Polyurethane Flooring

One of the best finishes you can apply to your floor is polyurethane. Polyurethane protects floors and helps them looking new for years to come. Polyurethane, sometimes called urethane (‘Urethane’ is chemically ethyl carbamate and has nothing do with polyurethane) is produced by the reaction of a polyol i.e., an alcohol with more than one hydroxyl group with a dissocynate. Polyurethane was discovered by Otto Bayer in 1937 in Germany.

The Second World War ensured that its application was limited to coating airplanes during the war years. Once the war was over, polyurethane came into its own and started gaining ground as a versatile material from the mid 1950’s onwards. It can be used for just about anything – flooring finish, resin and upholstery. The use of polyurethane as a metal and glass replacement underlines two of its valuable properties – it is tough and chemically inert. This means that a polyurethane floor is non porous, can keep the microbes away, and makes the underlying floor practically abuse-proof. As a flooring product, polyurethane has been used most often to coat hardwood flooring and cork flooring making them chemical and water proof thus extending their life. Of late, polyurethane resins and other engineered products have begun to be used as a flooring material in their own right.

The Advantages of Polyurethane Flooring

• Lightweight and long lasting – Polyurethane applied as a top coat on existing flooring weighs next to nothing and a onetime application will protect hardwood flooring for 5- 7 years.
• Water proof and cost effective – Polyurethane protects hardwood flooring from water and is therefore an excellent choice for areas like the bathroom, kitchen and laundry where the flooring material may be exposed to water. The icing on the cake is that the added protection this material provides doe not burn a hole in your pocket.
• Non porous – Polyurethane is non porous and does not allow bacteria and mold spores to survive in cracks that are typical of other flooring options. It is this property of polyurethane that has made it the material of choice for many food and beverage companies like Stouffer’s, Nestle’, Kraft, Parmalat, Heinz, Nabisco, Cargill, and Coca-Cola.
• The coefficient of expansion of polyurethane is equal to that of concrete – When installed directly over concrete this property of polyurethane flooring has tremendous benefits. Similar expansions means that polyurethane flooring does not crack or indent for years.

While it has numerous benefits it does have certain drawbacks that one must be aware of. Inferior qualities of polyurethane may have residual chemical compounds that may be detrimental to health. It is inflammable and needs to be handled carefully. A polyurethane product may produce gases for some time after application. Yet another problem with polyurethane coats is that a careless or inept applicator may not be able to match the underlying color exactly.

Cleaning and maintenance of a polyurethane floor

Cleaning a polyurethane floor consists of simple vacuuming and an occasional wipe with a damp cloth. Never use wax, soap, detergent etc. on a polyurethane floor. Such chemicals are likely to interfere with the touch up of the floor that is needed after every 5 to 7 years. Too many layers of polyurethane are not a good idea. Remember that while additional coats of polyurethane make the floor easier to clean but as layers of polyurethane build up on the floor, its appearance may change.

It is estimated that a wooden floor coated with polyurethane and appropriately maintained will last close to 600 years! While the advantages of polyurethane have ensured that it is the guardian angel of choice overlooking millions of square feet of wooden floors it has been criticized for being a petroleum derivative. However there is some good news for those looking for a green flooring option. In its new green avatar, polyurethane is being manufactured from polyols derived from vegetable oils. Polyurethane floor solutions promise to be the panacea for all hardwood floor care nightmares.

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