FINISHING FINE FLOORS Thoroughly cleanse and remove all surface imperfections; shellac one coat, and varnish two coats of a good varnish designed for this purpose. Each coat must be thoroughly dry before the application of another. All necessary care must be taken to protect this work from damage. (See Note 26.) NOTE 26—This specification applies to white and yellow pine, also to maple. If this class of flooring is required to be stained, specify, instead of the shellac, floors to receive one coat consisting of 25 per cent linseed oil and 75 per cent turpentine; sandpaper and close up all imperfections. Apply one coat of stain consisting of 40 per cent linseed oil and 60 per cent turpentine, evenly brushed into the wood, color to be selected. Follow this with varnish as specified.
The so-called "liquid fillers"—that is, prepared fillers sometimes used to coat over the surface and permitted to remain there without rubbing off—should never be used, for the reason that they do not dry thoroughly throughout. Many of them also have a tendency to discolor the wood, especially when they begin to bleach out by reason of age, etc.
The object in going over this work with a very thin coating of oil and turpentine is, that, if you were to apply the stain directly to the wood, the result would be a clouded or mottled surface, owing to the natural characteristics of these different woods to absorb more in one spot or place than in another. Very little if any stain should be left on the surface. It should be absorbed uniformly by the wood, and be thoroughly dry before the application of the varnish coatings.
Where a dull finish is required, specify to be rubbed lightly with oil and pumice stone to a dull finish. A dull or flat varnish should never be used on floors.