A Special Project During a Challenging Time
Recently, LED Coating Solutions received a call from a woman seeking our opinion on a potential project. The roof of her building had just suffered a fire, and with it, water was able to get into her apartment and damage her floors. As a single mom and caregiver to her mother (who is currently battling cancer), she knew she couldn’t withstand the five to six-day timeline other flooring companies were quoting her. Not only would building fire codes prevent her from leaving furniture out in the hallways for days on end, but most importantly, she worried about the vapors her mother would breathe in during the curing process.
Touched by her story, Archetypal Imagery and LED Coating Solutions CEO, Avedis Duvenjian, decided he wanted to help, and at no cost to this woman who was so clearly going through a challenging time. With LED-cured oils, he knew he could complete this wood floor refinishing project in one day with a bit of assistance.
Avedis quickly called up his friend Cesar Cardona of Cardona Flooring and asked him and his team to be a part of this special project. The apartment was less than 1,000 sq. ft with two bedrooms and the living room/dining room in need of floor refinishing. The thought was to sand and finish simultaneously across the apartment with two sets of equipment to get the work done even quicker.
The Challenges
Of course, this project did not come without its challenges. While most of the family’s belongings could be put out in the hallway while we worked, there were larger items, such as a piano and sizeable armoire that simply wouldn’t fit through the door. Fortunately, however, as LED-finished products allow for quick curing, our team was able to move the furniture to one side of the room while we refinished the other, then vice versa.
Not long after getting to work, however, a fuse was blown – and it wouldn’t be the last time throughout the day. We contacted the building’s superintendent and found out the fuse box was in the basement, got everything back up and running, and continued on.
At times, it felt as though it would be impossible to get everything done in one day because of all the roadblocks, but we put our all into ensuring we could deliver on our promise. We started the project at 9am, and 10 hours later, we were done. Our client and her family could return to their home that same day.
Burnishing & LED Cured Wood Coating: The Results
One thing to note about this project is that the flooring was not your typical hardwood; it was parquet flooring. Parquet wood flooring consists of smaller wood pieces placed together in a geometric pattern, and the sanding and refinishing process can be quite complex due to the varying directions of the wood grain. If you roll it or use a T-bar applicator, you will end up with visible lines. By using a burnishing technique, however, we were able to achieve an exceptionally smooth semi-gloss finish.
As a reminder, this project was a full refinish – not just adding a new coat. Our team went through every stage of the process, from floor preparation and sanding to staining and finishing. Accomplishing such a feat in 10 hours would not have been possible without the dedication of such professionals, as well as the advanced technology of LED. The LED process is what not only dries the finish in such a short amount of time, but cures it and allows it to reach maximum hardness and durability. Without LED, it could have taken weeks or even months for these floors to fully cure.
Watch the full video and see how this wood floor refinishing project was accomplished, and to witness the client’s touching reaction when she was told she would not be charged for the work. As always, we invite you to contact LED Coating Solutions to learn more about LED-cured oils and how we can help you today.