I'm finishing some flooring in a high traffic area (threshold between kitchen and bathroom) with WaterLox Original. I'm padding it on and rubbing out between coats with grey ScotchBrite. How many coats do I need for optimum durability?
A side note: I've had the varnish around for a couple of years, in a gallon can, about half full. The Bloxygen I added to the can has been very effective in keeping it from skimming over or thickening. I therefore consider it a very wise investment.
I want to know what they used on my high school gym/basketball court floor. This was back in the 60s-70s time frame. That floor was bullet proof.
When I refinished a pecan floor some years back, the best I could find was Varathane Diamond floor finish. It worked well but a running dog would still abrade it. That basketball floor was untouchable.
My father finished the oak floor in the house he built he built in 1950 with a product called Fabulon. It had an aroma like a highly volatile solvent lacquer. When I sold the house last year, the finish was still going strong.
The problem with polyurethane is that when (not if) it is eventually damaged, it is not easily repairable. Unlike WaterLox and other traditional varnishes, you cannot just clean it and wipe on a couple more coats and be done with it.
I guess I'm going to have to get the advise of one of my local builders or restoration architects, who have lots of experience with using WaterLox on old wooden floors. It is the floor fiinish of choice in this old town.
The original urethane varnishes had a volatile urethane making component that was a hazard to painters exposed to a lot of it. It was banned from wood finishes. It cured so hard that it was difficult to dent or scratch. It may now be available as an industrial finish. In its day it was called "moisture cured urethane".
When I shop for floor finish I see if the store has a test panel with the finish on it. I see how hard it is to dent the finish with my finer nail. A good floor finish should be difficult to dent.
My idea for a floor finish is to use one hard enough to resist damage and thick enough to absorb damage to prevent damage to the wood.
I do not understand why a urethane varnish is thought to be impossible to repair. At worst you sand the damaged finish away and recoat. At best you scuff sand and recoat. Any option is better than dealing with damage to the wood itself.
If the floor is expected to receive abuse too harsh for a urethane varnish then tile it.
I'm aware that Waterlox historically has some mystique for floors, and it is certainly more repairable than polyurethane, but you need to be realistic about how you expect it to hold up under foot traffic. If you want a lived-in look with a relatively dull, close-to-the-wood appearance -- which may be exactly the point in a vintage home -- and you don't mind the additional upkeep, by all means use it. But, understand that it doesn't offer much in the way of abrasion resistance, even with multiple coats. Anecdotally, I have a close friend who used Waterlox on his oak living room floor, and within a couple years, he decided to refinish it with a more wear-resistant finish.
Waterlox used to make a gym seal that was bulletproof, but I don't know if they still do. Unlike the Waterlox (Original?) that is available today, it had a higher solids content and built up faster, with a heavier film appearance but much better abrasion resistance.
I'd at least try making a couple test samples of different options before committing.
We have lived on Polyurethane floors for decades. Our dining room table has a polyurethane top, which again has endured for decades. The point is that we have had decades of experience using this varnish for surfaces that get used. It has provided long lasting durability and attractiveness. There has been no damage to the wood beneath, with the exception of a dent to the table top. Floor of previous house had 2 kids and a dog that lived on it in a farm environment.
After 15 years of dog and kids I scuff sanded the floor and recoated. Ditto for table. I regarded this wear easy to renew. I am wondering what anticipated wear/damage to a polyurethane coating would be anticipated that would be considered "difficult to repair"?
It is the floor fiinish of choice in this old town.
