On a floor coater, the refill pad decides the finish. The frame sets the width and the weight sets the coat, but the pad face is what meets the coating, and the wrong pad for the chemistry is the most common cause of streaks, drag marks, and shed fibers that cure in permanently. This guide matches each Padco refill to the finishes it is built for, so you buy the right pad the first time.
What is a floor coater refill?
A floor coater refill is the replaceable pad face that fits a T-bar floor coater or wood-block applicator. The frame and block are reusable for years. Only the pad is consumed, so you keep the tool and change the face when it wears or when you switch coatings. Padco makes the refill in four materials, and each one suits a different finish.
The four refills, and when to use each
| Refill | Use it for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nylfoam | Waterborne and mild solvent finishes | Densely packed fibers hold a large, even reservoir and lay a smooth, lint-free film. The default when the finished surface has to look flawless. |
| NanoFlock | Waterborne and mild solvent finishes where the smoothest possible film is the priority | An ultra-fine flocked face that lays an exceptionally smooth, bubble-free coat. Built for high-visibility floor finish. |
| Woven fabric | Oil-based, mild solvent, and heavy-traffic coats | A shorter, sturdy nap meters thicker and stickier coatings more consistently, and resists shedding, which matters most with solvent products. |
| Genuine lambskin | Oil-based penetrating sealers and oil poly | Natural wool holds more finish and releases it evenly. The traditional pad, matched to the behavior pros expect from an oil finish. |
Nylfoam
Nylfoam is the everyday choice for modern waterborne floor finish. The dense fiber face carries enough material to keep a wet edge across a wide pass and releases it evenly, so the film levels flat with no lint left behind. If most of your work is waterborne polyurethane on residential and light commercial hardwood, this is the refill you will reach for most.
NanoFlock
NanoFlock is the finest face in the line. Where Nylfoam is the smooth default, NanoFlock is for the floors where the coat has to look perfect under strong light, such as showrooms, high-gloss finishes, and specialty work. It lays an exceptionally smooth, bubble-free film on waterborne and mild solvent coatings.
Woven fabric
Woven is the pad for heavier, stickier chemistries. Oil-based and mild solvent coatings load into a long nap unpredictably and drag; the shorter woven nap meters them more consistently and lays them flat. It is also the durable choice, because the fabric resists shedding, and a shed fiber in an oil finish stays visible once it cures.
Genuine lambskin
Lambskin is the traditional applicator for oil penetrating sealers and oil polyurethane. Natural wool holds a large charge of finish and releases it the way experienced floor finishers expect from an oil coat. If you are matching the behavior of a classic wood-block-and-lambskin setup, this is the pad.
The simple rule: match the pad to the chemistry
Waterborne finishes go with Nylfoam or NanoFlock. Oil-based finishes go with woven or genuine lambskin. That single rule prevents most finish defects. Using a waterborne pad on an oil coat, or the reverse, is what causes the dragging and streaking that gets blamed on the finish.
Width and weight still matter
The refill decides the finish quality, but the frame decides the pace and the coat. Size the width to the floor (12 inch for small rooms and cutting in, 18 inch for most work, 24 and 30 inch for open commercial spans), and choose heavyweight for a thinner controlled coat or lightweight for a heavier one. For the full breakdown, see our guide to choosing a floor finish applicator.
When to change a refill
Change the pad face when it stops releasing finish evenly, when the nap has matted or hardened after a solvent clean, or when the edge no longer lays a clean line. On floor work, where the pad runs against grit, expect to change faces more often than on walls. A tired pad is the usual cause of streaking, and swapping it mid-job costs far less than recoating a floor.
Frequently asked questions
Which refill is best for water-based polyurethane?
Nylfoam for everyday waterborne poly, or NanoFlock when you need the smoothest possible film on a high-visibility floor. Both are built for waterborne and mild solvent finishes and lay a lint-free coat.
Can I use a woven refill for waterborne finish?
You can, but Nylfoam or NanoFlock will give a smoother, more lint-free result on waterborne coatings. Save woven for oil-based, mild solvent, and heavy-traffic coats where its shorter nap and shed resistance are the advantage.
Lambskin or Nylfoam for oil poly?
Lambskin. It is the traditional match for oil penetrating sealers and oil polyurethane. Nylfoam is built for waterborne and mild solvent finishes, not oil coats.
How many refills should I keep on a job?
Keep at least one spare per coater for any floor of size. A pad that begins to load unevenly will telegraph into the coat, and having a fresh face on hand means you never finish a floor with a tired pad.
Floor Coater Refills · Lambskin Refills · Floor Coaters · Heavyweight · Lightweight