Making Existing Wood Floor Usable For Dog Daycare Play Area

An existing client of ours that participated in the "Dog Daycare Facility Operations Course" presented us with a unique problem in regards to refurbishing or reoutfitting an existing tongue and groove type wood floor that had previously been used for a dance studio into a play area for dogs.

This floor was an existing part of the building that they purchased in order to start their own pet care facility. The clients idea was to place down a rolled rubberized type of flooring at a cost of around $4.50 per sq/ft. After examining the product with the client we felt that their were potentially serious issues with this idea as a sample of the rubberized product the client provided us was both fairly lightweight and slightly porous. The porosity posed a problem in that it would be difficult to clean and would allow both urine and fecal matter to become embedded in the product which would seriously affect the overall cleanliness of the facility. Additionally embedded urine would eventually give the entire facility the ammonia pee smell.

After examining photos of the existing floor which had some minor warping in areas due to moisture exposure and conferring with representatives of Sherwin Williams, we came up with both a plan and product that should give the client what the are looking for.  A beautiful, durable and lasting floor that fits in with the theme of the facility providing a clean, crisp and natural look.

The first step in creating a floor that will last and stand up the the riggers of both dog abuse and consistent cleaning is prep work. The final quality of any project is always going to be a direct reflection of the prep work that was put into it. Additionally it is always cheaper and quicker to prep it out properly than to try and go back and repair a product that is failing because you cut a few corners in the beginning. 

The Plan we have outlined is as follows:

1) Remove the existing baseboard or corner round around the edges of the floor. This is necessary as the next step is going to fill those areas with dirt and dust, that will be impossible to eliminate and that will attract themselves to your final finish. After these are removed there should be a 1/4 to 1/2 inch gap between the edge of the floor and the wall.

2) Open existing windows and find a window fan (it's about to get dusty)- a dust mask helps too. Abrate the floor using a Belt Drum Floor Sander, not only will this remove the vast majority of the existing finish which is likely a urethane based gloss, it will also act as a wood planer to bring down high spots where warping has occurred. Sanding down these high spots so as the planks meet evenly again will lessen the size of the crevice that needs to be filled with our final finish product.

3) Once the floor has been abrated/sanded to the point of being even (a minimum of high spots) and a minimum of existing finish it is time to clean the area to remove all the particulate matter (dust) that will inevitably find it's way into your finished product, causing a hazy appearance and grainy texture. For this we recommend that you sweep the area thoroughly, and employ the services of a leaf blower to really blow all the dust out of the crevices and ensure the floor is completely clean and free of loose particulate matter.

4)  Once the floor has been completely cleaned of all dust, it's time to fill the gap along the edge of the existing wood floor to prevent urine from running down the wall (dogs like to mark their territory) and seeping under the floor and giving your facility that stadium bathroom smell. We recommend"White Lightning® STORM BLASTER™ All Season Sealant by Sherwin Williams", this product is synthetic rubber in solvent with excellent adhesion properties that will remain flexible throughout it's life allowing the floor to contract or expand due to temperature variations without breaking the seal. We recommend that you apply this product liberally filling the crack and going onto both the wall and floor surface by 1/4 or so. This is a solvent based product so "mineral spirits (thinner) will be necessary for cleanup.  Additionally the solvent base of this product should prevent it from being dissolved by the final floor finish product.

5) After speaking with numerous paint store representatives from Sherwin Williams and evaluating the options available it was determined that the client should use ArmorSeal 1000 HS or  ArmorSeal Rexthane I MCU. Both are extremely tough high build coatings, and both come in clear (to preserve the natural look of the wood). The primary difference between the two products is that ArmorSeal 1000 is a two part epoxy, you must mix the correct ration of Part A and Part B together whereas the Rexthane is a single component mixture that dries and hardens as the moisture in it evaporates. These final toughness of these products would be something similar to fiberglass gel-coat, but with just enough flexibility so as not to crack when applied to an appropriate thickness. It is also suggested that the client use a small amount of H&C SharkGrip so as to provide some traction without making the floor so grippy that it is impossible to clean. Follow manufactures guidelines when laying this product down and keep the area well ventilated. One caveat of information that your local Sherwin Williams store may not provide you with and that I know from my previous career in the construction industry is that you need to be careful in that you select the correct nap (roller) to use when applying either of these products.  Ensure the you purchase solvent resistant rollers with a phenolic core. They are specially designed for epoxy industrial applications. The fabric is pressed on the phenolic coated hard-fiber board core which resists normal exposure to MEK, Acetone, etc. They may have to be ordered from a larger Sherwin William’s store and they cost close to $10.00 each. The alternative is that if you choose to use a cheap roller, it will begin to disintegrate mid project and leave roller fibers all of the floor stuck in the floor finish.

6) Once the product has been applied, dried and cured, it is time to address the edges of the floor and the caulk covered gap. It is our recommendation that the client use plastic lumber to trim out the edges of the floor. It comes in a various of dimensions from 1" x 1" strips up to 8" x 8" posts. The only real thing to consider is that it must be wide enough (thick enough) to span the gap from the wall to the existing floor. This may require a 1 x 4 or even a 2 x 4, both of which I would recommend cutting a .45 degree angle at the top so the final product lays against the wall as such.

The angle at the top should lesson dogs chewing on it, as anything that protrudes from the wall can become the target of abuse for a bored dog. Additionally when neatly sealed (caulked at the top and bottom - Standard Silicone may [operative word] work at this point) it should allow urine and such to run off of it instead of behind it. As to affixing the plastic wood to the wall. The current walls are concrete block which makes nailing to them a near impossibility, so we recommend using a good adhesive on the backing of the wood to stick it to the wall (make sure the wall is clean and dust free). What should work is "Big Gap Filler" (the expanding two part foam found at most home improvement stores). Apply this product fairly liberally to the back of the plastic wood, (may or may not be necessary- knock it down with a scraper or another piece of wood to prevent it from expanding) and then stick it to the wall. A similar product can be seen below adhering drywall to concrete block.

We look forward to seeing how it works out

--Bandit