Description of different types of varnish for parquet, pros and cons of each of them, as well as approximate prices. The modern building materials industry offers a good range of parquet coatings, differing both in chemical composition and in technology of work and technical characteristics. Modern varnishes are divided into several types, each type has its own pros and cons. Let's take everything in order.
Types of parquet flooring:
1. Water-soluble varnishes
Water-based mixtures, in turn, are divided into types, which do not include a solvent, with a solvent content of up to 5% and a content of up to 15%. Regardless of the amount of solvent in the varnish, they all have good adhesion, perfectly emphasize the pattern and texture of the parquet. These types are not toxic, so even allergy sufferers can use them. Another plus of the water-based mixture is that it is not flammable.
Water-soluble varnishes have their drawbacks. One of them is the fragility of the coating. The wear resistance of such a coating can be increased by special additives. Another small drawback is the choice of the tool. You can apply water-based varnish only with a roller, and brushes, spatulas and sponges will not work.
It is not advisable to use these coatings in the corridor, kitchen and other "walk-through" places, but it is suitable for a bedroom or a children's room. Here safety is more important than strength. The price of water-soluble varnishes is not high, a container of 2.5 liters costs about 550 rubles.
Video how to apply water-based parquet varnish
2. Anhydrous polyurethane varnishes
Anhydrous are divided into two types: one-component (PUR-varnishes) and two-component (DD-varnishes). They are distinguished by increased resistance to ultraviolet light and temperature extremes, elasticity, and good adhesion. In two-component species, the strength and elasticity indicators are much higher. And what is important, polyurethane is very durable, adapted to increased stress and abrasion.
This type dries much faster than water-based. When drying polyurethane varnish, you need to monitor the humidity, otherwise bubbles may form during drying, which does not look very nice. But on the other hand, this varnish is not afraid of moisture during operation, so it can be used where there is constant contact with water, for example, a tabletop, street doors, railings, etc. Also, to the pluses, you can add elasticity and the ability to use it without a primer.
The price for it is in the region of 200-265 rubles. per liter.
3. Alkyd varnish (resin based)
Alkyd varnishes are made with the addition of oil resins, which in turn are made from wood or linseed oil. Due to the content of natural oils, this type is perfectly absorbed into the parquet, and they need to be applied in more than one layer. Alkyd varnishes emphasize the beauty of natural wood, its structure. They also lack adhesive properties, which is also an advantage. Of the minuses, it can be noted that it has a reduced wear resistance. You can increase it by adding polyurethane varnish. And it is mainly used in the restoration and manufacture of furniture. Prices for these types of parquet flooring are not high. The cost for 1 liter of "KIRI" ranges from 380 rubles.
4. Acid-curing varnishes (formaldehyde)
This type contains formaldehyde. You shouldn't be afraid of this, it evaporates quickly enough without a trace. But this will take about three days. High toxicity only when working with varnish, a respirator and good ventilation of the room will correct this drawback. But the advantages of acid-curing varnish are obvious - resistance to temperature extremes and increased moisture resistance, good adhesion to wood, and formaldehyde ones are also considered the most resistant and durable.
Various tools can be used to apply the varnish, be it a brush or roller, no pre-primer is required. In rooms with high traffic, this is ideal.
5. Priming varnishes
Priming varieties are used to protect parquet flooring, as well as for better application of the base varnish. The most important thing when buying a primer is its compatibility with the base coat. It dries for about 3 hours. They are used when it is necessary to improve the quality of the top layers of varnish, to obtain an even shade, and also to reduce the adhesive effect of the main coating between the dies. Cost per liter ~ 540 rubles.
Giving different shades to parquet
There are no colored varnishes, or rather they are, but they are not used to cover the parquet, due to their low wear resistance. On the label of the varnish you will see an inscription that it is colorless, but this is not entirely true. Only water-based types do not change the color of the parquet at all. Alkyd and urethane alkyds, as well as acid curing, give the parquet different shades of yellow-amber color. To give the parquet a different color shade, you can use special lapping, they must be applied before the varnish.
After reading these recommendations, you can easily decide which varnish to choose.
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