Discover Bona Primers and Lacquers

Bona is an old company with a long history in the flooring industry. It was founded in Sweden in 1919 and becomes famous for the introduction of the first water-based lacquers in 1979. Since then, Bona has continued to grow and improve to the point where the brand has become universally recognised in the business. 

Recently Bona has decided to launch a new series of primer and lacquer system. The company has introduced many high-quality products in the past and still continues to do so. As you can imagine, when such a big name decides to make some changes in their line of products, it is a big deal which deserves the attention of the potential customer. However, the most obvious question now is what’s the deal with the new series? What’s really new?

Bona seems to have decided to combine all their existing lacquers and primers, add a few completely new ones and put all of this into a single package which, according to them, will provide the ultimate protection for your floor.

The system consists of six new primers and six new lacquers. Each primer is fully compatible with any of the lacquers and provides different result according to the needs of the client. If Bona is known for something, it is how easy and convenient to use are all of their products – from finishes to sanding equipment. They continue to uphold that tradition admirably. Both the primers and the lacquers come with a packaging system capable of easily showing what application will be most suitable for each product and what kind of colouration will be achieved with the different primers. If you are into DIY tasks and happen to be new to this field of work, you will have an easy time catching up. 

Bona Primers

Since not everyone is into those things, let’s quickly explain the difference between primer and lacquer. When applying a floor finish, this must be done in stages. First, we put a coat of the primer on the floor and on top of it, we add at least 2 coats of lacquer. Well, that’s how it generally works. To be honest, the only time when a primer is absolute, unquestionably necessary is when used on exotic species like Merbau, Walnut and Jatoba. Some professionals prefer to not even use a water-based primer but that’s another story.

The advantages of Bona primers:

• Six looks from white to amber
• Reduce side-bonding. (It happens when the finish seeps between the boards and glues them together).
• Improve lacquer adhesion
• More economical than an extra lacquer layer. (Primers are generally not as tough as the lacquers since they provide the base upon which to lay the lacquer. Because of this, they are cheaper).
• Easy to use

Every Primer Has Its Use

Each of the primers in the new system has at least one distinctive quality to make it different from the rest and provide a unique benefit. 

• Bona White - Created in order to achieve the whitewashed floor effect. The more coats you add, the stronger and more saturated it becomes.
• Bona Natural - Meant to provide pure, untreated look for your floor
• Bona Classic - Increased solvent content, ensures a well-bodied surface
• Bona Intense - Suitable for moderately dark, exotic species and those with underfloor heating  
• Bona Amber – Recommended for very dark wood types and underfloor heating  
• Bona Quick – Excellent drying time and permeability

Bona Lacquers

The benefits of Bona lacquers:

• Six unique, waterborne formulations
• A solution for every environment
• Use with Bona Primers to improve adhesion
• Very low VOC content. (Volatile Organic Compounds are harmful  emissions contained in many floor finishes with most being found on oil-based lacquers) 
• Four sheen levels from extra matt to gloss (Determines how much light will the floor reflect. The more it shines, the more visible any damage becomes) 

A Lacquer for Everything 

Much like the primers, each of the lacquers serves a purpose.

• Bona Novia – Dries quickly and doesn’t even require a primer. Intended for domestic use in places with light traffic.
• Bona Mega – Offers a certain level of protection against water which makes it perfect for bathrooms.
• Bona Mega Natural – Much like Bona Mega, contains some plant-based oil for a more natural look. Works best in light to medium traffic areas.
• Bona Traffic Natural – This one is providing superior protection for commercial areas while attempting to preserve the natural look of the wood.
• Bona Traffic HD – Excellent level of wear protection for commercial areas with a drying time of just 12 hours. One of the most durable options on the market.
• Bona Traffic HD Anti-slip – A completely new product said to be everything Bona Traffic HD is and more. Its anti-slip protection makes it great for stairs, kitchens, nurseries or pretty much anywhere where slipping can become a problem.

The new series brings more of what we are expecting from Bona – quality, durability and convenience. There are 5 completely new products out of 12 – Bona White and Bona Natural (primers) as well as Bona Mega Natural/ Traffic Natural and Traffic HD Anti-slip(lacquers). In this regard, the system seems to be more about evolution rather than revolution but can we really complain when every product has a specific niche and the average person has so much easier time with it? We think not.