All the timber flooring was finished yesterday and today it was the job of sanding the floors and applying the final coat of varnish. The timber boards had already had a couple of coats of varnish before being laid, but the final coat seals the floor and all the joints between the boards. It takes around four hours to go off, but it is best left overnight.
Once the varnish has set, we will fit the skirting boards. These have already had one coat of paint. They will need a second, but at least one coat speeds up the process. The varnish is a satin matt. It only looks glossy in the photo below as the varnish is still wet!
The timber boards already have a couple of coats of varnish on them before they are installed. Once the boards are laid, they are sanded and then a final coat of varnish (polyurethane based) is applied using a felt pad. The varnish is poured into a plastic bin bag in a crate. This enables them to dip the pad fully into the varnish before applying.