When it comes to protecting any hardwood floors , here are directions on the right and wrong way of using mastic tapes, normal or low tack on wax oil finishes, and water based polyurethane lacquers and the does and don’ts of how to go about protecting when you need to continue with remedial works when floors are newly polished.
Most important is full curing time and not the cured drying time , which people can misunderstand completely , as all lacquers vary in a large way depending on type of application, how many coats and finishes . Best curing time regardless of product is 21 – 30 days plus , depending on domestic or commercial finish
Protecting hardwood floors, especially those with specialized finishes like wax oil, water-based polyurethane, and lacquers requires careful consideration of the materials and methods used. Here’s a structured overview of best practices and common pitfalls regarding the use of tapes and other protective measures for these types of finishes
Underfloor Heating.
Never cover your floors with anything plastic or plastic coated sheets, especially plastic cori board when floors are down and heating is on . If left on floors with heating on, this will cause floors to heat up too much and sweet , which in turn can leave your new floors badly damaged and shocked .Best to always use a breathable membrane or 3mm sheets of wall board laid loosely around floor areas of work and if heating is to stay on to place it at a low temperature .
Newly Lacquered Floors
With No underfloor heating , again it is always wise to cover all floors with a wallboard or a cori board sheet with joints taped , this will stop any dirt from getting on to polished floors . Never use any tapes for long periods of time painters tape or low tack , but only if floors have cured after 30 days . These will damage finishes and remove polishes and colouring tones if left for long periods of time or before curing has happened . If tape needs to be applied, remove it as soon as you have completed your work as a lot of products can take from 21 days -30 days plus to fully cure out and bond
With painter’s tape or low-tack adhesive tape that’s specifically designed for delicate surfaces it is always wise to perform a small test in an inconspicuous area to check for any adverse reaction with the finish. Do not use duct tape, masking tape, or any tape that has a strong adhesive, as these can damage any finish. Using blue masking tape (often referred to as painter’s tape), which is designed to have a low adhesive strength, is generally considered acceptable for use on hardwood floors with water-based polyurethane or lacquer finishes, only if proper curing times have passed after they have been polished. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind to ensure the safety and integrity of your newly polished floors.
1. Ensure that the tape is labeled as safe for use on finished surfaces. Most painter’s tapes designed for delicate surfaces should be safe.
2. Make sure the hardwood floor has fully cured after the application of the water-based finish. Typically, this can take up to 30 days, although the initial drying may happen sooner depending on application
4. Remove the tape promptly after completing your work . Leaving it on for prolonged periods of time , especially in humid conditions, can risk adhesive residue or damage to the surface.
5.Before applying it across a large area, test the tape in an inconspicuous spot to see if there’s any adverse reaction with the finish.
Best Practices:
When applying the tape, use a straight edge to ensure clean lines and prevent any tape from hanging over the edge, which could cause peeling.
Make sure that the lacquer or polyurethane is completely dry and fully cured before applying tape, as adding tape to a wet or curing surface can cause issues , 30 days rule
Be mindful of environmental conditions. High humidity or temperature extremes can affect both the adhesive and the finish of the floors regardless if it’s low tack or not and especially on underfloor heating systems. Unfortunately, there are many pitfalls with these tapes as products and finishes improve
In summary, using blue masking tape on water-based polyurethane and lacquered hardwood floors is generally safe, provided you take the necessary precautions with full curing times and they have now on the market new and improved tapes of Low tack and Ultra low tack tapes in blue , red , yellow & purple which all have different strengths of adhesion , so doing a test area on new floors is a must .
