Floor Sanding FAQ — Expert Answers from Sand-Aid NSW

Bona Traffic HD is the industry standard for Australian hardwood floors. It's a 2-component waterborne polyurethane with 50 g/Lt VOC, exceptional durability, and proven performance on blackbutt, spotted gum, tallowwood and other Australian species. For residential floors with lower traffic, Bona Mega (1-component, no hardener) is a cost-effective alternative.

Bona Traffic HD is 2-component — you add a hardener before use, which creates a chemically cross-linked film with superior scratch and chemical resistance. Bona Mega is 1-component — open and apply, no mixing. Traffic HD is harder and more durable; Mega is easier to use and better suited to lower-traffic residential areas and rental properties.

The most popular choice in 2025 is Extra Matt — it hides scratches and dust, looks modern and Scandinavian, and shows less footprints than satin. Satin (semi-gloss) was the traditional standard and remains popular. Matt sits between the two. RAW gives an almost unfinished look and is growing in popularity for feature floors.

Bona Traffic HD is ready to recoat in 2–3 hours at 20°C and 50% relative humidity. In NSW summer heat above 28°C, it dries faster but can flash too quickly — coat early morning. In cool or humid conditions, allow 3–4 hours between coats. Full cure takes 7 days; avoid wet mopping for 14 days.

Bona recommends coating between 15–25°C. Above 28°C the finish flashes too quickly, causing lap marks and poor adhesion. In NSW summer, coat early in the morning before the day heats up, ensure ventilation, and consider adding Argo Retarder to extend open time. Never coat in direct sunlight or on floors that are in the sun.

Use Bona EasyPrime for most timber species — fast-drying (45 min recoat), compatible with all Bona finishes. For high-tannin timbers like blackbutt, tallowwood, merbau and spotted gum, use Bona Prime Intense to prevent tannin bleed. For very dense timbers like ironbark, use Bona Prime Classic UX for maximum penetration.

Tannin bleed occurs when waterborne primers or finishes react with tannins naturally present in certain timbers — blackbutt, tallowwood, merbau, spotted gum and ironbark are the most common culprits in NSW. The result is brown or grey staining under the finish. Prevent it by using Bona Prime Intense, which contains tannin blockers, rather than standard EasyPrime.

For previously coated blackbutt: P40 → P60 → P80 → P100. For new uncoated blackbutt: P60 → P80 → P100. Blackbutt has moderate hardness (Janka 9.1 kN) and is forgiving to sand. Don't over-sand — stop at P100 before waterborne coatings. Always prime with Bona Prime Intense on blackbutt to prevent tannin bleed.

Tallowwood is oily, which causes belts to load up faster than usual — budget 30–50% more abrasives than a standard job. Use zirconia belts (SIA Siaron) rather than aluminium oxide for better cutting on the oily surface. Wipe the sanded floor with a clean dry rag before priming to remove surface oil. Use Bona Prime Intense. Let the primer fully dry (90 min minimum) before topcoating.

Yes, but only if the veneer is thick enough — minimum 3–4mm of solid timber above the tongue. Check by probing a vent or threshold gap. Engineered floors with 2mm or thinner veneers cannot be sanded. Use a drum sander at very low pressure and start no coarser than P60 to avoid sanding through the veneer. Bona Wave is the recommended finish for engineered timber.

Standard sequence for hardwood: P36–P40 (strip old finish) → P60 (remove scratch marks) → P80 (smooth) → P100 (final prep before coating). For softwood (pine): P60 → P80 → P100 → P120. Never skip more than one grit — each pass removes the scratch marks from the previous pass. On edges, match the drum grit or go one finer.

Change belts when cutting slows noticeably, when the belt glaze (becomes shiny and smooth), or when you hear the motor labouring. A glazed belt generates heat and can scorch timber. On hardwoods like ironbark and spotted gum, belts may last 15–25 m²; on softer species like pine, 30–40 m². On oily timbers like tallowwood and merbau, belts load quickly — check after every 10–15 m².

Yes — Sand-Aid (Valley Floor Sanding Supplies) at Toronto NSW is the only Bona Premium Distributor serving Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast. As a Bona Premium Distributor, we stock the full Bona range and can offer genuine trade pricing to professional floor sanding contractors.

Sand-Aid is at 6 Sara Street, Toronto NSW 2283 — in Lake Macquarie, approximately 20 minutes south of the Newcastle CBD. Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. We deliver across the Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Central Coast and surrounds. Call 1300 950 551.

Yes. Sand-Aid supplies professional floor sanding contractors, flooring businesses and tradies at trade pricing. To set up a trade account, call 1300 950 551 or email info@sand-aid.com. All prices on this website are ex-GST.