Can anyone here recommend NYC-area floor refinishers experienced in low VOC hardwax oil applications like Osmo Polyx Oil or Bioshield or Monocoat? It's for our @60 year old oak parquet. This kind of finish is what I remember seeing and loving in Northern European homes, and is perfect for us: low-lustre, "green" and we can renew/spot repair ourselves in years to come. Timing gets tricky, though... [more]
Can anyone here recommend NYC-area floor refinishers experienced in low VOC hardwax oil applications like Osmo Polyx Oil or Bioshield or Monocoat? It's for our @60 year old oak parquet.
This kind of finish is what I remember seeing and loving in Northern European homes, and is perfect for us: low-lustre, "green" and we can renew/spot repair ourselves in years to come.
Timing gets tricky, though it's about the same as the polyurethanes I originally thought we wanted: have to get floors and wall-painting done before moving end of January, so I need to get floor renewal (sanding, minor repairs, refinishing) done ASAP to get the necessary 2 weeks cure-time before painters lay drop cloths down, and another week or so of curing before movers and furniture hit the floor.
I can probably coat it myself, but would prefer to pay a pro to do it absolutely right. The specs for Osmo say to follow wood grain in applying, a bit trickier with parquet...
Has anyone done this? Any words of experience, suggestions for pros who know how to do this kind of finish?
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Response by Primer05
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2103
Member since: Jul 2009
I will talk to my wood floors guys tomorrow, how many sq ft?
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Response by front_porch
about 15 years ago
Posts: 5321
Member since: Mar 2008
I've never done this but after a trip to the Osmo site I'd say it looks like a varnish, so it seems almost like you're refinishing your floor as though it were a piece of furniture. If that's the case, you would sand/condition/finish in the same way. The key with furniture is to make sure the "condition" step -- essentially moisturizing the wood -- happens with enough time for the wood to absorb it, and the "finish" step is best done with very light applications of product -- two very thin coats, say, rather than one thick coat.
Whatever this stuff is, I bet those are good rules to follow.
The other caution I would have is that at the end of January central heating dries out wood, and it contracts a lot. So ask the finish guys if you need to be running a humidifier to balance out that drying effect.
GL!
ali r.
DG Neary Realty
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Response by stakan
about 15 years ago
Posts: 319
Member since: Apr 2008
Dbo, I know of a number of the old parquet owners who were quite unhappy with all of your choices, and the problem was the super absorbency of the old, many times sanded wood. Your floors are thinner than you think they are, and you don't know how much more of sanding they're able to take. So the finishes you mention, especially Monocoat, will do much less of a job on them. Unfortunately, polyurethane is the best choice, and it was found out the hard way. Sad but true.
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Response by Primer05
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2103
Member since: Jul 2009
Might not be true. I have done many prewar original floors that were only sanded once before that came out very well. It really depends, it might be thinner and then again maybe not.
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Response by stakan
about 15 years ago
Posts: 319
Member since: Apr 2008
Primer05, right. Just on the chance that is IS thinner, it's a real bummer. Taking chances with floors ...
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Response by Dbo
about 15 years ago
Posts: 10
Member since: Feb 2008
Ali, you are right, thin coats are key. Primer05, about 600 SF of wood flooring. Stakan, the depth of the wood shouldn't be a problem, based on one broken bit that split off. This hasn't been sanded over & over. Whether an oldish, dry red oad parquet is less suited to the finish because of beveled edges, changing grain direction, gaps, and being more absorbent may be more the issue. Hopefully I'll find out more tomorrow - found local suppliers for Osmo and Bioshield, who I'll talk to tomorrow.
Thanks, everyone.
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Response by Primer05
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2103
Member since: Jul 2009
I asked my wood floor guy, who is exceptional says it will cost $4.50 a sq. ft.without material.
If you want him you can email me at primerenovations@mac.com
I will talk to my wood floors guys tomorrow, how many sq ft?
I've never done this but after a trip to the Osmo site I'd say it looks like a varnish, so it seems almost like you're refinishing your floor as though it were a piece of furniture. If that's the case, you would sand/condition/finish in the same way. The key with furniture is to make sure the "condition" step -- essentially moisturizing the wood -- happens with enough time for the wood to absorb it, and the "finish" step is best done with very light applications of product -- two very thin coats, say, rather than one thick coat.
Whatever this stuff is, I bet those are good rules to follow.
The other caution I would have is that at the end of January central heating dries out wood, and it contracts a lot. So ask the finish guys if you need to be running a humidifier to balance out that drying effect.
GL!
ali r.
DG Neary Realty
Dbo, I know of a number of the old parquet owners who were quite unhappy with all of your choices, and the problem was the super absorbency of the old, many times sanded wood. Your floors are thinner than you think they are, and you don't know how much more of sanding they're able to take. So the finishes you mention, especially Monocoat, will do much less of a job on them. Unfortunately, polyurethane is the best choice, and it was found out the hard way. Sad but true.
Might not be true. I have done many prewar original floors that were only sanded once before that came out very well. It really depends, it might be thinner and then again maybe not.
Primer05, right. Just on the chance that is IS thinner, it's a real bummer. Taking chances with floors ...
Ali, you are right, thin coats are key. Primer05, about 600 SF of wood flooring. Stakan, the depth of the wood shouldn't be a problem, based on one broken bit that split off. This hasn't been sanded over & over. Whether an oldish, dry red oad parquet is less suited to the finish because of beveled edges, changing grain direction, gaps, and being more absorbent may be more the issue. Hopefully I'll find out more tomorrow - found local suppliers for Osmo and Bioshield, who I'll talk to tomorrow.
Thanks, everyone.
I asked my wood floor guy, who is exceptional says it will cost $4.50 a sq. ft.without material.
If you want him you can email me at primerenovations@mac.com