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Refinish There are many types of floor
finishes and different finishes may have been used in different
rooms, so the type of care you need may vary. Your builder,
realtor, or flooring professional might be able to tell you
about your floor finish. Try to get the brand names of the
finishing products and the name of the manufacturer if you
can. Keep information about your finish in your files to help
you determine the proper floor care products. Here are some
things you need to know about the restoring various types
of finishes.
Surface Finishes
This includes the polyurethane family. These finishes
require the least effort to maintain.
For general cleaning:
- Use the manufacturer's recommended product or just add
¼ cup of white vinegar to one quart of warm water.
- Dip a clean cloth or sponge mop and wring nearly dry.
- Clean the floor and wipe dry with a towel as you go.
- Buff to restore luster. If luster does not return in
traffic areas such as doorways, kitchen sink, stove area,
or hallways, the floor may require recoating. Consult your
wood floor contractor, or you may apply a compatible aerosol
finish to areas that show wear.
NOTE: NEVER WAX a surface finish. In most
cases, wax will be slippery. Once waxed, the floor cannot
be merely recoated to rejuvenate the finish, but will have
to be completely sanded down to raw wood before you can refinish.
Waxed Finishes
Normally these include: oil-modified urethane finishes,
a sealer coat with wax over the finish, or possibly a stain
with wax.
For general cleaning:
- If the floor looks dull, buff first to see if that will
restore the luster before re-waxing.
- If areas of heavy use no longer respond to buffing, wax
only those areas and buff the floor to an even luster.
- NOTE: If the whole floor needs attention, clean and wax
with a liquid wax and cleaner specifically for wood floors.
- You can be sure if the can says 'Contains Petroleum distillate'
or 'Naphtha,' which it is specifically for wood floors.
- If your wood is stained, select the type that also contains
stain.
- Follow the instructions on the label, being certain to
apply evenly and wipe up any excess as you go.
- Let dry then buff to the desired luster.
Depending upon traffic, the floor should only need complete
rewaxing once a year.
Historic Finishes
If your goals are to restore the floor to its original
finish or to use the products of prior eras, here is some
good information about the history of floor finishes.
The historic floor finishes were all surface finishes that
are rarely used today and do not have the moisture-resistant
characteristics of modern surface finishes. You should never
damp mop a varnish, shellac, or lacquer finish. Floors finished
with varnish, shellac or lacquer should be cleaned periodically
with mineral spirits.
Shellac was used prior to the 1850s, but it is much too soft
for a finish and it spots easily whenever a drop of water
is spilled. Shellac was considered by many, however, to add
to the beauty of a floor, primarily because of the warm orange
color that its impurities gave to the finish.
Next came varnish, softer with longer drying times. Varnish
can take weeks or even months to dry completely. It is still
used today, however, on some historic floors. Spar varnish
gives a high-gloss finish, tung oil a semi-gloss, and satin
tung oil a low-gloss finish.
Polyurethanes came next after varnishes. You can't really
draw a line between varnishes and polyurethanes. They are
all products developed from resins. Early varnish was made
from natural oils, then came man-made alkyd varnish, and finally
polyurethanes that are synthetic resin varnishes with drying
agents added.
If you want a natural looking finish and you also need to
provide protection for your historic floor, take heart! Water-borne
polyurethane when used on heart pine over an oil-based sealer
and applied in thin coats, can look similar to a natural oil
or varnish finish.
Restoring without Refinishing
When all else fails, or you acquire a disaster floor,
you can work with a type of product called 'renovator.' Renovator
is a special class of products made by several of the finish
manufacturers to help restore old floors. They do not contain
any waxes and can clean off residue that may be left from
oil soaps and waxy dusting compounds. These products will
rejuvenate and "leave the wood with the natural glow
of the original finish," according to one manufacturer.
Renovator is for floors finished with penetrating floor products
(not surface finishes). It is specially formulated to clean,
restore and reseal hardwood floors, terrazzo, concrete or
unglazed terra cotta tile without requiring that they be sanded
first. Renovator works by softening a thin layer of the finish
coating and simultaneously cleans the surface and replaces
the softened layer with additional sealer.
Paint thinner (careful - it is flammable) and fine steel
wool may work to partly restore old floors. Do not use the
steel wool dry - work in a puddle of the thinner and wipe
the floor clean as you go. Follow these simple steps to refinish
your floor with paint thinner:
- After the floor is dry, apply paste wax - clear or with
a stain, either liquid or solid.
- When using solid paste wax, wrap a 'wad' of wax in a
cloth and apply a thin even coat. The warmth of your hand
and the rubbing friction melts the wax.
- Buff to a luster.
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