How to polish MDF dance floor?

[westcoastkevin]

I am sure I am not the first one to have this quandry.

Herself takes a lot of dance classes. We have converted a room into a dance studio to support this. (Lights, mirrors, music, you get the idea)

I do not want to rip out the carpet and put in real flooring yet. I cut some 1" MDF to the near net shape of the floor and used biscuits to join them together. I just laid it down on top of the existing carpet.
The result is a very flush surface that performed fine for the last year.

... well almost fine...

From a dancer's perspective, it is too grippy. It makes it more difficult than it should be to slide on it and to drag shoes across it.

I am still not ready to rip out the floors.

I want to have a go at polishing it to make it slippery.
It is not furniture so I do not care about sealing the edges, but I understand i should not use water based products for MDF.

I have a Random Orbital sander, and a PORTER-CABLE Variable Speed Polisher, 6-Inch (7424XP) so I am not afraid to put a bit of sweat equity into it.

QUESTION:
What should I do?
What products should I purchase? (Vinyl sealer, wax, polyurethane?)

 

[mike93lx]

Not saying it is impossible, but trying to do that with MDF seems insane.

MDF is a terrible material to have exposed as it ***** up moisture and will rapidly decay.

It will never get smooth on its own, regardless of sanding. It will have to be coated with something like poly or epoxy. The odor will be significant. Also, MDF dust is terrible for you and will get everywhere

Putting a proper floor down will be much faster and likely disruptive.

 

[Chaz]

Good old paste wax..........................

 

[ripperd]

Probably best to snap together a floating laminate floor over it?

 

[westcoastkevin]

Probably best to snap together a floating laminate floor over it?

Thanks for the reply.
We have thought about that, and even looked at some in Menards yesterday.
The cheapest ones we saw that had the slipperyness she likes were about $1.50 sq/ft x 150 sq feet. That comes out to $225, not including overage and supplies. so nominally $300. That gets dangerously close to the cost of just buying flooring and installing the floor in the room, which would be a different type of remodel decision.

I do not want to spend $300 yet, save for the lack of the knowledge of how to improv the surface a little bit.

 

[westcoastkevin]

Good old paste wax..........................

That is definitely on the list from what I have been reading. I need to pick an actual product and find out if I need to seal it first.
I figure it would be a pretty cost effective way to go. As I said, I do not know much about the different products out there.

 

[westcoastkevin]

Not saying it is impossible, but trying to do that with MDF seems insane.

MDF is a terrible material to have exposed as it ***** up moisture and will rapidly decay.

It will never get smooth on its own, regardless of sanding. It will have to be coated with something like poly or epoxy. The odor will be significant. Also, MDF dust is terrible for you and will get everywhere

Putting a proper floor down will be much faster and likely disruptive.

Thanks for the reply.
The MDF has done fine in a dry clean room indoors for the last year. It is not anywhere close to decay. (And I got all of it for less than $120) It easily has years left in it given how it is used.

I understand it will never get smooth without some help. That is exactly why I am asking about advice for WHICH products to choose.

The odor from solvents could be a concern. Thanks for that tip. I am not worried about the dust. The sander has a vac port to help deal with that and I have masks and respirators.

 

[gungatim]

look into portable dance floors. basically snap together squares of pre-done dance floor. would go right over the carpet or your MDF.

 

[txvwnut]

look into portable dance floors. basically snap together squares of pre-done dance floor. would go right over the carpet or your MDF.

Try some Johnson wax on the MDF and if that doesn't do it then look into the above. I have a friend who is a professional ballerina and when they travel they have a portable dance floor that is about a 1/4" thick and will roll up if I remember it right.

You might could also try Bona hardwood floor polish, its low odor and might work. The wife uses it on our hardwood floor and in socks it feels rather slick.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FL3JC8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[alfazer]

I don't make dance floors but I seal MDF sometimes with a cellulose basecoat sanding sealer. It has a strong odour but it dries in minutes and sands to a really smooth finish. With two coats and a fine sand it will finish up quite slippery, although I don't know how slippery in dance-ness.
Once it is sealed, you can then wax it if necessary.

 

[westcoastkevin]

I don't make dance floors but I seal MDF sometimes with a cellulose basecoat sanding sealer. It has a strong odour but it dries in minutes and sands to a really smooth finish. With two coats and a fine sand it will finish up quite slippery, although I don't know how slippery in dance-ness.
Once it is sealed, you can then wax it if necessary.

alfazer: Thanks. First hand experience is great.
Is there a specific product I should be looking for?

EDIT:
I ran out to Home Depot here at lunch and got.
1 can of: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Zinsser-12-oz-Clear-Shellac-Spray-408/100176744
1 Jar of: https://www.homedepot.com/p/SC-John...ERCH=REC-_-rv_nav_plp_rr-_-NA-_-100154748-_-N

I will try these out on a section of MDF I have laying in the garage and see if I can get what I want. I will go from there. I went with this spray sealer for the test because it will be convenient. I will buff the wax in and see how it is.

 

[alfazer]

alfazer: Thanks. First hand experience is great.
Is there a specific product I should be looking for?

I can't remember the name but it's some no-name brand from a local kitchen cabinet supplier to the trade.

And I'm not in USA, so even I remebered the name, it might be unobtainable for you.

 

[rsanter]

Thanks for the reply.
We have thought about that, and even looked at some in Menards yesterday.
The cheapest ones we saw that had the slipperyness she likes were about $1.50 sq/ft x 150 sq feet. That comes out to $225, not including overage and supplies. so nominally $300. That gets dangerously close to the cost of just buying flooring and installing the floor in the room, which would be a different type of remodel decision.

I do not want to spend $300 yet, save for the lack of the knowledge of how to improv the surface a little bit.

But.....
The laminate floors can be taken back apart and then reinstalled when you do decide to take the carpet out....

How about you glue down some OSB over the MDF?
There is a very smooth side and a rough side.
Give her the smooth side and wax it

 

[juddspaintballs]

I don't want to sound rude here, but given the cost of a product to apply to it to make the MDF smooth plus your time involved in sealing and sanding it, $300 to snap some laminate flooring down sounds like the most cost effective solution.

 

[SALIV8]

I would try the cheap commercial floor wax that you mop on.

 

[shoot summ]

Get a gallon of water based urethane. The MDF will soak it up, I would use a foam roller and lay down a heavy coat. Let it dry and sand it with 320 grit sand paper, just skim it. I would use a wall sander(sanding mop). Lay down another coat and smooth it again. Should be plenty slick.

I did a temporary desk top with MDF and the same product, actually looks OK, and it is pretty slick(I didn't sand it)...