I’ve just sanded and filled and sanded a few more times some oak floors. The floor is probably 35 years old. I don’t want to use a varathane finish. I would prefer the old oil and wax. I was going to use the Watco Danish Oil (natural). Has anyone done this? Or heard of any results? Any ideas on a wax or will it be necessary?
Kory
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Replies
I've used a penetrative oil finish on floors many times, using an equal mixture of Tung oil, boiled Linseed oil and Turpentine.
The sanding has to be super-smooth as there isn't a surface coating to fill the scratches and oil should only be used in dry areas (where you'd put fitted carpet) because it isn't a waterproof finish.
Day 1
Flood the oil onto the surface and keep it wet until the timber is saturated. Clean off all the excess oil (very important -- it sets like concrete!) and buff the floor thoroughly with a fairly coarse nylon pad. Apply a thin coat of Johnson's paste wax and let it dry
Days 2,3 and 4
Buff the floor at least 3 times in each direction -- don't add any more wax. The more you buff, the higher the sheen.
Maintenance
Don't ever wash the floor -- mop it with a dry flat mop on which you sprinkle a few drops of cedar oil or teak oil or similar. Any areas that look dry after a period of wear can be freshened up, again using teak or cedar oil.
That's it -- good luck!
IanDG
I've got an oak floor that I need to refinish -- I hired the wrong guys the first time and the finish is worn through after only four years. Now, I've seen your website and the work you do looks amazing. Nonetheless, I've read (and published, for that matter) that once you wax a floor, it will be impossible to refinish any other way, ever. Is that latter bit simply hooey?
And, do you know anything about Waterlox? Andy Engel, The Former Accidental Moderator
Andy,
Wax contamination is difficult to remove and usually takes a resand before you can recoat -- especially if you intend to use water-base. I only use the wax on an oiled floor to make sure that any oil remaining on the surface stays soft enough to buff off. Once the floor has been thoroughly buffed the wax has gone and after 3 - 6 months the floor could be coated with OMU if you wished.
Personally I prefer a waterbased poly for a coated floor -- it takes longer (10 days minimum) to achieve full hardness and adhesion but the advantages over oil-modified or tung oil are:-
Non-toxic and odor-free.
UV resistant so the coat is non-yellowing (BIG problem with OMU or Tung oil on a light timber)
Easily recoated or patch-repaired -- no need to cut back, just wash down and coat.
IanDG
I'm a little surprised that you only put on one coat of oil, then wax the same day. Why not more than one oil coat over a period of days?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I did say that the oil is kept wet until the timber is saturated and with oak this typically takes 2 - 3 hours. Once the oil crystallizes within the timber there is absolutely no point in trying to apply a second coat -- it won't penetrate.
IanDG
So does one steel wool after oiling but before waxing? Has anyone used a liquid floor wax or just the little tubs of rub on. I have access to one of those old 3pad buffing machines. Would that work for the paste wax. What is a good wax?
Thanks
The process I described results in a floor that has no coating on it at all -- the wood fibres are saturated with oil that has hardened and the buffing process merely smoothes and polishes the timber surface. I've always used a maroon nylon pad for buffing -- in my experience a steel wool pad catches and pulls up splinters from the surface.
A waxed floor is very high maintenance, but if that's what you want the 3-wheel polisher will be satisfactory to keep it polished. You have a choice of 2 different type of waxes -- a cleaning wax like Johnson's paste wax or a high build wax like beeswax.The paste wax is easier to apply but won't give you much of a build up as each coat tends to dissolve the previous coat. Beeswax will give you a build up and a high sheen but it takes a long time with many coats. There is a short cut, but it is a two-handed job. Heat the beeswax in an old electric skillet to about 200C and paint it on the floor with a wide brush and have someone follow up almost immediately with a buffer and soft nylon pad to level it. Let it harden for 3 to 4 days and buff to a shine.
IanDG
Thanks Ian,
It sounds like from what your saying and a few others have said I'm better off with the two coats of oil (which look great). And then to buff. Then to re-oil every year or two or as is necessary?
K
If you follow the procedure I described then you won't have to re-oil -- I won't say never but this floor, for instance,View Image is 10 years old and has only been maintained as I described.Providing you saturate the timber with oil in the initial application then any subsequent coat can't penetrate anyway.
IanDG
That is a beautiful thing. Nice work is it one of yours?
Yes -- the parquet is laid on a heated concrete slab. That particular finish works really well over heated slabs because it breathes and allows quicker moisture recovery so you get a lot less movement.
IanDG
Steel wool will break up and the steel "fibers" can / will penetrate any voids or grain in the wood. This causes little black spots to appear 1 -10 days after you steel wool a piece of wood. Oak is the worst because the tannins in the oak react to the steel very rapidly.
those black spots can be a real pain to get out.
use a plastic buffing pad.
I can't answer the part about the wax..... but steel wool
Adam
Thanks adam. I'll try the nylon buff. But perhaps stick to just the oil and no wax. Even if I have to oil every year or two.
I caught the comment about keeping it wet, and I have used oil on woodworking projects so I am familiar with the process. But I always let the oil cure for at least 24 hrs, usually two days. Maybe I used a different formula.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Thanks for the info.Andy Engel, The Former Accidental Moderator
Waterlox is a tung oil based finish. I just used it on a floor, and it gives a better appearance than poly, much like linseed oil finished wood. The first coat penetrates, subsequent coats build. The manufacturer claims it is only slightly less durable than poly, easier to apply and easier to repair. I can vouch for the second and third claims.
The best deal on it I could find was direct from the mfg. waterlox.com has more information.
It has held up great, but it's only been a week!
I have just a little bit of experience with Waterlox (which is also the only experience in floor finishing I have).
The instructions on the Waterlox web site mention a seven day cure. The instructions on the can only mention dry times (a few hours). Just because it is dry does not mean it is cured.
I got much better results when I recoated the floor when the customer was on vacation and the floor got to cure undisturbed for five days.
Clarification: Just because I failed to find any mention of cure times on the can doesn't necessarily mean it isn't there. It just means I couldn't find it.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.