Crackle wrinkles all over refinished hardwood floor

Q: We are having floor finish problems; we just had our wood floors refinished and although the contractor followed protocol, a crackle appearance is evident over the majority of the area refinished.

Any ideas?

A: It sounds like alligatoring. I call it wrinkling. This happens if the first coat is not dry enough before the next one is applied. The solvent etches into the first coating and causes the wrinkled appearance. All indications may have said to the contractor that it was dry. I’ve had that happen to me too a couple of times. Give it an extra day to dry if need be (unless this floor is over concrete or a cold space, in which case it may need a couple of weeks to dry enough to coat.) buff it down well with polisher and screen and coat again.