wood, beautifully emphasizing its texture. The oily and wax composition can be applied to the surface of the parquet board without special equipment. The application process is quite simple and quick, which in itself is a significant advantage of this type of protective coating. There are several types of coatings for wood floor oil and wax based:

• covering the wooden floor with oil;
• waxing the wooden floor;
• covering a wooden floor with an oil-wax composition;

PARQUET OIL, APPLICATION

In this case, oil is applied to the finished flooring (parquet floor or floorboard). It is recommended to apply the oil… with a spatula! Do not be embarrassed, the oil is usually a viscous but very fluid liquid and has the consistency of a motor or sunflower oil... Spatula application is a recommendation. Basically, you just spill some oil on the floor and scatter it in a thin layer with a spatula. You can use cotton fabric. Apply the oil in a thin layer. After about 20 minutes a second coat is applied. Puddles should not be allowed to form. Excess oil is removed with a cotton cloth. The oil is then allowed to soak into the wood and harden for about 10 hours, but it is recommended that the floor be kept for at least 24 hours without stress. The oil is always applied in at least two coats. Oil saturates the pores of the wood, preventing water and dirt from entering them, and in addition forms on the floor surface protective layer... Oiled wood flooring is protective, has its own advantages and disadvantages. The oil can be either transparent or with the addition of dyes (two in one - impregnating floor protection and its simultaneous tinting in the desired color or shade). An oiled wood floor looks very natural, but will generally be matte (no gloss). Need a gloss? No problem - read below!

PARQUET WAX APPLICATION

The wax is applied to the wood floor either as a stand alone coating or as an additional coating over the oil and enhances protective properties the resulting coverage. In addition, wax is used to give the flooring a glossy shine. Typically, wax is a non-flowing substance, similar in color and consistency to candied honey. The wax is applied to the surface of the parquet board with a thin layer, after which it must be allowed to dry and you can start polishing. Polishing can be done with a floor polisher, polishing machine, by hand with a cotton cloth or with grinder with a polishing pad attached to it.

Hybrid oil-wax formulations

There are hybrid oil-wax compositions designed to protect wood floors, which, like oil, impregnate the wood and, in addition, form a thin, rather tough, slightly glossy film on the surface that protects the board from mechanical stress. Such formulations, in essence, are "two in one".

ADVANTAGES of oil and wax based coatings:

• Simplicity and speed of application;
• Absolute environmental friendliness and harmlessness;
• Ease of repair - allows local repair in case of mechanical damage to the wood simply by re-impregnating the damaged area with oil and applying wax (if it was used before) without sanding the entire floor. Repair time no more than 1 hour;
• Easy to renew the coating (giving the floor its original cleanliness and shine) by using care products from the same manufacturer, whose wax and oil were used. The essence of the action of these funds is to dissolve and wash off the upper layer of wax that accumulates dust in microcracks - along with this dust. After that, the floor can be waxed again and it will look like new;
• The ability to use not only colorless, transparent oil, but also oil with the addition of dyes of a certain color. In this case, impregnating the board with such an oily composition, you not only protect it, but at the same time paint it in the desired tone or color;
• It is worth noting that for artificially aged boards, it is recommended to use a protective coating exclusively based on oil and wax, since this is the most natural combination for the old style. Before finishing the surface of an aged board, it is tinted in one of the many ways to give the effect of darkening over time or, for example, the effect of staining oak.

PARQUET OIL, DISADVANTAGES

The disadvantages parquet flooring on the basis of oil and wax, it is possible to attribute the need to refresh them 1-3 times a year (depending on the type of materials selected and the characteristics of the floor in a particular case). Compared to regular varnish oil formulations more laborious to care for, but over time they only become more beautiful.

• Bona (Sweden) www.bona.com
• Loba (Germany) www.loba.de
• Belinka (Slovenia) www.belinka.si

Forget fancy finishes. Use these four ways to identify various features red oak.

1 Impeccable simplicity

First, generously cover the surface with linseed oil. Reapply it where it has soaked into the wood, then wipe dry. When drying out, drying oil can protrude to the surface, forming solid clots. Wipe off these formations every hour until they stop appearing. The product covered with linseed oil should dry from four to seven days.

• Top cover. Combine two parts of polyurethane with one part of white spirit and stir. With some skill, it is possible to increase the polyurethane content to three parts to one part white spirit for a thicker paint film with each application.
• Coating. Apply with a clean cloth swab. Use the same cloth to remove streaks before they dry.
• The number of layers. Apply at least three coats.

2 Golden shade in one go

Coatings and methods of their application

• Surface preparation. Sand the wood surface to be prepared with 180 grit sandpaper. Wipe the surface with mineral spirits to reveal scratches, which will be accentuated by the stain and pearlescent effect.
• Staining / coloring. And without dye, you can get any shade.

3 Rich and dark, but not complex

Coatings and methods of their application

To uncoverthe stained areas are not too prominent, staining and staining should be done before assembly.

• Surface preparation. Polish wooden surface sandpaper up to 150 grit, wipe damp clothto lift the pile and remove it by re-sanding. For strong adhesion, protect all joint surfaces with masking tape prior to finishing.

4 Low odor - choice for interior decoration