Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - I hate the way polyurethane looks and feels/Any one experienced with penetrating oils

I love the look and feel of the finishes on floors in old homes and they have held up well for many years. I understand why people use polyurethane but I think it’s a sin to cover wood that way. I have used penetrating oils on furniture projects but never on a floor. No one at any of the retailers knows a thing other then the application of polyurethane. Has any one had experience with what I wish to accomplish? The project is 700 square quarter sawn white oak.

I thank everyone for there help,

spoony

My experience is limited to my parent's floors which were reclaimed fir (very soft). Despite being advised not to, my mother insisted on doing a penetrating oil/poly rubbed finish which both of us have used succesfully on many refinishing furniture projects. The floors looked amazing, however, because the penetrating finish isn't as hard as a couple coats of poly, their small dog's nails have left inumerable minor scratches and mars. Of course, they aren't terribly obvious since the wood is reclaimed and has plenty of earlier "imperfections", e.g. nails holes, dings, etc. It will work--but the finish is not impervious to lots of scratches and dings.

Good luck.

K

Checkout waterlox.com. Gives the look of an oil finish with protection almost equal to poly.

I often use polyurethane without building it up. What I do is rub it in (sometimes thinned) with a rag, and then rub it off until no longer tacky. Sometimes repeat next day, to fill oak pores for example. Why not? Just because polyurethane *can* build up to plastic surface doesn't mean we *have to* apply so much of this amazingly durable stuff.

I, too, dislike polyurethane. In a 1920's house that had received little attention but much abuse, I used Waterlox on oak woodwork, stairway, and flooring. Major stripping job, first. Was very pleased with results on all. Applied a first coat thinned with turpentine, then oil stained lightly (mostly oil. little pigment) before continuing with Waterlox. Used transparent (now called something else) on everything but a paneled wall; marine on paneling. Maybe should have used marine on floor. Don't know.

The other advantage of waterlox is that you don't have to sand/strip to renew it. Simply recoat and light scratches disappear.