Finishing robusta with mineral oil?

[Sherry]

Aloha,
Has anyone heard of finishing hardwood floors with mineral oil? I live in Hawaii and we purchased locally produced robusta. It's put down and beautiful. After sanding, we were going to use Street Shoe - recommended by the mill, but I really do like the look of an oiled floor. A neighbor mentioned using mineral oil. What do you think? Would there be darkening in high use areas, what about the effect of cleaners?
Thank you,
Sherry

[Larry McCully]

mineral oil is a lubricant laxative that is taken by mouth. It encourages bowel movements by coating the bowel and the stool with a waterproof film that helps to retain moisture in the stool. It is used to provide short term relief......... and you want to put this on your floor. I recon it will give you the s...s

[Larry McCully]

try using oil modified.... tung oil or oragan oil.

[Larry McCully]

street shoe is a waterbourne polyarathane. i am not to sure how well it would go if you coated it overthe top of a oil finnish. Oil finnish are not very durable, and if you are thinking of applying street shoe over the top it will increase the wear factor, however weather or not the oil finish will except street shoe and not delaminate is unknown to me .However street shoe on its own is fine.

[Sherry]

Thank you for your replies. I will try not to lick the floor if I use mineral oil.

I would not use both the water-based poly and oil. One or the other, the point being that I realize the benefits of poly - durable - but like the look of oil finish. We live in a very humid, rainy climate - East side of the Big Island of Hawaii - so would like to stay away from any oils that attract mildew or mold, like linseed. Does tung oil, being that it is from a nut - organic matter also, have a problem with attracting mildew or mold? I guess my neighbor who mentioned mineral oil was thinking that it contains nothing that could attract the black gack that collects on things like white walls and oil paintings. What is oragan oil, mentioned in a reply to my question?

Thanks again,
Sherry

[Greg Q]

Aloha Sherry....

Oragan oil is a locally available product, made by the people who sponsor this board. I have no idea if it is available in Hawaii, but I somehow doubt it.

The issues with compatibility that were mentioned were advanced because
the point is that if you don't end up liking the mineral oil, you can't then go and apply anything incompatible on top.

All oils are not alike, as I'm sure you have by now discovered. One characteristic of the organic oils is that they polymerize in air-get that hardened skin that forms the protective barrier and looks so good. As you pointed out, linseed and other vegetable oils are a rich source of food for mildew and mold, and may not be quite the ticket in the tropics.

Mineral oil does not polymerize-it tends to stay tacky for a very long time, and, being clear, adds none of the warmth that the amber toned oils do. I use it when french polishing, but very sparingly, and with the knowledge that it is somehow binding with the shellac.

The water based poly finishes that you have available might be the first and last stop for you. There must be a variety of gloss levels available-something that mimics an oil finish without the issues. Target Coatings make a great line of water based finishes, and their site (sorry, you'll have to Google for a link) has a wealth of information.


I hope that this helps

Greg

[Sherry]

Aloha Greg,

Thank you for your response. You and a friend, who happens to be a carpenter, convinced me to stick with poly. Though the idea was tempting to "go natural", poly sounds more reliable, less problematic and easier to maintain. Target and Basic Coatings both look good - I guess I will go with Street Shoe, low sheen - easy to get where we are.

Thanks again,
Sherry

[Larry McCully]

Hi Sherry, I can remember having to completly sand of a coat of linseed oil as it did not dry and stayed tacky, I have coated floors in tung oil and polyurathane in a state called Queensland for many years, The humidity their is up their with your climate. You will have no problem using single pac poly. Try conactacting a company called absolute coatings. They are on the web www.absolutecoatings.com. Go to the consumer box and select high traffic wood floors. Their is a product their called last n last. this company is in New York with distribitors your way.