What is the finish used on my floorboards? Stripped by dog urine!

[Libertine]

Hi folks,

I'm trying to figure out what finish has been used on the floorboards in my house. The house was built by alternative folk, so it could be anything. I think the boards might be pine, but the finish is a warm Oregon type colour which matches the Oregon beams and cedar window frames - however it appears that the finish hasn't 'soaked into' or stained the wood, but is just sitting on top of the wood.

There is a soft sheen to the finish which has become dull in high traffic areas over the past 4 years (but is still satiny under rugs and in low traffic areas) so I'd like to refinish/rejuvenate the floors.

But my main issue is that we had a dog stay over and it peed on the floors, and where it has peed ipthe finish has been completely stripped bare, leaving these pale patches on the floor.

So I'm wondering if you guys can suggest what sort of finish might sit 'on top' of wood without soaking in/staining the wood, would give a low sheen and warm Oregon colour to pine, and would be completely stripped off with something like ammonia or some type of acidic/alkaline substance? I'm at a loss!

[Evanism]

I think we've just found an alternative to nasty chemical cleaners. Collection of it may be problematic....

I'll order a 4 litre bottle

[aldav]

Bad news Libertine, have a look at this link - What pets can do to your hardwood floors

I've always held the view that dogs live outside and from the tone of your post it wouldn't surprise me if you are of the same view, but were compromised by a friend or relative? It sounds like the flooring is probably cypress pine or maybe a softer baltic type pine. Google them to see the difference. Dry Cypress cracks and splits like a b?@#h if you try to take it up. Most floor finishes darken over time so it sounds like a clear, satin finish has been used on your floor. For a modern, hard wearing floor finish I don't think you can go past the polyurethanes.

Good luck with it.

Cheers,
David

[Chesand]

I think we've just found an alternative to nasty chemical cleaners. Collection of it may be problematic....

Follow them round with a saucer - has been done here when our old dog was unwell and specimen was needed for testing.

[ian]

My floor at home was finished with a product like Feast Watson's Tung Oil Floor finish -- it's softer than 2 pack estapol and more easily repaired.

The floor was then "polished" with a mop on water based polish -- from memory the product name was Gemini polish.

It sounds as though the dog's urine has stripped the polish rather than the finish. You should be able to clean the floor and reapply a new coat of polish.

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hi Libertine,

Lots of jokers here! but all well-meaning jokes aside, some photos of the effect might get you some more definitive answers. It is hard to comment on a description but a good photo says a lot more.

David

[Libertine]

Hi Libertine,

Lots of jokers here! but all well-meaning jokes aside, some photos of the effect might get you some more definitive answers. It is hard to comment on a description but a good photo says a lot more.

David

Thanks David Here is a pic, as suggested. The lighter parts are where the wee has stripped away the finish. Don't know if you can see from the pic, but the slightly raised parts of the grain still have the finish on them, but the lower parts (where the wee settles overnight, I guess) are raw wood.

[Libertine]

Can you guys tell from the pics what type of wood this is? It is very soft and dents easily from couch legs etc, but the grain looks very similar to the Oregon that the rest of the house is built from. Is Oregon soft?

I guess there here is a possibility that it could be Oregon and the dog wee has actually bleached the wood...? I feel that's unlikely though.

[aldav]

The difference some pictures make! Good thinking Xanthorrhoeas.

This floor certainly appears to me to be some type of pine, not Cypress, and I would imagine it was laid at least 50 years ago? It is definitely not an Australian hardwood. If that is the case the field is wide open as to what the finish could be. The slight sheen on the finished boards (top left of second pic.) would make me think the floor was finished with an Estapol type product.

I've never seen Oregon used as floorboards, architrave and skirting yes, but timbers used for different jobs can vary enormously in various parts of the country. Oregon is soft, as are many of the other pines and I'm not surprised that the floor marks easily. From the looks of it the only way you would get an acceptable result would be to sand and refinish the floor using one of the polyurethanes available. These come in both oil and water based types. Your finished floor would be much lighter than the current colour though. You may be able to add stain to some of the available finishes, but I know that others recommend pre-staining the floor. Regardless of which method you used you'd have to be careful with the application to prevent the floor looking patchy.

Others may have some different ideas and you can always have a look at the various paint company websites and the information and samples available in your local specialist paint store or big box hardware.

Cheers,
David

[orraloon]

It does look like Oregon and it is a soft wood. Pines of various kinds was used a lot in older homes for flooring before chipboard sheet became the thing. These floors are usually meant to be covered. That is not to say it cant be resealed but it wont stand up to abuse like a hardwood floor. If you go that way a full sanding would be needed to get the best result. Almost impossible to do a patch and not be noticed. Been over 25 years since I did a sand and seal so I am not up with the latest finishes. I only know there are plenty to choose from. Anyhow the stuff I used all that time ago is still going strong on a cypress floor. I think it was Cabots and a hardening agent was added to the final coat. Kids played on it, also we are on dog No3 now. I guess it depends on the look you want and budget. Last option is chuck a rug over the bad bit.
Regards
John

[ian]

Are you sure the house is only about 50 year's old.
I know it seems strange, but 1965 was 50 years ago.
From what I recall residential timber floors were well out of fashion then and "alternate folk" weren't around -- Nimbin was still a few years away.

Your floors could quite easily be one of the pines -- softness would not be an issue for a floor intended to be carpeted or covered in lino.


As to the finish.
it could be shellac and wax floor polish.

it could just be a wax -- do you recall what the floors looked like when you moved in?

I recall an era when 2 pack estapol was all the go for floors -- but that has an almost glass like appearance -- and I think your floor predates its introduction.

[Evanism]

Since its ruined, lets try a test. Put some water, thinners, metho and turps in different areas and tell us what moves the stain. If nothing does, then we move to an alkaline solution to test.

It looks like soy sauce to me.

Perhaps a good opportunity to give it all a good sanding and seal?

[FenceFurniture]

It looks like Kauri Pine to me - we have it here - bloody useless as flooring. Given that the dog pee stripped it back so easily I'm thinking it's just wax.

[LGS]

Hi,

It looks like Baltic Pine to me. But the finish, I'm not sure. The fact that the urine has totally cleared the boards of colour seems to suggest to me that it was an acid wee that did the deed. Maybe you could buy some weak Hydrochloric acid and see if the result is the same. There are of course many chemicals in a dogs urine, but you have to start somewhere.

Regards,

Rob

[aldav]

When I suggested to sand and refinish I meant the whole floor not just the problem areas. Or you could open a laboratory, conduct extensive testing on the stain, then test various methods/solutions/materials for a suitable repair!!! Where does it all end?

Yes it may well just be a wax finish, didn't think of that. It may seem like a lot of work to sand and refinish, but you're virtually guaranteed a good result.

Cheers,
David