Wow Traffic is not holding up, its one the toughest finishes out there. you could try Loba Supra AT this would be a comparable product to Traffic.

What was the original finish?

The original finish was a cherry color. We stained it expresso when we bought in 2011. Do you think the Traffic was applied correctly judging by the photos? Thanks.

Based on the image, the flooring looks good. Although, it doesn't look like the stain penetrated much. Flooring is still a fairly natural red. The flooring contractor probably did not water pop. Or the pores were well closed and stain was just sitting on top. I expect to see a much browner floor.

Espresso is a dark color, the pigments take longer to dry. If, the stain did not dry completely. It can have an adhesion issue with the first coat, which resulted in the easy scratching. Try a coin scratch test or blue tape test for delamination. If, finish is easily removed, then there was an adhesion issue from the very beginning. If not, then you will need to keep debris and sharp objects off the floorboards.

Am I seeing dents too?

I'm not sure what the coin test is but I took a quarter and was able to scratch the floor with moderate pressure. The scuffs in the picture aren't scratches. If I take my fingernail and go over them, they fell smooth. Is there any way to buff those out? Thanks!

When you scratched the finish with a coin. Did the finish flake off? If yes, then you have an adhesion issue.

I realize this is an old thread but maybe it can be revitalized. I am having the exact same problem with a Bona Traffic HD finish. The floors, white oak, were originally done with Bona Mega. It's a new build and before we moved in, they were so scuffed, we had them buffed and coated with Bona HD (called Bona and they said this was fine0. We allowed 2 full weeks to cure before moving in. No matter how careful we are, the slightest drag across the floor produces an unsightly scuff. Even a light weight cardboard box. It's really frustrating. I would have the floors recoated with oil based poly but they are gray and I don't think the ambering would be a good look. Any suggestions for fixing the scuffs in the finish without a full redo? Is this normal and if not, what went wrong?

I would test the finish for adhesion first. Traffic HD does not scuff so easily. It's normally a adhesion issue that causes it to scuff easily. It's because it does not have a good bond to the base coat. The first photo looks like there is possibly white lines in the joints. Which is a clear sign of adhesion failure. Test the adhesion in a inconspicuous area. Take a box cutter and make cross hatches 1/4" apart, stick a piece of blue tape on it and peel. Inspect the tape to see if any finish have been removed. Any adhesion failure will require a full re-sand and re-stain, unless the contractor can remove the finish without harming the stain. I would push for a re-sand, since you currently have a lot of dish out, in the floor from bad sanding.

Good catch G&S. The white lines between the planks are very subtle but they are there. The depth of colour (almost black) is making this situation look worse than if it were a natural coloured floor.

Just because the original finish is compatible with the recoat, does not mean a bond will be "good". It comes down to contamination of the floor BEFORE the recoat (years and years and years of cleaning products, candle wax, road oils, skin oils, etc). The intensive cleaning prior to the recoat *should get rid of 90% - 99% of contaminants. If the intensive cleaning did NOT occur, then the contaminants would have remained. The buffing is meant to take care of the remaining 5%-10% of contaminants AS WELL AS scuff up the old finish to allow the recoat to bond to the original base.

To ahead and do the "tape test" in a spot that isn't easily seen (behind a door, in a dark corner in a bedroom, etc) and see if you have adhesion issues. If the adhesion is OK, then you will need to decide how long you wish to put up with this problem before committing to a full sand/refinish.

I really wish some of you guys were located in Los Angeles. In looking for someone to do a screen and coat, I'm lucky to find anyone to even return my phone call! Any yes, after only a year, I'm ready to do it again as I hate the marks.

One year and three months since my OP, I found a new contractor and had my floors buffed and recoated. It was scheduled for last Saturday with the furniture going back on Monday. I was hoping an extra 24 hrs of drying time would help my scuff problem. They only did one coat which I thought would be fine considering the short amount of time since the last recoat. Well, Monday rolls around and the floor looks dull and feels coarse. It was similar to my bad experience with Bona Natural. I told the contractor we needed another coat which was done yesterday. The floors looks great and I'm waiting another full day for the furniture. I can't wait much longer than that as I know the cure rate can be 72 hours. Fingers crossed.