Replies

1. 
   jet | Apr 11, 2007 09:33pm | #1

   Got kids????
   Got animals????
   Stay away from high gloss finishes.
   Whats available where you are?
   Latex varnishes? Oil bases? Brands??

   "No doubt exists that all women are crazy; it's only a question of degree." - W.C. Fields
1. 
   montanaman | Apr 11, 2007 09:53pm | #2

   No kids.

   No animals

   Like oil finish look.

    

2. 
   Jeff_Clarke | Apr 11, 2007 09:58pm | #3

   Oil-modified polyurethane.

   Last-N-Last or similar

    

   Jeff

3. 
   BryanSayer | Apr 12, 2007 12:23am | #4

   High solids (look for about 40%, if the manufacturer will disclose the amount) oil modified polyurethane. Even if you want a mat finish, you can do the first two coats in gloss. It lasts better.

   This gives that honey yellow color.

   This assumes you don't want to stain.

   If the floor is old (like 1900) the original finish was probably orange shellac. Which is nice also, but takes more skill and is not as durable.

1. 
   montanaman | Apr 12, 2007 01:04am | #5

   Floor is about 20 years old red oak and never refinished.  It'll have to be stained since it has had a lot of fading in sunlight.  Probably also water damage from cleaning as the deep grains have turned black.   

4. 
   frenchy | Apr 12, 2007 01:10am | #6

   Montanaman.

      Best easiest, fastest, cheapest,  safest, finish is,

    ah heck, you won't believe me!

    It will spound like I'm smoking wacky tabaccy.

     OK,

    it's shellac!

   I know but honestly shellac is a nice hard finish, harder than most. safe, you've been eating shellac since you were a kid (candy and pills are all coated with shellac). 

     Fast? I can start in the morning doing a typical floor and by noon be walking on it and it's fume free for dinner.

     Cheapest? well you can do a good size room for under $50.00 and that includes the brush!

    easy?  You won't believe just how easy it is 'til you try it..

    I can explain it to you simply if you want..

        Still not convinced? How about you look at some of my pictures, the ones of my floor done with shellac that my 150 pound dog can't seem to sratch? (and he absolutely refuses to trim his toe nails).   The wood is dented but the finish is fine.

        If you did manage to scratch it wipe it with a rag and some denatured alcohol and the scratch disappears in seconds. 

    You can spill water on it. wipe it up and no damage is done.. Oh you can hurt it if you do the right thing but you can fix it without sanding and you'll never be able to tell where you fixed it..

    It's a rich deep finish that doesn't look plasticy or phoney, the same finish they put on fine antiques..

    ask and I spell out just how to do it and everything you want..