Look at the walkways
Compare the busiest spot with the area under the furniture. The difference tells you how much of the finish has already gone.
Where recoating stops being possible
Worn parquet finish
As long as the finish is worn but not worn through, it can be renewed without removing any wood. Once it is worn through, that route disappears.
2states of the finish
1drop test
0ways back once the wood is open
A worn finish shows first on the walkways: in front of doors, beside the sofa, in the passage between rooms. As long as the wood underneath is still closed, renewing the protection is the cheapest and least invasive route. Once the wood opens, it starts absorbing moisture and dirt, and a surface treatment does not undo that damage.
Related topicsfine scratches in the finish · renovating UV-finished parquet
Process
From diagnosis to the correct LOBA layer.
Drop test
Leave a drop of water for ten minutes. If the wood under it darkens or an outline remains, the finish is worn through at that spot.
Clean back to a starting point
Basic cleaning removes the old maintenance layer and dirt; only then is the real state of the finish visible.
Choose the route
On a worn but intact finish, a protective care layer. On a suitable factory finish, a full recoat after an adhesion test.
Protect from now on
A doormat, pads and timely repetition of the care; a renewal done a year too early is far cheaper than sanding two years too late.
Products for this route
Each product has one clear role.
Deep cleaning
LOBA CareRemover
pH-neutral remover for old care-product layers and stubborn dirt.
Official LOBA site
Protective care for lacquered floors
LOBA InvisibleCare
A water-based extra-matt care product that conceals light signs of wear and reduces dirt adhesion.
Official LOBA site
Protective care for lacquered floors
LOBA PermanentCare
A long-lasting film-forming care product for lacquered wood and cork.
Official LOBA site
Renovation without sanding
LOBA 2K Contact
2-component water-based adhesion primer for recoating suitable factory UV-finished parquet without sanding the existing finish.
Official LOBA site
Protective finishes
LOBA 2K Duo
A highly durable 2K water-based polyurethane finish and an additional approved topcoat for the 2K Contact system.
Official LOBA siteSTOP
When should this route not be used?
Grey edges, dark stains and wood that stays open after cleaning mean that wear has turned into damage to the wood. Then sanding is needed.
Next treatment
If surface care is not enough.
Open the directly related technical topic on parketmojster.si.
Questions
All questions →Answers for this procedure.
When is the best time to renew the protection?
When the surface is dull and worn, but the finish is not yet worn through to the wood. Then the job uses up none of the usable layer.
Can I renew only the walkway?
Technically yes, but it almost always leaves a visible boundary. The top coat is renewed up to a natural edge of the room — a threshold or a door.
How long does a new care layer last?
It depends on the load, not on the calendar. The sign to repeat is that water on the busiest spots no longer beads the same way as elsewhere.
Don't guess the coating
Send a photo against the light.
The surface type, depth of damage and previous care determine whether the correct route is cleaning, a maintenance layer, oil, 2K Contact or sanding.
Start with an assessment