Sometime back I saw kits to refinish hardwood floors that did not need sanding. I guess it was sort of like the furniture refinishers that disolve the old and blend it. I cannot remember the brand, it seems like it was a major like Varathane or Minwax. Does anyone have any idea who made it and was it worth the effort/price?
Edit to add: it is Varathane Renewal
Edited 2/27/2004 3:01:35 PM ET by RASCONC
Replies
if youre finish is good, no bare spots or dents, gouges or scratches it might be OK. However if the floor is old, worn, dented or dinged, you wont be happy with the results after a few months.
ID rather sand and refinish the floor right then do it quick. My best guess is that stuff is for HO that want to pretty up the house a bit a cheap and easy way so they can put it on the market.
Varathane makes one of the kits--works very well if the floors just need a little sprucing up. The kit has what is almost a chemical deglosser or etching liquid that makes the finish coat bond to the old finish. If the floor is deeply scratched or you want a perfect finish--have the floors sanded. The Varathane dries fast--you can be done in a little over a day.
Thanks guys, sort of what I expected!
Installing old growth wide plank Eastern Pine floor now....calls for tongue oil finish which can be easily restored when necessary. Has me weary but what the heck.I'm up to trying new things.
Sorry this wasn't the response you're looking for but thought I'd just toss it in anywho.
Be floored
andy
No problem. I (actually DW) finished out cherry plank floors with a tung oil mix suggested by our paint guru. He said that it was the basic formula of Watco oil finish for floors. We used two parts high quality tung, one boiled linseed oil, one part mineral spirits. The tung we used was $50/gal, bought two gal and only used about 2/3 gal for 1700+ sqft. I used a buffer with white scotchbrite pad to degloss it after curing for a few days.
Been in house since Apr 99, and touched up an area under our kitchen table where chair glides must have gotten some sand imbedded and it looks fine. It was a small area and I dampened a rag with mineral spirits to clean it, then turned it over to clean side and applied the mix and blended it in.
Back to my original post I guess I will be sanding the floor in question and may go the tung oil route with it since I still have a lifetime supply. I will probably used a pad rather than DW down on hands and knees hand rubbing with cotton rags. Speaking of which you need to be very careful with rags for this finish. Some say to put them in a can of water but it should be safe enough to put them outside to dry thoroughly and dispose of them. They have been known to spontaneously combust.
Bob
Been in house since Apr 99, and touched up an area under our kitchen table where chair glides must have gotten some sand imbedded and it looks fine. It was a small area and I dampened a rag with mineral spirits to clean it, then turned it over to clean side and applied the mix and blended it in.
Back to my original post I guess I will be sanding the floor in question and may go the tung oil route with it since I still have a lifetime supply.
The is the jist of it. Sanding gives new wood and resulting appearance. If you prefer the look of old wood (with the dings and scratches), an oil finish will work better than a hard finish, if more periodic maintenance.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
please explain why you used that mixture.
Sounds interesting.
Be well
andyMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
The story I was told (probably does not qualify for Snopes investigation) is that Watco Oil Finish was basically that formula. Minwax bought them out and discontinued it because of a claim of a fire started in the garage of Reggie Jackson who used it to refinish a gearshift knob on a classic car. Fire caused by improper storage of the rag used. Watco still is sold as "Danish Oil Finish".
The mineral spirits help cut it and dry quicker and I would think penetrate a little more. I do not remember what the boiled linseed oil adds other than a little color and more satin to the finish. There is a good book mostly aimed at furniture finishing by Bob Flexner "Understanding Wood Finishing" that you might find at the library, I bought one on Amazon.
One of the major cautions is not to use wax on this type finish if you ever intend to touch it up or put more finish on. You have to remove all wax and I would put the probability of success slim. We love the look and have had nothing but oohs and aahs when people come in. It complements our whitewashed beadboard ceiling.
Gorgous finish but whats up with the shorts??????
Just curious again.
PS.Gonna getthat book before I finish my floor. Sounds pretty interesting.
PSS... I thought Japan Drier added to drying faster (not that I want to do that).
I think the linseed oil is the vehicle ingredient to spread it all out.
Be well
andyMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Thanks, I paid about $2/bd ft from a salvage guy in Asheville. He bought out a pile of overstock/special orders from Zickgraf. After my guys started putting it down I noticed a slight variation in width. I made a grading jig so I could sort them and it worked fine from there. I have one area that runs 45 feet and is very visible but is straight as an arrow.
The book does not really talk about floors but is a super reference for finishes in general. Flexner was recommended to me by a legendary furniture builder here. He showed me an article by Flexner, I found the book and loaned it to him then ordered one for him. He became almost my new best friend. Offered to let me bring wood down to use his big planner if needed. He told me about a guy who had a load of wood that he let run through and it are up his blades, the guy commented as he was loading up that he was sorry but had not wanted to use his own new planner. I think I would have shot him on the way out.
The mineral spirits I used were not the low odor variety and I will use the no/low odor variety next time.
I use basically the same mixture -- one third each of Tung oil, boiled Linseed oil and Turpentine but I apply it to saturation -- flooding it on the floor and keeping it wet until the timber won't absorb any more. The excess is cleaned off with rags and the floor buffed with a nylon pad over the next week.The oils crystallize within the timber, taking a couple of days. The mixture is an ideal carrier for dye stains as well -- giving a more natural look than the oil-based stains.
The finish needs no maintenance if you sweep the floor with a flat mop on which has been sprinkled a few drops of Cedar oil or Teak oil. The only drawback is that it isn't waterproof -- liquids can stain it -- I recommend that it only be used in an area where you could put fitted carpet.Here's a parquet floor in Messmate and Brush Box that has a 10 year-old oil finish -- I took the photo when the new owners called me back to extend the floor into an adjoining room.View Image
IanDG
Ian
what an intense floor? Geezzzzzzzzzz.
I actually did a similar one like that I bought from a guy that had a two month a year store front by a river in PA that I kayaked down. A floating floor from France. MAybe thats why he had a store front by the river...lol.
Never took a deposit and shipped me over three thousand dollars of parquet oak floor.... So much for hating the French.
BE honest
andy
I think this thread needs to become an article.
Too informative for words.does that make sense.
Be well
andy
.My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
".calls for tongue oil finish "
But doesn't that get hard on your Tongue? Does Katrina pull the slivers for you or is that a job for the doctor. I hear both Jeff and Gunner do surgery on the side...
Tung oil is nice but can take long to cure. I'm looking at maybe Waterlox for mine here.
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