Which varnish to choose for parquet

Parquet is a very aesthetic covering that looks beautiful, luxurious and interesting, and also fits a large number of different interior styles. But it also has its own maintenance requirements, failure to comply with which will lead to the coating losing all its attractiveness in a very short time.

To prevent this from happening, the parquet must be varnished regularly. But how to understand all this variety of assortment provided on the modern market? How to choose an option that is ideal for you and your coating? You will learn about all this in this article.

Which varnish to choose for parquet

In order to avoid an annoying mistake in choosing, you should understand what parameters should deserve the closest attention.

Let's take a closer look at the most important of them.

Criterias of choice

The first thing you need to consider is the type of wood from which the parquet is made. Each breed has its own characteristics - color, strength, density and others. A varnish intended for another type of wood will simply be useless when used in tandem with parquet. In most cases, the necessary information is indicated on the packaging, so under no circumstances grab the first jar you come across, especially the one that costs the least.

Also pay attention to the room in which the parquet is installed. Its purpose plays an important role here. For example, rooms in an ordinary apartment do not need high-strength parquet, which means you need to buy the appropriate coating. Other high traffic areas may require a different type of varnish that will provide the most durable finish.

IMPORTANT! If you cannot understand the parameters provided on the package, then consult the seller. Surely he knows more about the range provided and will help you choose exactly what suits your needs.

Types of varnishes, purpose, features

Let's take a closer look at the types of varnishes and their differences. This will be useful for those who have never treated their parquet before and have not yet found exactly the option that would suit them in every way.

There are quite a large number of species.

Primer

This varnish is not applied as a separate coating, but before the last layer of the main one. Its auxiliary effect turns out to be very useful not only for maintaining the ideal appearance of the parquet, but also for increasing its strength.

Thus, primer varnish helps:

• achieve an even and uniform color of the coating;
• protects parquet from dirt, dust and other environmental influences;

IMPORTANT! Please note that the primer must be combined with the base varnish. Otherwise, the result may be very unsatisfactory. Correcting the error will require repeated efforts and unnecessary waste of money.

Another advantage is that the primer coating reduces the consumption of the final varnish. Therefore, when going to the store, you should think about the need to purchase it.

Water based

This type of varnish is most often chosen due to its low price and satisfactory quality. There are several subspecies that differ from each other by the presence of special solvents in their composition.

After application and complete drying, a film is formed on the surface that protects the parquet from the effects of time and the environment. Other advantages include the absence of a strong unpleasant odor, as well as complete immunity to fire.

But there are also disadvantages, which, however, are not so significant for owners of ordinary city apartments. The varnish can only be applied using a roller, and it does not have much protection or durability.

Alkyd

This varnish contains special resins and oils. With its help, you can make parquet visually even more aesthetically pleasing without the risk of adhesives getting into the joints of the coating. This will leave the possibility of later installation of the floor.

Unfortunately, this substance has quite a few disadvantages - it is critically unsuitable for rooms with high temperatures, because it will have to be constantly reduced. If you apply too much polish, it may bubble or shrink, ruining the visual effect.

Professionals and experienced craftsmen strongly advise not to use this option for covering the floor - the best solution would be to cover varnished wooden furniture. In this case, the wood will always look great, because the effect on the furniture and on the floor is significantly different.

Polyurethane

Urethane-based varnishes do not contain water, which allows them to dry faster than all other types of coatings.

This is one of the most successful options, which eliminates the need for preliminary priming, perfectly protects the parquet, and also has excellent resistance to temperature changes and moisture.

IMPORTANT! In addition to the fact that polyurethane varnishes have excellent durability and are perfect for rooms of any traffic, various aromatic additives are often added to their composition. Therefore, you do not have to worry about an unpleasant odor during application of the composition.

Formaldehyde

Another great option would be formaldehyde varnish. Formaldehyde, the presence of which often scares away potential buyers, is completely harmless in this case. It will immediately evaporate from the surface of the parquet, but the excellent coating result will remain.

Good durability, the absence of any restrictions in application and absolute indifference to temperature changes make this varnish one of the best for covering parquet.

The only downsides that can be noted are the unpleasant odor during application and the presence of an adhesive substance in the composition. Penetration into the joints of the parquet can lead to them sticking together and further installation will be very difficult.

Conclusion

Now you know about the types of parquet varnishes and the criteria for their selection.

With the help of this useful knowledge, you will be able to choose the best option, which will have only minor disadvantages for you and the most significant advantages!