Replies

1. 
   Bill_Conner | Dec 15, 1998 07:05am | #1

   *
   Well, risking boos and hisses, I refinished all our floors with shellac and love it. They look fantastic and have been almost carefree. It was also very easy with none of the problems I read about applying poly. I put on one coat of approx 1# cut, and 2 coats of 3# cut, steel wooling between each coat and after the final (#0000). Then paste wax and power buffing. I finished this two years ago, live in Chicago burbs, and have two very active boys, now 6 and 8, and there's only been a couple of spots where water stood a long time and made a hazy spot, easily repaired with alcohol and rewaxing.

1. 
   George_W._Carpenter | Dec 15, 1998 07:40am | #2

   *Bill, good technique, but more for an accomplished person such as yourself. Antique boards can be finished with Oil (Linseed), Watco Oil, Wax, Shellac, Polyurethane (Satin works best for that lustre), or Marine Spar Varnish. Drying time, ease of application, touch-up potential or lack there of all vary with the method and material. Read up, all are durable to a greater or lesser degree.

1. 
   Bill_Conner | Dec 15, 1998 07:58am | #3

   *I hardly consider myself accomplished at these things, especially floors. I think that shellac has to be about the easiest and most idiot proof finish there is. But I agree with the bulk of your post and would highly recommend Bruce Johnson's book The Wood Finisher for a very good review of these issues.

1. 
   Joe_Hammes | Dec 19, 1998 03:11am | #4

   *Shellac is easy, but so is polyurethane and varnish, including the one-hour or fast-drying types. I have a house full of ancient wide pine and have been quite happy with satin poly, hand-brushed over a random-orbital sanded surface. (To preserve the surface variations and patina) I've also tinted the varnish with stain to make up for too-light areas). Just be careful to avoid puddling with the quick-dry types; brush it out well.

1. 
   Linda_Ferguson | Dec 19, 1998 09:17pm | #5

   *We uncovered antique vertical-grain fir floors in our old house when we pulled up hideous brown shag carpeting. After sanding and filling the gaps between the boards we used a water based polyurane as a finish. We sprayed it one in three thin coats. That was three years ago, and the finish has been very carefree, the waterbased finish was applied in the winter with little or no problems with fumes or long curing time. BUT, we have large south and west facing windows and bays, and the Water based finish has "blued" because of the sunlight it is exposed to. If I had to do it over again, I would use a varnish, because the aged "yellowing" would be a warmer color that would be more compatible with the pumpkin color of the original floor. For now, I'll live with the hazy "skim-milk" finish, but the day our addition is finished and the laundry facilities no longer abut the rooms with the wood floors and the danger of large water spills is removed we are going to sand off this finish and shellac our floors. We have successfully used shellac on similar fir/heart-pine tongue and groove panelling and LOVE the way it looks. We are with you Bill, shellac is the easiest finish to work with, and nothing else repairs quite so easily.

2. 
   Steve_Jackson | Jan 01, 1999 09:46pm | #6

   *Regarding appropriate finishes for old wood floors, We have had great success with Deftoil brand "tung-oil" finish. It is labor intensive to apply correctly and requires multiple coats to achieve maximum durability but you will be rewarded with a furniture quality finish that repairs easily (especially useful on softwood floors). The subtle sheen is perfect for the old wood, giving life to the floor.

2. 
   Carole | Jan 01, 1999 09:46pm | #7

   *
   I'm after a rich looking patina of age on antique fir floors that need screening and new coats of a finish. Can this be achieved with polyurethane? Oil or latex? What about marine varnish? Any recommendations?