Ceramic-based hardwood floor finishing method

A method of finishing a hardwood floor, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a water-based primer directly to a screened hardwood surface to form a first primer layer, the water-based primer comprising a resin dispersion and at least one co-solvent, the resin dispersion and the at leat one co-solvent being present in amounts of about 15 percent to about 20 percent by weight of the primer of the resin dispersion and about 0.2 percent to about 1.5 percent by weight of the primer of the at least one co-solvent to reduce panelization of the hardwood floor, wherein the water-based primer does not include a separate crosslinker;
• (b) reapplying the water-based primer after the first primer layer is formed and allowed to dry such that a second primer layer is subsequently formed over the first primer layer;
• (c) screening the second primer layer after the second primer layer is sufficiently dry;
• (d) applying over the second primer layer a water-based armor coat to form an armor coat layer, the water-based armor coat comprising a resin dispersion and also comprising at least one ceramic additive wherein at average particle size for the ceramic additive is in the range of about 15 microns up to about 35 microns, wherein after sufficient drying non-ceramic components of the armor coat form a substantially thin layer with respect to the ceramic additive such that the ceramic additive results in formation of microscopic beads in the thin layer created by the dried non-ceramic components of the armor coat;
• and
• (e) applying a water-based top coat such that a top coat layer is formed over the armor coat layer and the microscopic beads of the armor coat layer extend into top coat layer and further form microscopic beads on the surface of the top coat layer.