Future floor wax - can\'t find it!

[pjv]

Hello, i am trying to find future floor wax, but i just can\'t find it! Here in portugal, i got a bottle of pronto acrilic wax for wood floors, but the stuff has a white colour. It should be clear right? Or does it get clear after you mix it with water?
Thanks in advance

 

[airhead]

you don\'t say where you are. in the US, FFF (future floor finish) is usually found in the detergent isle at Wal-marx, J-Mart and Toget. It is crystal clear and says on the back \"Not for wood floors\" so I suspect that what you have is not the right stuff.

I also have heard that it is available in Briton under a different name/label.

 

[Frustrated Father]

He\'s in Portugal.

As for finding it - yeah, it should be clear as could be. Do a search for Future Floor or Magic Wash in the forums through the search engine and someone might have found an alternative that might work for you (or it has been repackaged as something else).

Failing that, I\'m sure someone would happily mail it to you if you really wanted it.

 

[Beelzebrush]

In the UK it\'s called Klear. I have no idea if this name applies to Europe as a whole though. Yes, it should be clear not white.

 

[pjv]

Thanks, i\'m sure i can find it here, so i\'ll search for a clear acrilic wax. We should list the name of the prooduct in each country :idea:

 

[Mosch]

I had this list once, but my hard drive died.... Let me see if I can find it again. In the meantime, Doctor Faust has a smaller one on his website:
Future is available only in the United States. However it is sold under other names, or there are similar products, available in other countries.

Mexico: Glo-mosa or Clo-coat
United Kingdom: Klear or Krystal Klear
Netherlands: Pronto Wax for Wood Floors or Parket Plus
France: Klir
Germany: Erdal Glanzer
Australia: Pledge One Go

Xtracolour, which makes military hobby paints, make \"Acrylic Gloss Clear\" which seams to be repackaged Future.

If your country is not listed, check your local supermarket for a clear, acrylic-based floor polish.
Source: The Painting Clinic


I use Erdal Glänzer and that stuff is milky white. Dries clear though, and glossy as hell.

 

[Modderrhu]

Whilst Portugal is not mentioned, the best list I\'ve seen of alternatives in other countries is The Complete Future. The names might have local equivalents, or you could search on the manufacturer\'s in Portugal.

 

[mickc22]

....or, you could go to an Art shop & get some Flow Aid &/or Slow Dry(retarder) as they are specifically made for the job. Just a thought
I wasn\'t particularly impressed with the Klear

 

[Modderrhu]

Originally posted by mickc22
....or, you could go to an Art shop & get some Flow Aid &/or Slow Dry(retarder) as they are specifically made for the job. Just a thought
I wasn\'t particularly impressed with the Klear

Uhm, well, the floor wax isn\'t supposed to work like a flow aid. A flow aid should reduce the surface tension of the paint, whereas the floor wax will increase it, rather like adding PVA glue to the paint. That\'s what makes the floor wax so good for washes - the floor wax sucks the paint right into the crevices, for uneven coverage. Such is my understanding anyway.

 

[Avelorn]

huh??? I use washing up liquid to remove surface tension.. so that the wash goes down into crevices. If it builds up surface tension.. it should create bridges.. or bubbles instead.

 

[Modderrhu]

I use washing up liquid to remove surface tension.. so that the wash goes down into crevices. If it builds up surface tension

Here are my thoughts on that, Avelorn:

Reducing surface tension allows the paint to flow better since it is more likely to wet a dry surface. Thus the paint flows more smoothly surfaces and also into crevices. Dishwashing liquid and flow improver will do this.

Increasing surface tension makes the paint want to clump, like a drop of PVA glue will try to minimise its surface area. What this means for washing is that once paint gets into a crevice, it will draw more paint in with it, enhancing the wash effect. PVA glue will do this.

So reducing surface tension means that the paint will get in more easily, but increasing the surface tension means that once in, more will go in. Perhaps the quality of surface tension is more appropriately split into gathering and wetting abilities, where the two are not necessarily related. Perhaps this is accurate (if so, it would explain the miracle of floor wax):
PVA glue - increases gathering, reduces wetting
Dishwashing liquid - decreases gathering, increases wetting
Flow improver - decreases gathering, increases wetting
Acrylic floor wax - increases gathering, increases wetting

While this is in accordance with my experiences, I could be speaking out of my arse. It would be really good if someone could speak authoritavely on this.