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Not a fan of polyurethane? Consider Waterlox, a tung-oil based finish.

Modern polyurethanes are great: they are easy to apply, easy to maintain, they hold up well, and the waterborne version has minimal solvent fumes.

Waterlox logo
Shiny, glossy polyurethane finish wood floor

For the first-time do-it-yourselfer, polyurethane is usually our first recommendation—although it does have some drawbacks.

Polyurethane works by building up multiple layers of plastic over your wood floor. These layers form a very effective solvent barrier, and they take the brunt of the day-to-day wear on your floor, since the wood is essentially encased in a clear plastic shell.

Unfortunately, that plastic shell obscures the texture of the wood grain itself and sets up the unreasonable expectation that hardwood floors should always look as smooth as a lake on a windless morning. But they shouldn’t.

Can of Waterlox Original tung-oil blend floor finish

There is another option.

A compromise that allows you to protect your floors while still appreciating the texture of the wood itself: a tung-oil blend called Waterlox.

Even though the name contains the word “water,” this is not a water-based product; it is a penetrating resin-oil finish. Its main component is tung oil, an aromatic, natural drying oil obtained from the nut of the tung tree.

Tung oil has been used as a wood sealer for centuries in China precisely because wood absorbs it so readily and because it does eventually “cure,” meaning that it hardens when exposed to oxygen.

Essentially, tung oil works by seeping into the wood and hardening, which, on a floor, allows the wood grain itself to take the wear of foot traffic. However, straight tung oil is neither as hard nor as solvent-resistant as polyurethane.

In Understanding Wood Finishing, Bob Flexner states that, “Tung oil can be made fairly water-resistant after five or six coats. But it is too soft and thin to resist scratching or water-vapor exchange and it is difficult to make the finish look nice. In addition, tung oil cures very slowly, and it turns white if left to cure in any thickness…so you need to wait several days between coats.”

Waterlox solves some of the problems associated with pure tung oil by adding resins that cross-link andwaterlox harden, forming a better barrier against the cola that will eventually be spilled on your floor. Yet the added resin is not so much that it builds up excessively over the wood grain itself.

Due to shipping restrictions, we can only sell Waterlox from our storefront or ship within the state of Minnesota.

Pete’s sells the Waterlox Original Sealer, Original Satin Finish and the Waterlox Marine Finish in gallons and quarts. If you live in our fine state, but can’t get to the shop in St. Paul, MN, give us a call and we can help: 651-698-5888.

 

Pretty warm toned room with wood floor and plant

Waterlox penetrates into the wood.

The fact that Waterlox penetrates into the wood, rather than building a film on top of it, makes it easy to spot-blend additional layers. Polyurethane floors, because they act like layers of Plexiglas over your floor, need to be recoated fully from wall to wall—trying to touch up a small area will leave distinct lap marks.

Maintenance layers of Waterlox, however, can be rubbed selectively on your floor. If you see a small area beginning to show wear, a spot-coat of Waterlox in that area will blend and seamlessly restore the protection in that area.

This can be a major benefit if it allows you to leave your grand piano or big-screen television in place and still maintain your floors properly.

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Drawbacks to Waterlox.

The main drawback to Waterlox is that it is solvent-based, meaning that your home will smell of evaporating paint thinner during the entire coating process, which can take three to four days (dry time is 6 to 24 hours between coats, depending on temperature and humidity).

In addition, sometimes the Waterlox Original Sealer appears to be startlingly glossy, even though it is advertised as a medium sheen.

But its advantages outweigh these minor problems. Waterlox bonds well to itself, so you are not required to abrade the floor between coats unless you are experiencing roughness or grain whiskering.

Another Waterlox feature is that it can be tinted with up to one quart of old-fashioned, solvent-based stain (without additives such as urethane,or solvents like alcohol) per gallon.

Customers who are trying to recreate the color of aged shellac on maple, a species that does not take stain well, have had success using this method.

Be careful though; Waterlox has stopped recommending this practice on their website because many modern stains have been doctored to be faster-drying and the solvents that are added make those stains incompatible with Waterlox.

The sheen problem is easily solved by simply waiting for six months. Foot traffic will eventually soften the high gloss of the original sealer to a soft satin. If you can’t wait, you can buy a separate Waterlox Original Satin finish that will give you the lower sheen without the wait.

Can of Waterlox Marine Fnish

The only outdoor finish we recommend!

Waterlox also comes in a very high solid-content formulation that is sold as Waterlox Original Marine finish. It is more expensive than their Original Seal product, but it is designed to resist UV rays, freshwater, and saltwater.

Modern polyurethanes that are formulated for exterior use (porches, outdoor steps, or thresholds) can be disappointing because they break down and peel, usually after one winter’s worth of exposure, especially here in Minnesota where snow can sit on your steps for four months.

Because it is a penetrating finish and can’t “peel,” Waterlox performs better on exterior applications, though we do rub on an extra layer every fall just to be safe.

Even if you don’t have exterior hardwood that needs a natural coat, the Marine finish is still worth considering—especially for a kitchen or bathroom, or any room that has any road-salt-dragging winter boot traffic.

Pete’s Bonus Tips

Wood floor with long utility knife scraches

Be careful when you remove carpet. Utility knives are the devil’s tool.

You can damage your floors just taking out the carpet! Never let your knife cut into the wood itself - it digs deeper than you think, and leaves cuts that are almost impossible to sand out. Instead, tear up enough carpet to fold over a section and cut on the fold.

If you are in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, we rent sanders for your projects, and will give you a free lesson on the equipment at our storefront.

Can of Waterlox Original finish, can of Waterlox Maine finish

We sell Waterlox.

We sell the Waterlox Original Sealer, Original Satin Finish and the Waterlox Marine Finish in gallons and quarts.

Due to shipping restrictions, we can only sell it from our storefront or ship within the state of Minnesota.

If you live in our fine state, but can't get to the shop, give us a call and we can help: 651-698-5888.

Pete's Hardwood Floor Helpline red button

Get a one-on-one phone consultation with a hardwood flooring expert.

For a small fee of $25, we can provide the wisdom and knowledge that you need to complete your hardwood flooring project.

When you don’t know what you need to do next, that’s when it’s time to call Pete’s Hardwood Floors Help Hotline.

An actual flooring contractor will answer all of your questions!

We have a crack staff with a range of specialties, from carpentry through floor machine maintenance, and we can troubleshoot just about any hardwood flooring mystery thrown our way.

If you are stuck or struggling with your hardwood floor project, one call could save you hours in the long run.