timber floor what to use?

[twinkoz]

We have beautiful jarrah floorboards that are 50 years old, but not sure what to coat them with, we dont want to use heavy smell or chemical, any suggestions?
thanks

[Zed]

I suggest clear poly (wattyl make a good one). 3 coats last coat with a hardener and bobs yer uncle. it can be all over in a week of its warm and it dries well. mind you it stinks to high heaven whilst it goes off but after that its inert and looks great.

[twinkoz]

thanks Zed was hoping to use a not so smelly option. Lve heard that bees wax can be used but cant find a how to use example.

[seriph1]

I dont believe beeswax would be suitable - and while there are a couple of odour-free paints out there I dont think there are clear lacquers, as far as I know.

I feel the advice given is very sound, though it doesnt fix the smell issue....and clears do SMELL!

Maybe the best solution is to get a rapid drying clear that will release its solvents quickly....?

BTW: isnt Jarrah just fantastic as a floor!

[twinkoz]

thakyou Steve, guess lm back to the drawing board. Okay how about tung oil?

regards Vicki

[seriph1]

Hi again

Is your concern, little children, the environment, bad smells etc? or some/all of the above I guess....




reason I ask, is because there is always a trade off in my opinion - that being eco-friendly resulting in lower durability, thereby requiring more maintenanice and recoats....


Sorry, but I wouldnt recommend Tung Oil. I think it is a fine product for furniture finishing, but just not durable enough for me in a flooring situation.

[twinkoz]

THANKS FOR THE REPLY> Main concern is the smell and the cost, but it seems all methods are expensive, but still cheaper than carpet.The boards are lovely especially after being covered for 50 years with carpet they are smooth. really appreciate the input.

regards
Vicki

[Eastie]

If you can put up with a smell for a a weekend then I'd recommend this stuff:
wattyl estapol tung oil

I tried it after recommendation by a number of builders and have subsequently used it extensively in furniture items as well.

[twinkoz]

thanks for the reply Eastie. How is the finish satin etc? What do you use to clean the floor for weekly cleaning?

regards,
Vicki

[Dusty]

To get the best possible results for your floor your going to have to somehow get over the issue with the smell. All the good flooring finishes smell.

As suggested, Tung Oil is an option, however, it is very brittle and scratches easily. There are many cross- linked polymere polishes that can be used as a sacrificial coat after the three coats of tung Oil have been applied. These water based protective coatings can give your floor that beeswax type look that your keen on. I recomend that the sacraficial coat be re-done at least every three months in a domestic situation.

Another important point is that the sanding has to be done to an extremely high level (as it should with all floors) to help bring out the best in both the Jarrah and the Tung Oil. As the Oil is a penatrating finish it tends to show up any of even the smallest sanding blemishes, leaving dry spots and many, many visable sanding marks. This is more evident on the higher density timbers, which Jarrah is. So choose a sanding contractor carefully.

From my way of thinking, if your looking for that smooth, waxy type look and feel than your best bet would be to go with a polyurethane finish, consisting of two coats of gloss with the final coat being a satin finsh. This method of finishing will be the smelliest, but, it will give you the most benefits.
Firstly, that wax look.
Secondly, durabilty and longevity.
Thirdly, low maintainance.
Fourth, the polyurethane finish is much more forgiving if there are any sanding discrepancies. It hides problems, not highlights them.
Fifth, easy clean. Just mop with a little warm water.


Anyway, here's hoping you find the perfect solution to suit your floor.
Let us all know how it goes.

[twinkoz]

Thanks for the reply Dusty. Every three months ugg. I like the sound of your idea. Now my question is, what is the difference with one part or two part or do they call it pack? We are a family of eight so we need something that doesnt mark to easily.

regards
Vicki

[seriph1]

one-pack V two pack "pack" refers to ingredients in the final applied product - ie: one-pack is straight out of the tin and onto the floor

two-pack is when an additonal hardener is mixed in - ie: the second "pack"

family of 8 - get the most durable product available and fast!

[twinkoz]

thanks Steve for the reply. Guess it the 2 pack for me!!

regards
Vicki

[Dusty]

As Steve has already pointed out, one pack is a straight out the can product, whereas, the two pack needs to be mixed together before use.

Of the two different products, the Two Pack is the hardest wearing, more durable finish, which would be the best way for you to go with such a busy household.

The down side to the Two Pack is that it only comes in a high gloss finish. Which is not quite the look your striving for.

The satin (beeswax looking) finish only comes in a single pack and is a fairly tricky product to apply. So once again make sure you find a contractor who is comfortable with applying satin. Some aren't.

So, my advice at the end of the day is...
Go with the two Pack gloss finish.
~It goes on beautifully with very few problems
~ It's the toughest on the market
~ It's the easiest to maintain
~And, as it ages it becomes that satin, beeswaxy finish your looking for.
With your family of eight it will take no time at all for that initial gloss to subdue and that warm mellow look to happen, so eventually you'll end up with the best of everything.

Ohh, and with the smell, once that final coats' been applied, the following day, open up every door and window and in no time at all the last residues of odour will disappear. It's that easy.

[twinkoz]

Thanks Dusty for the reply, weighing up all the input it seems the two pack makes the most sense.

I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to reply, you have all been very helpful.