Replies

1. 
   polarsea1 | Jun 20, 2009 08:39pm | #1

   I think Waterlox was originally used for flooring and it would be a heck of a lot tougher than danish oil. There are several different sheens. You could also use paste wax like Johnsons's but that's higher maintenance.

2. 
   Gretchen | Jun 20, 2009 10:13pm | #2

   I'm not sure if you expect to ever wash them--or "keep them clean". If you put wax only on them you've got trouble. If you use Danish oil, the same problem, plus dust/dirt catcher.

   As  a person that hates poly on furniture, on the floor it is PERFECT. It does not have to look plastic--ours is semi-gloss, and I have had matte/satin. The former is MUCH easier to keep clean and looking clean.  For the fresh sanded part, there is always a touch of stain to get it to the color you want--OR blonde, which can be super good looking even in an old house. (Take a look at Country Living or Martha Stewart).

   What is "screening off" rather than sanding?  Thanks.

   Gretchen
1. 
   DonC | Jun 22, 2009 06:15am | #6

   I agree with Gretchen,

   Don't try to re-invent the wheel. Poly is super for floors. To avoid the plastyic look, use a flat gloss poly.

   My favorite is made by Deft called Defthane.

2. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jun 22, 2009 01:38pm | #7

   Gretchen,

   What is "screening off" rather than sanding?

   Screening is typically done before applying a new finish to a floor.  The intention is to remove the finish but not cut into the wood below.   A fair amount of experience would be a prime ingredient for the process.

   http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,203303-2,00.html

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

1. 
   zolton | Jun 22, 2009 03:23pm | #8

   To add to what Bob said about floor screening, the process can also be used to not remove the old finish, but just to scuff sand it. That puts tiny scratches in the surface into which the new finish can flow in order to achieve a mechanical grip with the old finish.

   This works well in cases where the old finish is in good condition but may have dulled due to wear patterns and scratches. In effect, it allows you to put a new coat of finish over the old without the mess and labor of sanding the floor down to bare wood again.

   However, if the old finish has entirely worn away and bare wood is showing - and the wood has become discolored from water and exposure to dirt - then sanding is the preferable way to get down to bright wood again.

   ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jun 22, 2009 11:20pm | #12

   Zolton,

   I've never screened floors but have sanded quite a few.  I understand it is a job that requires a fair amount of skill.  Is that your experience?

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

1. 
   zolton | Jun 23, 2009 03:05pm | #15

   Bob,

   In my experience (having sanded a few floors and screened a few others), sanding takes way more skill (and time) than screening. With sanding you're affecting the wood itself. Screening mostly just abrades the finish (when you're going over it lightly to prepare it for a new coat).

   You can, as you surely know, do a major amount of damage if you're unattentive with a drum sander. A screening machine is more forgiving. For one thing the surface area of the sanding screen and the machine's pad is much larger than the contact area of a drum sander. Thus it would take a long time resting it in one spot for the screen to dig in.

   ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon

2. 
   frenchy | Jun 24, 2009 01:20pm | #16

   unless you have the experiance please don't consider a drum sander for floors. Far too easy to do damage leave gouges and wavy floors etc..

     Instead ask for one of the square pad sanders.. those are nice and safe if a little bit slower.  They did beautiful work on this guys first time floors. there are also 4 pad DA sanders available for rent  while you need a way to do the corners with one of those (unlike the square pad sanders)  they also are great for first time workers on floors..

2. 
   Gretchen | Jun 22, 2009 03:51pm | #9

   Thank you. I would have called it "scuff sanding", and that is pretty much what has been done to my floors the last two times after the first major refinish and staining 35 years ago. Even though my finish was pretty well gone, there wasn't any damage to the stain. Sanded and  semi-gloss applied. The slight gloss really makes maintenance easy.Gretchen

3. 
   HowardAcheson | Jun 22, 2009 06:42pm | #10

   >>> What is "screening off" rather than sanding? "Screening" means sanding using a sanding screen rather than sandpaper. Sanding screens are abrasive screening used on pole sanders for drywall filler sanding and on circular floor sanders for wood floor sanding and on pole sanders for between coat abrading.Screens tend not to clog up with sanding residue the way sandpaper would.Sanding screens come in most of the same ranges of grit as sandpaper.Howie.........

1. 
   AndrewCaffrey | Jun 22, 2009 08:06pm | #11

   Thanks all for the good suggestions.

   well, I think i'll do what we preach about in the shop: try it out on a scrap. I am planning to replace some ill-fitting replacement boards with matching pieces in a closet, so i'll use the castoffs to compare some of your suggestions--yes, inc. low sheen poly--to see which gets closest to the mythic image I'm carrying around in my head.

   appreciate the prompt and thoughtful responses!

3. 
   HowardAcheson | Jun 21, 2009 06:57am | #3

   You can not use an oil like a Danish Oil unless you totally remove all the old finish. Oil/varnish products are penetrating finishes and must be able to be absorbed into the wood pores. Any old finish left on the surface will prevent absorption.

   The "plastic" look has more to do with the film thickness you build up than the type of finish you use. Any oil based varnish or poly varnish can develop a plastic look it more than 2-3 coats are applied or if the finish is applied too thickly.

   Howie.........
4. 
   RJT | Jun 21, 2009 07:38am | #4

   Take another look at water-based poly; nothing plastic looking about it. I'd say it looks better than an oil finish. I used Watco walnut oil finish, similar to Danish, and on fir it just didn't look complete. so on with the satin finish poly and it looks great. You should ask this question at Fine Homebuilding "Breaktime".

1. 
   integrity_woodworks | Jun 23, 2009 01:18am | #13

   Watco walnut oil finish is danish oil,just with colour added.

5. 
   frenchy | Jun 21, 2009 02:21pm | #5

   Why not make your life easy?

    use shellac!

    Shellac is a fine floor finish, It's used by antique restoriers, violin makers, etc.  because it brings out the finish beautifully better than any other finish does.  with depth and shine that shows off the wood rather than coat it with plastic like most floor finishes..

     Let's dispell some myths.

     Shellac is extremely easy to apply even with a lousy painter like me.  (details later)   your whole floor will take about 2 hours to do before you can walk on it and start to put furniture back.

      Shellac doesn't stink.. It will smell like a doctors office briefly but the oder will be completely gone within 15 minutes of each application. There will be a gentle  soft sweet smell of the shellac itself for maybe 1/2 hour after that before it totally disappears too.

      Shellac is safe.. you've been eating it all of your life.  Cleanup after painting is a breeze, toss any clothes into the washer and they will come out unstained!

     Here's the really great part.  Shellac is surprisingly durable. I have a 150 pound dog who gets excited over anything and in spite of him refusing to clip his claws (or allow anybody else to either)  he hasn't damaged my floor in all these years..

    If he did seamless invisable repairs are so easy you might want to do them as a party trick.

     Shellac is reasonably able to stand up  to water too. I had a airconditioner overflow onto my floor  and some time in the early morning I stepped into it. Big giant puddle that had been on the floor for hours. I wiped it up  with some towels  in the dark and expected the worst in the morning.

     Yep! It was there all right.. That part of the floor was dust free while the rest of the floor had a layer of dust!  (no other damage) 

    Now if water is left long enough a white area will form but as I said earlier it's extremely easy to repair even in  a Tuxedo!

    As for danish oil, it simply doesn't hold up! (and compared to shellac it's too hard to apply) 

    Shellac can be a wipe on just like danish oil.  please ask me for a step by step easy way to have great floors.  Like I said your floor will take you about 2 hours before it's ready and most of that time will be spent waiting for it to dry!

6. 
   integrity_woodworks | Jun 23, 2009 01:29am | #14

   Andrew, screening does take practice. Glitza is what you want,the newer water based is likely what you are looking for but is usually only available to professional floor finishers. Never use any oil finish(Danish Oil etc) or shellac on a floor. the cost to have a professional do it is much less then refinishing.or at least see if you can pay a local one for there advice and /or guidance.

7. 
   Quickstep | Jun 24, 2009 04:53pm | #17

   The floors in my current house as well as my last house are finished with Glitsa. To my eye, it has much more the look of a furniture finish than the plasticky look some thicker finishes give. In combination, the floors in those houses have stood up to five rather large dogs over the years.

8. 
   RickL | Jun 24, 2009 05:54pm | #18

   Check out Street Shoe

   http://www.basiccoatings.com/Pages/default.aspx

   Not many folks know about it but it's a very good product.

   http://www.sutherlandwelles.com/

   See their floor finishes.  Another great product.

   More of a Fine HomeBuilding question. I'd also look at the vendors in FHB and other building magazines. FWW is furniture oriented in it's products.

    

   
   

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   Edited 6/24/2009 1:08 pm ET by RickL