BonaKemi Bona Traffic HD Satin 128 Oz

Saturday August 31: I am an experienced amateur remodeler, having done all aspects of this field for over 45 years. My home has a complicated stairway, and it was the only thing in the house still carpeted. I finally got the nerve to take on this complicated project and ripped out the carpet. The treads had to be custom-cut, I used red oak and chose an oil based stain to match the hardwood on the main floor. I researched finishes, and chose Bona Traffic HD. I followed the instructions to the letter, and the results after the first coat set up are amazing. The product is easy to apply, the surface is flooded, it’s not applied the way paint or poly or stain is applied. Doing stair treads, I have some vertical surfaces to coat, which I guess this product isn’t really designed for that, but using a quality foam brush, I was able to do the vertical portion and achieve the same results as the horizontal surface. I would pour some Bona on a tread and spread it with the foam brush. Any excess I would work right off the edge into a cardboard box and clean up the edge afterward. It was 80° F with a 70% humidity level, neither of which were in the ideal range specified by Bona, but the set up time was about two hours.It’s interesting to note that this product is denoted as “professional use only”, but an experienced homeowner who understands the basics and knows to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully should achieve top notch results.For the sake of convenience I’m waiting 24 hours to recoat, I don’t know if I’ll do two or three. Some Bona users stop at two, some say three.One final note, as sold the entire gallon is intended to be mixed and used all at once. I have under 100 ft2 of stair treads, so I needed a way to mix up small batches. The ratio is 1:11.33, a weird amount, so further research revealed that Bona sells a mixing bottle for purposes like mine, and it sure simplified the process. Trouble is, the only folks you can get it from are distributors or (I guess) Bona themselves. Amazon should carry the mixing bottle, I’m sure I’m not the only one who didn’t use the whole gallon at once.I will update this review as I progress on this.Sunday September 1: I applied the second coat today, it is laying down one beautiful finish!Monday September 2: Applied the third and final coat. It really is important with this product that you find that sweet spot between too little and too much. If you really lay it on heavy, just make sure it’s even and not ponding, excessive ponding will not fully flow out. Applying it too thinly may result in a streaky finish.My first opportunity to install these will be week after next. Bona says it’s fully set in three days, so I’ll be well past that!

We were looking for a product that would keep the natural look of the wood and prevent a yellow tinting that sometimes happens with polyurethane finishes. We also wanted something that would protect the wood and hold up in high traffic areas and this product seems like the perfect fit for what we were looking for. We found that it was a little bit pricey but we’re very happy with the choice we made. Worth the money! We used this product on the our new red oak staircase with a wood sealer and no stain. The last picture of the upright board is the raw wood.

I'm like, "Nope! These are red oak floors. I sanded the floors throughout our new mid-century home from 36 grit all the way up to 100 grit. Then I got down on my hands and knees and used artists paint brushes to work oxalic acid into the 40 year old pet stains. I did that step several times, until I was happy with the lift. Once that was done, I saturated the worst areas in Urine Destroyer by Nature's Miracle to eliminate gnarly odors that were reinvigorated during the sanding process. Then I let the floors fully dry for about 72 hours. After that, I did a final sanding up to 120 grit. Next, I hit the floors with 2 coats of Bona NordicSeal and one coat of Bona Traffic HD Satin using a regular microfiber paint roller and a metal extender letting each coat dry in between passes. Once the Bona Traffic was dry, I buffed the floors up to 240, hit it with a final coat of the Bona Traffic HD Satin and called it a day. We moved in about a week later."So yes! I highly recommend this product. I have read that people found it hard to work with - but I didn't experience that. It was easy! there were some moments when it was drying where it looked like it might turn out milky or spotty, but I just waited for those to fully dry before doing the next coat and everything turned out great. If you manage your expectations, you CAN totally do it yourself: just be realistic and understand that you're not going to get a truly professional-level finish from your first attempt. If you professional: hire a professional. Otherwise, if you just want some awesome DIY floors for cheap, (or if your floors are so wrecked you have nothing to lose), just go for it!When we closed on our house, I thought our floors would have to be 100% replaced. DIYing with NordicSeal bought us time and breathing room to spend our money on other critical areas of the house, like upgrading our electric and buying a new roof. Once day, we'll probably replace the floors. Being able to put it off until later because they look pretty dang good has been a big win for us. Thanks!!

Top of the line flooring product! It is clear and leaves a beautiful shine. First coat dries within 2hrs. Very happy with the durability of this product. Just a week after applying (and letting it dry 72 hours), we had a guest with a dog. No issues with claw marks or cleaning up messes. Floor looks as good as new. Simple and easy to apply, however, I recommend using a Bona Roller. Definitely worth the money to protect your hardwood floors!!! Instructions are on the container!!

I have used many polyurethane products, and after hearing the praise this one recieved online I decided to give it a chance on1200 sq ft of redoak in a historic home. After sanding and all other prep, I applied a bona sealer and then three coats of this Traffic HD (following all instructions per the manufactuer). After a year of use I have to say this finish is incredibly fragile. It gouges and chips from any hard object that slides across or falls on it. Even with gentle treatment with this in mind, the high "traffic" areas are very badly scarred. I do not recommend this product. I will be returning to oil based polyurethanes for floors in the future.