Gerson Tack Cloths

When you walk on a floor for years on end, you really get to ­know it well. And, in my 22 year-old home, I\'m familiar ­with every nook, scratch and divot in my home\'s ­satin-finished hardwood floors. When we first moved in, our ­home\'s new, red oak floors were sealed with a ­builder-grade, oil-based, polyurethane finish. They looked ­great for about a year or so, until the natural oak color ­started to turn yellow. A few years later, we replaced the ­dining room carpet with oak, and had the entire area sanded ­and refinished so it blended together. The waterborne finish ­which our contractor applied (a different Bona Kemi ­product), looked good for a year or so, but quickly began to ­show numerous scratches, and several years later had lost ­its luster almost completely. (The sandbox just outside the ­patio door may have contributed to the dullness). So, three ­years ago, when we began our kitchen remodel, we decided to ­replace the rest of the carpet in our adjacent family room, ­and embark on what we hoped would be our final sanding and ­refinishing job. That\'s when I researched my options for ­our wood floor finish. I knew I didn\'t want to return to ­the old oil-based polyurethane, which had yellowed terribly, ­but I also sought a finish which would hold up better than ­the previous water-based finish, and would look great for ­years (hopefully decades!) to come. My research pointed to ­another product from the Bona Kemi line, aptly named Bona ­Traffic. What first attracted me to Bona Traffic was its ­recommendation for both residential and commercial floors. I ­figured, a floor finish meant for commercial floors had to ­be more durable than my previous lighter-duty finish. ­ The Application: First of all, kudos to my husband, who ­works a demanding job during the day and installed the ­hardwood in our living room on nights and weekends! After ­nailing in all those unfinished planks, I decided to treat ­him, and our floors, to a professional sanding, filling and ­refinishing. Our local \"dust free\" wood floor ­specialist told me the sanding and finishing of our 1000 ­square feet of wood floors would take about four days, and ­he was right. After they sanded and filled the floor, we ­opted for a medium-toned, slightly reddish stain. On the ­second day, after they brushed on several coats of stain, ­they began the top coat process. First, a sealer coat was ­applied. Then, two topcoats of Bona Traffic were applied, ­with ample dry time in between. After the second topcoat ­was dry, we were told to stay off the floors for about 5 ­hours, and then walk with stocking feet for about a week, ­while the finish cured completely. I\'m happy to say, these ­instructions were not difficult to follow,even with active ­children, and I\'ve known other folks who had oil-based ­finishes installed who stayed out of their home for a week ­while their finish cured! Also, this Bona Traffic finish ­didn\'t have a strong smell what-so-ever, and we barely ­noticed any odor at all. Right away, I was in love with my ­new, smooth floor finish, and I\'m pleased to say that three ­years later, I\'m still happy with my choice. The ­Results: Overall, our floors have resisted scratching, ­especially in the entryway which just receives foot traffic. ­We are not a stocking-feet only house, and I don\'t require ­guests to remove their shoes to gain entrance to my house. I ­do notice some minor scratching beneath the kitchen table ­and chairs, but the scratches are shallow and only show up ­when I\'m bending down to scrutinize. We clean our floors ­with various products, including Murphy\'s Oil Soap and ­water/vinegar, and the finish has not faded or lost its ­reflective properties. The matte finish remains shiny enough ­to reflect light, but is not overly glossy. And, it\'s ­classified as \"slip resistant\", so Tom Cruise ­will not be filming any movies here in his socks! Over ­the last three years, our oak floors have held up very well, ­even under a herd of kids, but were no match for one ­dinner-party guest, who wore 6\" heels with a nail ­sticking out. Ouch! We now have several divots in the ­entryway which sadly, will never fill in. However, I credit ­Bona Traffic for minimizing any further damage this ­fashionista may have caused! In conclusion, I definitely ­recommend choosing Bona Traffic for your wood floor finish, ­whether you\'re starting from scratch with a new floor ­installation, or are refinishing an older wood floor. This ­is one home improvement product which, so far, is living up ­to its promise of \"unsurpassed durability\". The ­finish went down smoothly and evenly, it dried quickly in ­about three hours, didn\'t smell badly, and is ­\"GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality\". ­And, best of all, we didn\'t need to move out of our house ­during the finishing process. PS ~ An additional ­advantage to Bona Traffic is that the finish can be ­recoated, without requiring a complete sanding and ­refinishing. A system called Bona Prep, which I have not ­tried yet, is supposed to remove surface scratches and ­scuffs when buffed in, and then a new topcoat is applied. My ­floor company recommended having my floors recoated after ­about 5 years of wear, but the finish is holding up so well, ­it may be a decade before this procedure is ­necessary. Recommended: Yes..

Pros: A really durable, light-reflective yet matte finish ­that holds up well to foot traffic. Cons: Some scratching ­has occurred, but it`s not very noticeable unless you look ­very closely. The Bottom Line: In my home, Bona Traffic ­has lived up to its promise of durability. Our floors look ­almost as good today as the day they were finished..