Oil Based Polyurethane For Hardwood Floors

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Oil Based Polyurethane For Hardwood Floors

Polyurethane finished wood floors are more durable than the wax coatings of the past. Most water based polys contain only 30 to 35 percent solids compared with the 45 to 50 percent solids in oil based products.

Oil Based Or Waterborne Polyurethane Finish Which One To Choose

If adding one or two more coats lightly sand the floor between coats with an abrasive pad for water based polyurethane or steel wood oil based material how many coats of polyurethane for hardwood floors.

Oil based polyurethane for hardwood floors. Each type of polyurethane is a sacrificial layer that will show scratches and wear marks over time and both oil and water based polyurethane have their strengths. This creates a wear layer that people pets and furniture stand on top of. Both oil and water based polyurethanes are like a coat of armor for the hardwood floors.

Since these solids create the protective finish you need to apply four coats as opposed to two or three. To start with you must decide whether to use an oil based or water based product. There are a few reasons for this.

Waterborne polyurethane goes on clear and will not alter the color of the wood. Theres an ongoing debate over which is more durable long lasting. Some still insist that durability is the main deciding factor between water based oil based polyurethane.

However you still need to take special care when cleaning this type of floor as you can damage the floor or the. On the other hand penetrating oil actually incorporates itself into the wood. When applying polyurethane to floors you may need to apply additional coats every two years or so.

I compare 12 popular hardwood floor polyurethane finishes 4 oil based and 8 water based. First the oil based polyurethane lasts longer and youd have to refinish half as often. The best practice is to apply three coats of polyurethane allowing the floor to dry and lightly sanding it between coats.

Durability of water based vs oil based polyurethane. The odor and possible health effects of using a high voc product should always be considered but especially if youre refinishing hardwood floors in the winter when you cant air the house out well. With a controlled scratch and abrasion tests i test how durable and how well they wear and see which is.

How to clean polyurethane wood floors. Polyurethane finish systems are applied on top of a wood floor. Oil based used to be unquestionably more durable.

The key difference between penetrating oil and polyurethane is how the finish interacts with the hardwood floor. Ultimately the oil based polyurethane is more cost effective. Both will protect your floors whether you have traditional or engineered hardwood but there are notable differences.

Should you use water based or oil based. Oil based polyurethane is much higher in vocs so it has a strong odor and is not environmentally friendly whereas water based polyurethane is a low voc product with little to no smell. So knowing youd have to refinish your floors in a few years doesnt make much sense looking at it from a cost perspective.

Oil Based Vs Water Based Polyurethane Valenti Flooring