In a past life, we've fielded a lot of questions on what the best kind of floor finish is, and it usually goes something like this: "should I use water- or oil-based polyurethane?"
Occasionally, some also wonder if the durability of a "Swedish" epoxy finish outweighs its potentially dangerous offgassing.
If you understand that polyurethane and epoxy finishes are akin to putting a thin layer of cured-in-place plastic over your floor -- imagine shrinkwrapping wood -- then you mind guess that any polyurethane isn't the greenest choice. But what else is out there?
• Wax, like Bioshield #39, is a traditional finish and can come in handy if you like your floors to gleam and shine. (Just be careful, though -- there's a reason they use wax at the bowling alley!) Wax is typically applied over a sealing layer of oil-based finish. Wax usually needs to be buffed with a machine, although it can be done by hand.
• Oil-based finishes. Like wax, oil finishes (not to be confused with oil-based polyurethane) come in a variety of formulations from totally synthetic to 100% natural. Without question, natural finishes are greener, but they take more time to cure, so most contain at least some synthetic dryers. These can be more labor-intensive to apply than wax, but less forgiving than polyurethane: overapplication can be a sticky disaster!
• Bare: yes, you can leave a floor free of finish. Everyday wear and tear will show, but create a kind of patina that can be lovely on its own. The floors will need a good scrubbing with an old-fashioned bristle brush and saddle soap every year or so. But you can be at home with a beautiful floor, no offgassing, and no guilt.
An advantage of all three of the above: we find that most wood just looks better without a plastic coating. And if an oil- or wax-finished floor gets damaged in one spot, that spot usually be sanded and repaired without disturbing the rest of the floor. Compare that to polyurethane, where you'd have to sand everything off, and oil and wax start to seem much more sensible.
What about shellac?
From http://www.wwch.org/Technique/Finishes/ShellacClassicFinBullEye.htm
All-natural â Shellac is an all-natural resin of insect origin that is harvested regularly and is therefore an environ-mentally friendly renewable resource.
Non-toxic/hypoallergenic â The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has certified shellac as a protective glaze for candy and pharmaceuticals.
Easy to use â Shellac is user-friendly and virtually goof-proof. It can be applied with a brush, pad, sprayer, or wiping cloth.
Super-fast dry time â Shellac dries to the touch in MINUTES and, in most cases, can be sanded or recoated in a little over half an hour.
Mild alcohol odor â Shellac is dissolved in denatured ethyl alcohol. It has a mildly antiseptic odor that dissipates very quickly as the product dries.
Non-yellowing/non-darkening â Shellac is UV resistant and wonât darken with age â unlike oil-base finishes.
Finishing Floors with Bulls Eye Shellac
Apply a coat of 2-lb. shellac using a brush to cut in corners and edges. Apply shellac to main body of the floor using a lambsâ wool applicator following the grain of the wood.
Apply shellac to 2 or 3 board widths at a time, laying the product down in a smooth, even brushing motion. Avoid excessive brushing or wiping with the applicator.
Let the first coat dry 2 hours. Sand lightly using a machine sander or sanding pole with 180 grit sandpaper and vacuum surface to remove dust.
Apply second coat of shellac (in 4 hours, the second coat will be hard enough to walk on).
For heavy wear areas, a third coat is recommended. Apply 3 hours after second coat and in this case allow overnight drying before subjecting to traffic.
view Kathie in Chicago's profile
When our home was built, we couldn't agree on a stain or method of topcoat for the wide plank floors, so we left them natural. He wanted a light stain and a teak oil or wax finish, I wanted a dark stain and a satin poly. For four years, the floors were bare and felt and looked awesome! Then I got pregnant and I feared trying to stain & seal the floors after the baby arrived. We agreed to use a light cherry stain on the white oak and pecan and finish with a satin poly and had it done (by someone else) 2 weeks before the baby arrived-crazy! Now that we have lived with it, we wish we had gone just the opposite-dark stain and an oil finish.
Oh well! Moral: Don't make big decisions when you are 9 months pregnant.
view pelicolina's profile
Oh, the problem with floors unstained is they eventually are stained-by everything that drops on them. A sealer is a good thing.
view pelicolina's profile
I would be wondering that's the most pet-friendly option? We are most likely going to replace all the carpets with wood flooring; with two dogs that are always laying on the floor, it's very important to me to use something green AND safe for the pooches.
view spiffy's profile
Once a finish is in place, it should be dog-safe. You wouldn't want to expose a dog to a finish while you're applying it or letting it dry, but that's mostly because they can be silly and might try to eat something they shouldn't. A dog might find the buffing machine for a wax floor disturbing, but you shouldn't need to refresh wax often.
I'm very fond of hardwood floors since they're easy to keep clean (which keeps my allergies under better control) and easy to maintain. I'm not fond of wax since it is the hardest finish to maintain. A kid drops a wet towel on the floor, and you get a mark. Dog drips water, you get a mark. Move the table, you get a mark. And out comes the buffing machine so the mark goes away... Buffing a mark out by hand isn't fast or easy. And if water gets through the wax, you risk warping. Not fun. Polyurethane was much more damage resistant for normal family use. It doesn't make hardwood something I'd use for kitchen flooring, but it definitely holds up to normal use. The sanding to get ready for polyurethane wasn't fun, but the durability after sure was.
view Torrilin's profile
My wood floors are in my living, dining, kitchen and guest bath. Wood floors are excellent in a kitchen-resilient, easy to clean, more forgiving than tile or stone if you drop a glass or a plate, great to stand on, etc. They wear well and just keep looking better and better. And while I wouldn't do my children's bathroom floor in it unless I used a marine sealer, the guest bath floor has held up very well and is used daily.
view pelicolina's profile