Question: We had about 1800 worth of sq. foot done in hardwood about 7 months ago. It was a sand-in-place (tongue-in-groove, nailed down to a sub floor) job. It turned out beautiful. My Dad’s been making the comments that he can feel that the floor warps & that it was not a good job. My wife & I beg to differ! Can a warped be “felt”? What I mean is: Is it visible to the eyes or is it so subtle that you have to feel it? I think what he’s feeling is where the planks are joined. Myself, I feel that if sit down & run my hands over them, I can feel that where the planks are joined actually feel “stiffer” (for lack of a better word or description). Should I worry? Vu Answer: Dear Vu You really cannot expect all 1800 sq. ft. to look perfectly flat like a table top. And most hardwood floor sanders don’t level the floor during the first sanding at a 45 degree angle. I do this on most of my floors unless the sub-floor and finished installation are almost perfect. But I charge premium prices for this custom service, along with really good finishing techniques. And unless you had spent a lot of time finding someone as thorough as myself, you would have received the industry standard job. And in most cases it’s good enough for floors. But that said the floor should have no or almost no over-wood showing. That’s when one board is slightly higher that the one next to it, and this MUST be sanded off. It just depends on what you can live with. If you payed a low price for this floor, then maybe these small defects should be accepted. While it may be true that you can only feel a slight waviness between the floor boards, given the right light in an empty room you might be able to see them. But who is looking that closely, or feeling that closely ? Oh, that’s right your Dad. But you think it looks fine, hmmm. There is one other factor that by now might be showing up, and that is a true warping of the wood itself, due to the fact that humidity in one side of the broad face is different that the other. This may show up in the middle of the winter, when you heat the house to dessert dryness, and the underside of the wood is somewhat exposed to a damp basement or crawl space. You do need to keep your indoor relative humidity to about 40-60% all year round if you want the floor boards never to warp, or shrink. Buy a wet-dry bulb hygrometer to measure this at http://www.e-sci.com. Order prod. # 848N635. The little cheap metal ones at the hardware stores are not accurate. If you do nothing else increase the humidity, it help the floor and your health. As always your Most humble servant, Joseph, the Wood Floor Doctor.

Question: What are the pros & cons of an oil/wax finish vs. urethane? This will be applied to a new maple floor in a low traffic living room and a high traffic hall. Answer: Dear Mike There are almost no oil/varnish finishes out there that are durable enough for floor work. But here are two: http://www.triedandtruewoodfinish.com and http://www.waterlox.com. The tried and true true oil/ varnish is really meant for furniture, but is truly non-toxic. And the waterlox brand have finishes that are more like varnishes than oils, but are suitable for floors. You should not use a pure oil finish on a floor, as it will have no water resistance. These oil/varnish blends are the best of both worlds, but are difficult and expensive to apply, so would cost a lot more than a regular oil modified polyurethane finish. They have the advantage of easy touch ups, but any dent or scratch will still show through. They should not be waxed as is often the suggestion. You will be defeating the purpose of the touch-up-ability of these finishes. Once the wax is applied (any floor finish has to cure for at least 1 month) you can only touch up with wax, not the floor finish any more. For all of my floors I only use oil modified polyurethane. It has a fairly quick dry. I apply one thin coat and by the next afternoon it is dry enough to be scuffed, and the second coat brushed on. I skip a day and scuff again and apply the third coat. It’s ready for moderate use in 48 hours, and cures in one month. The finish will get harder over the years, and should last 10-20 years in light use areas. It’s easy to re-coat, but cannot be repaired invisibly, any touch up coat really show, unless you do the whole board or wall to wall. Compare that to the oil/ varnishes. You will need to apply at least 5-6 coats of a true oil/varnish, and this will take about 2 weeks to let each coat dry enough to be steel wooled. Don’t be fooled by the fast dry times of some company’s instructions, they say that the OMP that I use dries in 4 hours, it’s simply not true. And the oil/ varnish finish will not be as scuff resistant or as durable as the OMP. You will find yourself recoating this floor every 2-4 years to keep it looking good, and only of you use the Tried And True finishes will you have a real non-toxic finish (no heavy metallic dryers), and this will cost you a bundle over the years. With the waterlox brand I’m afraid you will be exposing yourself to lots of toxic fumes as you touch up and re-coat these floor so often.

Question: When the installer installed our oak hardwood floor he put several coats of tongue oil on it. He advised us tongue oil would be better than urethane because we have dogs and the scratches their nails leave (and I clip the nails regularly, I’m a dog groomer) could be erased by rubbing the scratch with a cloth dipped in tongue oil. He also put a Behr pearl stain on it so the floor would match our washed oak kitchen cupboards. The floor is extremely hard to maintain. It never has a shine and the day after we clean it, it looks as though we never clean our floors. I’m embarrassed every time visitors come to my home. What can I do? HELP, Please!!! Answer: Dear Linda I’m sorry to hear of your trouble, perhaps I can help. There are almost no oil/varnish finishes out there that are durable enough for floor work. But here are two: http://www.triedandtruewoodfinish.com and http://www.waterlox.com. The tried and true true oil/ varnish is really meant for furniture, but is truly non-toxic. And the Waterlox brand has finishes that are more like varnishes than oils, but are suitable for floors. You should not use a pure oil finish on a floor, as it will have no water resistance. These oil/varnish blends are the best of both worlds, but are difficult and expensive to apply, so would cost a lot more than a regular oil modified polyurethane finish. They have the advantage of easy touch ups, but any dent or scratch will still show through. They should not be waxed as is often the suggestion. You will be defeating the purpose of the touch-up-ability of these finishes. Once the wax is applied (any floor finish has to cure for at least 1 month) you can only touch up with wax, not the floor finish any more. For all of my floors I only use oil modified polyurethane. It has a fairly quick dry. I apply one thin coat and by the next afternoon it is dry enough to be scuffed, and the second coat brushed on. I skip a day and scuff again and apply the third coat. It’s ready for moderate use in 48 hours, and cures in one month. The finish will get harder over the years, and should last 10-20 years in light use areas. It’s easy to re-coat, but cannot be repaired invisibly, any touch up coat really show, unless you do the whole board or wall to wall. Compare that to the oil/ varnishes. You will need to apply at least 5-6 coats of a true oil/varnish. This will take all together about 2 weeks to complete. Let each coat dry enough to be steel wooled (two days each coat). Don’t be fooled by the fast dry times of some company’s instructions, they say that the OMP that I use dries in 4 hours, it’s simply not true. And the oil/ varnish finish will not be as scuff resistant or as durable as the OMP. You will find yourself recoating this floor every 2-4 years to keep it looking good, and only of you use the Tried And True finishes will you have a real non-toxic finish (no heavy metallic dryers), and this will cost you a bundle over the years. With the Waterlox brand I’m afraid you will be exposing yourself to lots of toxic fumes as you touch up and re-coat these floor so often. Oh, and since you say you have a white or pale stained floor, you really shouldn’t be using a oil based finish in any case. It will darken quite a bit in just a few years. Better to use a clear water based finish like Street Shoe (http://www.basiccoatings.com) or Traffic (http://www.bonakemi.com)

Question: I had water get under my hardwood floor and it caused the sub-flooring to swell, making the hardwood cup up and look un-even in one area. Is it difficult to take up the existing hardwood without damaging it? And then re-installing it back again following repairs? Answer: Dear Steve Check the moisture content of the floor and subfloor and don’t re-install it until the MC (moisture content) is between 6-8% or the standard indoor MC for interior wood in your area. Cabinet makers will know this.

Question: I bought a one year old home with oak flooring. There is some cupping in a corner of one room, apparently from excess rainwater from a dead valley migrating through the roof and exterior brick. The contractor has now installed new exterior step flashing which she said should eliminate penetration. One month later, we’re still getting moisture readings in the affected 2 ft sq. area in the 16-20% range. She thinks it will dry out, but I’m concerned that given the time it’s been there (up to a year) that rotting damage is inevitable down the road. Would you recommend repairs now (which the seller would be responsible for) or wait and see. Answer: Dear David Well, if you are sure you have the roof problem licked and some else will pay for the repair of the floor, and you can find a responsible floor contractor, who will only accept payment when his job is done and invisible, by all mean go ahead and repair the floor now. But be warned sometimes the subfloor has to dry out also (6-9%). This can be achieved if the cupped boards are removed and it is has several weeks to dry out. In the mean time keep the heat on a little higher, with no nighttime set backs, and heat the basement or crawl space under it well, also. If left on it’s own most floors will dry out and settle flat somewhat in a few months. You should be looking for a EMC of about 6-9% in the hardwood and the subfloor, before completing the repair or just sanding. Find out the EMC in your area for indoor wood, from a wood floor mechanic or cabinet maker. Wood generally will not rot as long as it is in the process of drying, not getting continually wet. But as long as someone else is paying for it, I would choose the first option if I were you.

Question: I have parquet flooring. My washer leaked water all over my floor and now it has buckled badly. How can I repair without tearing up my entire floor and replacing all of the tiles? Please help. Thank you very much. Lisa Answer: Dear Lisa You don’t have to replace the entire floor, but it sounds like a major repair. Parquet floor repairs are a bit of an art, not all floor men can do it. You will need to get the matching size (precisely the same size, hopefully the same brand) and species. Remove all the loose and semi loose tiles, and allow the subfloor a week or more to dry out. Renail the subfloor. Use a good quality adhesive (Dri-Tac is the best) and patch the spot with the new parquet. Allow the glue to dry 2-3 days and resand the entire floor, or at least the area to the nearest doorway, where there is a place to stop the sanding. If done correctly you should not even notice the repair. But if you cannot find the proper wood you may, sadly, end up replacing the whole floor.

Question: Do water-based finishes hold up as well (to water and dirt) as oil-based finishes. I’d rather have the water-based, but want to make sure it won’t have waterspots if a little water gets on it and I don’t wipe it up right away. Thanks! Tracy Answer: Dear Tracy The answer is, water based finishes can be better or a whole lot worse than the standard 3 coats of Oil Modified Polyurethane. Let me explain. The few reputable brands of oxygen cross linking water based finishes should be as durable as the OMP. And there should be no doubt that the professional catalyzed water based finishes will outlast most all other finishes by a long shot. But most of the catalyzed water based finishes are really expensive. These are really only used in commercial and gym floor applications. But now there are the brands of water based finishes that are sold in stores. They are generally the weak kneed acrylic based finishes, with no hardener additive. These are not really floor finishes, but just light duty wood finishes, and are generally sold as such. These tend to last only a few years at best. These are cheap to apply, but are not worth anything in the long run. That said, my greatest objection to the water based finishes is their pale bluish white film, and the fact that some will cloud more when they age. But if you read my article in the Floored News, about the Dura Seal 1000 water based finish, there is the promise that these oxygen cross linking formulas have the best of both worlds. If you use 4 coats of this material, and scuff sand well between coats, you should have a finish that will wear about as well as OMP and will have a pleasant amber tone to it. We still don’t know just how well this finish is going to age, only time will tell. There is some concern that the emulsifiers in all water based finishes stay in the film and make the finish opaque in just 3-5 years. I saw a job done with a store brand water based finish on maple, and this was happening after only 3 years. It was such a gradual change that the owner did not see it, but the fine grain of maple was just about obscured. I still use Oil Modified Polyurethane on 90 % of my floors, with great (20 years and counting) results. Just be sure use no lacquer or oil sealers. And be sure to Brush on the coats of OMP for a real bubble free finish. I just finished a detailed article on how to use the Oil Modified Polyurethane for the directory subscribers, and believe me it is not a quick and easy process, but worth it. You can buy an email copy of this with a small donation to the site, just ask. Oh, and just read the first part of the cleaning article in the Floored News section, to see just what needs to be done to keep these new finishes glowing. As always your Most humble servant, Joseph, the Wood Floor Doctor.

Question: Hi, My refinished wood floors are developing some unusual wear spots and a friend thought I should make sure there is not some unusual problem (such as a fungus or rot). The floors are the original red oak flooring (house is 54 years old).  I had the floors refinished in fall 2005 prior to moving in (previous owners had pulled up carpeting and then stained the floors but did not add a finish).  The floor refinishing company sanded, applied one coat of stain, one coat of sealer, and two coats of high durability water-based polyurethane finish (Eon 70). Within 1 1/2 years, I noticed some wear in certain higher traffic areas but these only occurred in the part of the wood planks where the wood ‘rings’ or grain were located-basically ridges developed in the wood grain areas which appear to be bare wood.  AFter 3 years, several of these ‘bare-wood ridge’ areas have developed–mostly in higher traffic areas. Do these bare wood ridge areas indicate some sort of problem with the wood itself?  Or do I simply need to have the floors refinished in these spots?  If the latter, could I do some spot refinishing, or should I get another professional company. In thinking about this further, I realized that the term “ridge” might not be the best description, since the bare wood  areas don’t stick up above the floor.  “Groove” is probably a better word. Answer: Dear Anne, There is no fungus on your floors.  This is not an unusual problem.  However, it will require some work.  In a nutshell, your floors were done very poorly and this is why they unfortunately have this appearance right now. There is a very big difference between water-based and oil-based polyurethane.  I’m not sure if the issue of water-based finishes is their hardness, but their whiteness. The water-based industry goes to great lengths to point out that the oil-based polyurethane turns yellow. Well the water-based finishes whiten in time, and this may lead further down the line to the cracking you speak of (your floor finish wearing off).  I have heard from art restorers that water based varnishes have not yet come of age, because the dried film still has the emulsifiers in it. These are a detergent like chemicals that allow the mixing of the oil and water in these finishes. They are large molecules and in time may migrate together as the finish continues to cross-link. That may happen in as little as 1.5 years in your case (but usually it takes about 5 years to see this) and the floor finish will turn so opaque that the wood grain will be obscured. And I suspect that in time also, with some UV deterioration in strong sunlight window exposure, this process will be speeded up. And then the cracking begins. Another problem with your floor is the lacquer sealant.  Lacquer seal is a major source of fires.  Most lacquer finishes and their poorer cousins the lacquer sealers are made from nitrocellulose (which is basically cotton and wood fibers dissolved in acids) alkyd resins and plasticizers. But it’s the addition of lacquer thinner that makes this stuff so fast drying and explosive.  It is quite a dangerous choice to use a lacquer sealer. Another important thing to know is that using water-based polyurethane and lacquer on the same floor is not a good idea.  They basically serve the same function.  One will usually not stick to the next.  It looks like the lacquer has also peeled off. Are your wood floors ok?  Absolutely.  I know you probably want to refinish only the worn areas.  This is a very bad idea.  For one, the floor will not look even.  You will be sanding off certain parts and starting over and leaving other areas the way they are.  It is not like painting a wall, where touch-ups are painlessly easy.  It is very different. What I recommend, and I know you are not going to like this but it is going to ensure a gorgeous looking floor: Redo the entire floor.  You will need to sand down the entire floor and start again.  Please get your floor contractor to the following: Apply one thinned coat of polyurethane. Wait 1-2 days for it to dry at 21 C. Scuff sand the floor smooth, vacuum and tack rag with varsol. Allow solvent to dry. Apply a heavy coat.  And repeat the same thing for the last coat.  Always brush the finish on with a good quality 4″ bristle brush.  Make sure that he uses a good quality brush.  It’s not rocket science but you may have to ask quite a few contractors before you find one willing to do such a thorough job. The guy you had took the easy and quickest way to do your floors.  Ideally, you also want to have three coats of stain to have a nice, even looking floor.  I highly recommend hiring a new flooring contractor.  If you want great durability, get your floor guy to use a water based finishes called Dura Seal 1000 finish. FOLLOW UP QUESTION: Dear Wood Floor Doctor, Thanks for your prompt reply. I’m glad to hear that there is nothing wrong with the wood in my floors. As you say, it’s not the best news to learn that I need another total refinish job, given how recently this was done and that the bill was expensive. Next time I will get a different company and stay away from water-based polyurethane (which had been promoted to me as being more environmentally friendly–but without mentioning the durability problem). Unfortunately in the current economy I can’t afford a new refinish job in the near future. Is there anything I can do to temporarily protect the bare wood spots? Or should I not worry about them? Thanks! Anne FOLLOW UP ANSWER: Dear Anne, Your floors will probably peel more over time. However, if you want to wait and not spend the money right away, it isn’t a problem. Please make sure that no one wears shoes at all on your floors, especially not stiletto heals. Shoes on all wood floors will wear the finish very quickly. If stiletto heals are worn on your floors, you will more than likely void your warranty just like that. It is a really easy thing not to do. You say that you thought that a water-based polyurethane is more environmentally friendly. It surely is not. Water-based only sounds better. Most water-based finishes contain azridine catalyst or hardener. This stuff is a confirmed carcinogen, and when absorbed through the skin ( it easily does) causes tumors, and prolonged exposure to this seems to cause skin reactions, and allergies. In the future, when you decide to redo your floors, PLEASE use oil-modified polyurethane if you want to have a long-lasting, durable floor. Best of luck! The Wood Floor Doctor Team

Question: Hi, What do you think of the water based polyurethane finishes? Are they too hard for Hickory plank floors? I am installing a Hickory floor in Colorado. I know that if I use an oil based poly it will yellow, but have been told that even though the water based won’t yellow, it will be so hard that with the changes in temp. in Colorado, it will crack. Note: it will also be installed over radiant, in-floor heat! What do you think is best? Thanks Rick Answer: Dear Rick I’m not sure if the issue of water-based finishes is their hardness, but their whiteness. The water-based industry goes to great lengths to point out that the oil-based poly turns yellow. Well the water based finishes whiten in time, and this may lead further down the line to the cracking you speak of. I have heard from art restorers that water based varnishes have not yet come of age, because the dried film still has the emulsifiers in it. These are a detergent like chemicals that allow the mixing of the oil and water in these finishes. They are large molecules and in time may migrate together as the finish continues to cross-link. That may happen in as little as 5 years and the floor finish will turn so opaque that the wood grain will be obscured. And I suspect that in time also, with some UV deterioration in strong sunlight window exposure, this process will be speeded up. And then the cracking begins. Although to be fair to the industry, they are trying to make safer finishes, and the Dura Seal company has come out with the third generation of water based finishes. (The first generation is still sold in stores now as a cheap acrylic finish, the second is the catalyzed industrial coatings used on gyms and bowling alleys). Read all about this in the article about the Dura Seal 1000 water based finish. It shows some promise. For now I still use nothing but 3 coats of ply. If you want an article that will walk you through the use of Oil Modified Polyurethane, we do have an article on this. Use the search box at the top of the web page and type in ‘Oil Modified Polyurethane’ to find the article on this topic. It’s very detailed, and will teach you how best to apply the poly without bubbles and pits that most people experience when using this material. Well worth it.

Question: I received a quote to have my floors sanded and refinished with 3 coats of polyurethane (oil). When one of the workers came to put on some finishing touches he remarked that the floor had been done with water based polyurethane. I have not paid for the work yet. What is water based polyurethane? It is as durable as oil based polyurethane? What is the cost difference between these two products? Should the cost of having three coats of water based be the same as three coats of oil based? Answer: Dear Sheri The answer is, water based finishes can be better or a whole lot worse than the standard 3 coats of oil modified polyurethane. Let me explain. The few reputable brands of catalyzed and oxygen cross linking water based finishes should be as durable (ox. cross linked) as the OMU. And there should be no doubt that the professional catalyzed water based finishes will outlast most all other finishes by a long shot. The cost of these finishes mentioned above would be the same (for only 3 coats) or more than the OMP. Some of the catalyzed water based finishes are really expensive. But now there are the brands that are sold in stores. They are generally the weak kneed acrylic based finishes, with no hardener additive. These are not really floor finishes, but just light duty wood finishes, and are generally sold as such. These tend to last only a few years at best. These are cheap to apply, but are not worth anything in the long run. That said, my greatest objection to the water based finishes is their pale bluish white film, and the fact that some will cloud more when they age. But if you read my article in the Floored News, about the Dura Seal 1000 water based finish, there is the promise that these oxygen cross linking formulas have the best of both worlds. If you use 4 coats of this material, and scuff sand well between coats, you should have a finish that will wear about as well as OMP and will have a pleasant amber tone to it. We still don’t know just how well this finish is going to age, only time will tell. There is some concern that the emulsifiers in all water based finishes stay in the film and make the finish opaque in just 3-5 years. I saw a job done with a store brand water based finish on maple, and this was happening after only 3 years. It was such a gradual change that the owner did not see it, but the fine grain of maple was just about obscured. So you should find out what brand of finish they used. I’d say if it the same as or similar to the Dura Seal 1000 and they are willing to do one more coat, it may be a good and maybe great finish. But only time will tell. And if is one of the professional catalyzed water based finishes and they apply a forth coat, (again because of the low build) you will have a pale and paling finish that is quite, quite tough. But if the floor has been finished with a store brand non catalyzed water based finish, it will be best to have the floor sanded over again and apply 3 coats of OMP. This is what I still use on 90 % of my floors, with great (20 years and counting) results. Just be sure they use no lacquer sealers. And have them Brush on the coats of OMP for a real bubble free finish. I just finished a rough draft on how to use the Oil Modified Polyurethane for the directory subscribers, and believe me it is not a quick and easy process, but worth it. Oh, and if you are going to have the floors re-sanded, you should be compensated for having 1/6 of the total life of your floor sanded off unnecessarily. As always your Most humble servant, Joseph, the Wood Floor Doctor.