American cherry is another wood that really gets altered after a refinish. What I mean is the wood goes from a darker red to a very light red. The wood will then begin morphing to a darker red after many months. When the ultraviolet coats were added to the floor and it looked phenomenal. The wood grain is very apparent since the UV cured floor finish is crystal clear. This specific house might have had the best setting in Boise. The whole A-Max team was pretty jealous (a good jealousy!) of the river going right through the backyard of this house. We worked with a contractor from Arizona. He might have been the most laid back guy I have ever met in construction. It was such a relief to work with such a professional as this was to be our first ever UV (Ultra Violet) cured floor project we have done for a customer.
Before Pictures:
The floor had carpet over it and had many tack strips and nail holes. The board planks were cupped from either no acclimation or some weather changes.
After Pictures:
All nail-holes were gone and could not be noticed! The floor was perfectly flat at the end.
The Sanding Process:
- Pre-Fill all holes from the carpet strips
- 60 grit at 30 degree angle
- 60 grit straight with the grain
- 80 grit edger
- vacuum
- 60 grit trio
- vacuum
- 100 grit trio
- 100 grit orbital
- vacuum
- 120 grit orbital
- 120 grit trio
- vacuum
- swiffer
- waterpop
- seal
- buff
- body builder
- finish
The end product was finally finished late on the 2nd night. With the floor fully cured and in shoes (yes shoes!) the floor was presented to the contractor and the tile guys there. They absolutely loved the transformation and could not believe it!