Water-Based Polyurethane vs Oil-based

[lizziecupcakes]

hi all, I am preparing the sanding for an upstairs bedroom. The floors are pine. I think they're original.
it looks like the previous owner had a shoddy job of sanding it down before and the pine has gone orange (probably because they didn't varnish it and the curtains were left open with full south-facing sun.

I am going to sand it down again, but unsure about whether to use Water-Based Polyurethane or oil-Based Polyurethane. I've read that the water-based stuff is better to preserve the natural pine colour and helps prevents it from turning orange over time. Does anyone have experience with this? I do not plan to do any staining whatsoever, I will wreck it and also, I like the natural lighter colour that comes through anyway.

Another quick question is about the shoddy sanding job that was done. I've found a couple of floorboards were over-sanded in a spot with the drum thing-y machine, and they've bore down into it a bit too much. Nothing a rug can't cover, but naturally i'm annoyed. Is there anything about these spots I need to know about as I sand the rest of the floor and apply either water or oil-based Polyurethane?

Thank you!

 

[lizziecupcakes]

This photo was taken at night. It makes me giggle how orange they really are

 

[lizziecupcakes]

This is in daylight. You can see the poor sanding jo. I think 3 boards are affected so far, but it’s possibly 5. I am really annoyed

 

[noj]

Neither (in my opinion). The problem with varnish is that when it wears, and it will, you have to re-finish the entire floor. It's just a coating on top of the wood.

A hard wax or oil type finish can be spot treated easily - Osmo Polyx, Liberon hard wax or just Liberon floor oil are far better suited. More expensive initially though...

 

[Stevers]

Another vote for Oil Waxes. Polyurethane varnish will peel and chip, and is far from ideal for floors or furniture.

Osmo Polyx is what I've just been using on the insides of some alcove cupboards. Also used to refinish an antique oak table that I'm delighted with.

 

[fernicarry]

I'd be looking to finish the floor after the rest of the room is fully decorated. Last thing you want is to drop something messy/pointy on your new floor.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Thanks @noj

My concern is whether the hard wax if oil type finish would create that orange colour?

 

[lizziecupcakes]

I'd be looking to finish the floor after the rest of the room is fully decorated.

Thanks @fernicarry do you mean do the hard wax/oil/varnish after getting furniture into the room?

Wouldn’t this making the finish harder to do? I’ll consider it though!

 

[fernicarry]

I mean after painting and papering.

 

[noj]

You can get the Osmo in a variety of tints/shades of you want to guarantee a colour. Pretty much every wax/oil darkens a little over time, just wipe a board with water to get an idea of the finished colour. The only bright orange floors I've seen were varnished ones...

 

[Stevers]

My concern is whether the hard wax if oil type finish would create that orange colour?

Nothing that a bit of carpet won't fix!

 

[a twig]

There are lots of very long and enthusiasticly debated threads on floor finishes in this forum.

My attempts to summarise have been:

Traditional - use 3 to 7 coats of Shellac (Mylands shellac barrier seal for floors - other brands like Fiddes Shellac Sealer are also available...) then 2 coats of beeswax and canauba (Mylands Traditional or Harrells - from W.S. Jenkins)

or

Modern - Bona Prime undercoat then Bona Traffic HD if you needed something harder wearing

That said, plenty of members here have used Osmo polyx and been happy with it

 

[Stevers]

In my experience pine will darken with age whatever you do with it. The insides of our 140 year old Welsh Dressers are unfinished and are now a very dark almost chocolate brown. My nice new redwood pine wainscotting was varnished, but over twenty years went a very nasty dull dark orange colour. It is now painted - as it should have been in the first place.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Thanks @Stevers . I’ve considered painting the bedroom floorboards, but just unsure about the colour.

I think we’ll continue the varnish plan for now just because in 20 years we might want to change it up again. We might paint then.

Have your floorboards condition been ok in the last twenty years - I assume they are originals? I just don’t want to get new floors due to the expense and also i really love that mine are originals

 

[stuart45]

I used a 2 pack varnish when I had to repair our Jaycee coffee table after my granddaughter had damaged it. It gives a much tougher finish than standard varnishes.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

You can get the Osmo in a variety of tints/shades of you want to guarantee a colour. Pretty much every wax/oil darkens a little over time, just wipe a board with water to get an idea of the finished colour. The only bright orange floors I've seen were varnished ones...

Thanks @noj ! I actually don’t want to stain the pine floorboards. I wanted a “clear”, if that makes sense

 

[lizziecupcakes]

I used a 2 pack varnish

oh no, how did he damage it?

Also what is 2 pack varnish?

 

[Stevers]

Have your floorboards condition been ok in the twenty years this time ?

Mine are all under thick underlay and fitted carpet - draught proofing and insulation - what's not to like?! It was the wainscotting that started out so nice that went a dirty orange colour.

 

[stuart45]

oh no, how did he damage it?

Also what is 2 pack varnish?

She was playing with slime on top and it left a dull patch which my daughter tried to clean off with fairy liquid and water, which somehow took off the coloured varnish back to the wood.
Jaycee used to put a really hard varnish on their furniture, and I had to burn the rest off the top. Luckily I had some Jacobean stain, just had to buy the varnish.
2 pack is just really hard varnish, that you have to mix the parts together first. Similar to 2 part fillers or glues.
They often get used for bar tops, busy floor areas etc.

 

[Cubist]

Before you make a final decision about that floor you might want to consider what colours, if any, you will use for the walls and ceilings and also the nature, location and type of lighting you will also install. A great deal of that orange colour from the boards will have been affected - enhanced/strengthened/weakened by the artificial light bouncing off the walls and ceilings and changes to same can have rather dramatic effects on the appearance of the floor and other objects.