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Answers (9)
- JaymeNaquinMichel
- Contributions:1
DON'T USE ORANGE GLO!! RUINED OUR FLOORS, LEAVES A HORRIBLE WAX BUILD UP THAT WILL ONLY COME UP WITH AMMONIA AND WATER AND LOTS OF HARD SCRUBBING...YOU SHOULD GOOGLE THE REVIEWS FROM ORANGE GLO, ITS AMAZING THEY STILL SELL THAT JUNK.
- BrandonHandyman . com, "_Realtors_Fix It Guy"
- Contributions:31
Dana,
You can achieve the perfect results using a waterbased polyurethane finish that dries quickly and with less luster than the oil based poly. It is easy to apply, and you can determine the number of coats based on the amount of gloss or shine desired. Also considering the amount of traffic certain areas will stand up to.
Best of all, you can spot - touch up with just a light sanding.
This will insure a proper adhesion between layers.
You can achieve the perfect results using a waterbased polyurethane finish that dries quickly and with less luster than the oil based poly. It is easy to apply, and you can determine the number of coats based on the amount of gloss or shine desired. Also considering the amount of traffic certain areas will stand up to.
Best of all, you can spot - touch up with just a light sanding.
This will insure a proper adhesion between layers.
- Debbie Gartner, "Floor Coverings NY"
- Contributions:13
It sounds like you may need to sand & refinish the floors (or at least screen & recoat). I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, and yes, it would be have been better to do it before you had moved in, but I think that's going to be your best solution.
Generally, you might need to (or want to) sand & refinish every 7-10 yrs, and sounds like the floor hasn't been done for even longer. We always do 3 coats of poly which helps it last longer (and makes it look better) and I have seen the effects of only 1-2 coats when we've been brought in to repair it. And, while we do both water-based and oil-based poly, I much prefer the oil first because it looks much better and second because it lasts much longer. In addition, it is less expensive.
Sanding & refinishing can take 4-5 days pending on whether you use a stain or not and you can't walk on it during that time, so it definitely creates an inconvenience if you are living there. Most of my customers who already live there will choose to do major sand & refinish projects while they are away and/or one floor at a time.
Screen & recoat is a faster/less expensive way to do it. If the floor is in good condition and no color chips/scratches, you could try this approach. Might take 1-2 days.
Also, as you may already know, there are different sheen levels you can use: matte, satin, semi-gloss and glossy. Currently satin seems to be most popular, but if you want more of a shine, semi gloss could work well for you.
www.westchester.floorcoveringsinternational.com
Generally, you might need to (or want to) sand & refinish every 7-10 yrs, and sounds like the floor hasn't been done for even longer. We always do 3 coats of poly which helps it last longer (and makes it look better) and I have seen the effects of only 1-2 coats when we've been brought in to repair it. And, while we do both water-based and oil-based poly, I much prefer the oil first because it looks much better and second because it lasts much longer. In addition, it is less expensive.
Sanding & refinishing can take 4-5 days pending on whether you use a stain or not and you can't walk on it during that time, so it definitely creates an inconvenience if you are living there. Most of my customers who already live there will choose to do major sand & refinish projects while they are away and/or one floor at a time.
Screen & recoat is a faster/less expensive way to do it. If the floor is in good condition and no color chips/scratches, you could try this approach. Might take 1-2 days.
Also, as you may already know, there are different sheen levels you can use: matte, satin, semi-gloss and glossy. Currently satin seems to be most popular, but if you want more of a shine, semi gloss could work well for you.
www.westchester.floorcoveringsinternational.com
- Brian Gwaltney, "Metro Maintenance"
- Contributions:315
Whatever you do, and anyone else, do not use Murphy's Oil Soap. The wax in the soap will remain as a residue and you will no longer be able to simply screen and recoat an existing oil or water polyurethane finish. The only way to get the wax off is to sand to bare wood. If you try to go over it the finish (water or oil) will crackle like crazy!!!
As far as oil not being green... Most water based polyurethanes are about 250 voc/g per liter oil is about double or 500-550. In addition many of the higher end catalytic water based polyurethanes use cyanide compounds as the catalyst (that's why they don't sell the stuff over the counter). Don't forget that a water based application done right is four coats, instead of 2-3 for oiI. Either was there is going to be almost the identical amount of voc's released ie 2 gallons oil x 550 = 1100 or 4 gallons water x 250 = 1000. I think the difference in voc content between the two is a drop in the bucket so to speak. In addition oil, despite what the water people claim, lasts longer so you may do it less often.
As far as oil not being green... Most water based polyurethanes are about 250 voc/g per liter oil is about double or 500-550. In addition many of the higher end catalytic water based polyurethanes use cyanide compounds as the catalyst (that's why they don't sell the stuff over the counter). Don't forget that a water based application done right is four coats, instead of 2-3 for oiI. Either was there is going to be almost the identical amount of voc's released ie 2 gallons oil x 550 = 1100 or 4 gallons water x 250 = 1000. I think the difference in voc content between the two is a drop in the bucket so to speak. In addition oil, despite what the water people claim, lasts longer so you may do it less often.
- DanaEv
- Contributions:62
Thank you for all your help. The floors are actually beautiful and the woood is gorgeous,but there is no shine. Kind of looks like when they put the floors in 25 years ago they finished them, and the owners said they never did anything but run a mop and broom over them. There was no shine, no signs of any wax, and they are beautiful thick pieces of wood. After 5 coats of Orange Glo 4-1 I've found that the dining room is gorgeous and doesn't scuff up anymore. I would just like a little bit more shine. I'll try some of the other products and see what they do.
We did have contractors come in and do a ton of work before we moved in, but not the floors. We want to get rid of all of the tile in the foyer and bathrooms first because they are white and boring, we are taking down 16 trees in the front yard (which isn't even half!) and then we are going to do some landscaping around the pool. So the wood floors were left for me to figure out how to fix.
I'll go to Lowe's today to get the Rejuvenator, and Bona. I have the Quick Shine but it's still not giving me the look I want.
Thank you so much for your responses. With the hughe amount of hard wood floors in this house I was going crazy trying out different products.
We did have contractors come in and do a ton of work before we moved in, but not the floors. We want to get rid of all of the tile in the foyer and bathrooms first because they are white and boring, we are taking down 16 trees in the front yard (which isn't even half!) and then we are going to do some landscaping around the pool. So the wood floors were left for me to figure out how to fix.
I'll go to Lowe's today to get the Rejuvenator, and Bona. I have the Quick Shine but it's still not giving me the look I want.
Thank you so much for your responses. With the hughe amount of hard wood floors in this house I was going crazy trying out different products.
- Raymond Sinsley, "Timber Creek Const."
- Contributions:195
Your floors must be in bad shape to begin with.
You probably need a hardwood flooring subcontractor to come in and refinish the top coat with a good polyurethane .
And then ask him when he is done how to protect them.
I have hardwood floor in my personal house, I use a light vacuum to suck up the everyday dust, and then I use Mr. Clean and water to really clean them up.
The "shine" you are looking for comes from the last coat of polyurethane the hardwood floor subcontractor puts on.
I have lived in my house for 6 years now and my floors still look as brand new as the homes I build or remodel .
You probably need a hardwood flooring subcontractor to come in and refinish the top coat with a good polyurethane .
And then ask him when he is done how to protect them.
I have hardwood floor in my personal house, I use a light vacuum to suck up the everyday dust, and then I use Mr. Clean and water to really clean them up.
The "shine" you are looking for comes from the last coat of polyurethane the hardwood floor subcontractor puts on.
I have lived in my house for 6 years now and my floors still look as brand new as the homes I build or remodel .
- ukchamps29
- Contributions:3
There are 3 products I recommend:
1) Minwax Cleaner ($4), and Rejuvenator ($15).
2) Quick Shine
3) Bona
These are the only three brands that I have found not to dull the hardwood with a cloudy finish...
1) Minwax Cleaner ($4), and Rejuvenator ($15).
2) Quick Shine
3) Bona
These are the only three brands that I have found not to dull the hardwood with a cloudy finish...
- FlooredAgain
- Contributions:138
Your wood floors probably have a build up of previous cleaners, oils, waxes on them. The best after market cleaner is from Bona. Buy the concentate, mix with the spritz bottle you get when you buy the micro fiber mop kit and clean your floors. You don't want a "sealer" on your floors. The wood was either prefinished at the ffactory or sand and finished in place. If it was sand and finished at the job site, a stain may or not have been put down first, then two to three coats of finish was applied with a light sanding inbetween coats. You may need a professional to come in and screen and recoat your floors at a cost of 1.75-2.50 a square foot. He can apply a higher gloss or a matte gloss water based finish on your floor. After that's done, just use the Bona Kemi products on your floor. A screen and recoat is needed every few years depending on how much hard use they get. With high use comes surface scratches, eventually dulling the appearance. Use a professional hardwood company or flooring store to do the screen and recoat. It's not a big box job or a DIY job.
- Zelda Kohn, "RE by Design"
- Contributions:60
when it comes to flooring i try to have them professionally sealed before i move in. it is hard to do it right w/o proper tools and process. you can use almost any water based poli coating to create as little or as much gloss as you like by applying 1, 2, 3 or more coats of it. oil based coatings are not "green" and are shinier and bring out deeper reacher wood color. water-based coating will stay closer to original wood representation w/o making the color deeper and will add only a slight gloss to it.
What is the best product to clean and seal hardwood floors? We have tried many w/ blah results.
Right now, We can't even move anything in those rooms without scuffing up the floors, and they look tired and old w/o some shine and sealant.
Thanks!
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