Parquet floor finishing in Kragujevac
The finish is the only layer that actually takes the walking — the timber beneath is protected because the finish wears instead of it. That is why the choice between lacquer and oil, and the number of coats, changes how long the floor lasts and how it is maintained for years afterwards.
2–3 coats
When this is needed
- The floor has just been sanded and is waiting for its finish.
- The lacquer has lost its sheen and gone cloudy, but the wood beneath is sound.
- The surface has become rough and traps dirt.
- The existing finish is flaking off.
- An oiled floor no longer refreshes evenly after maintenance.
What an estimate requires
- A photo taken at a raking angle to the light shows the state of the sheen and visible wear.
- Knowing what the floor was previously coated with determines whether a new finish will bond at all.
- The room and how it is used guide the choice: hallways and kitchens need a tougher finish than a bedroom.
- If there is a dog or a cat in the household, scratch resistance and slip matter more than sheen.
How the process runs
Surface preparation
The floor must be completely clean and dust-free. When coating over an existing finish, the surface is abraded so the new coat has something to key into.
Primer coat
The first coat penetrates the timber and sets the final tone. Some primers deliberately emphasise the grain, others calm it down.
1 coat
Intermediate sanding
After the first coat dries, the wood fibres lift and the surface turns rough. A light abrasion removes them before the next coat.
P150–P220
Finish coats
Applied along the staves, evenly, without dwelling. The number of coats is chosen according to how heavily the room is used and to the manufacturer's instructions.
1–2 coats
Materials and methods
- Waterborne lacquers smell less and are walkable sooner; solvent-based ones give a warmer tone and age differently.
- Oil and hardwax oil do not form a film on the surface but penetrate the timber — the floor is later refreshed in patches, without sanding the whole room again.
- The sheen level (matt, satin, gloss) changes how visible scratches and footprints are: matt hides them best.
- Drying times and coat counts always come from the specific product's data sheet, never from a rule of thumb.
Duration
Drying time between coats is mandatory, and full cure comes considerably later than walkability. Both are specified by the finish manufacturer and shift with room temperature and humidity. The contractor confirms the exact figures before work starts, so you know when you can re-enter the room and when furniture and rugs can go back.
What drives the price
- Floor area and the number of rooms.
- Choice of finish — waterborne lacquer, solvent-based lacquer or hardwax oil.
- Number of coats, according to how heavily the room is used.
- Whether full sanding is needed or only an intermediate abrasion.
- Access to the space and the ability to ventilate it.
What this does not solve
- A finish does not level an uneven floor; every height difference stays visible under the new coat.
- A new coat over a dirty or greasy floor will not bond and will flake later.
- The colour of the timber cannot be changed substantially by the lacquer alone; that requires a stain, agreed separately.
- Coating over an unidentified old finish risks poor adhesion and as a rule calls for a test patch first.
When another solution is needed
- If the wood under the finish is grey or worn through, sanding must come before finishing.
- On oiled floors, a refresh with oil is often enough without a full lacquering cycle.
Common questions about this service
When can you walk on a newly lacquered floor?
Walkability and full cure are two different times, and both are set by the manufacturer of the specific finish. Walkability comes much sooner, but until the finish has fully cured the floor should not be covered with rugs or loaded with heavy furniture. The contractor confirms the exact figures for the chosen product before work begins.
How many coats are applied?
As a rule a primer plus one or two finish coats, but the final number depends on the product and on how much the room is used. A hallway or kitchen justifies an extra coat where a bedroom does not.
Matt or gloss?
Matt and satin hide scratches and footprints better, which makes them easier to live with. Gloss looks more striking immediately after application, but every mark on it is more noticeable.
Does the finish smell strongly?
Waterborne finishes smell noticeably less than solvent-based ones. Whichever is used, the room is ventilated during drying and re-entry is planned according to the manufacturer's instructions.