Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Oil or water based poly?

Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.

PDA

View Full Version : Oil or water based poly?

sod

08-02-06, 09:02 AM

Puting in new oak floor in our kitchen and at the same time redoing our existing red oak hardwood floors in the rest of our 1954 home. Two questions:

1) Pro and cons of oil versus water based poly. We are leaning to using an oil based poly since we have heard it is more durable the water based poly. Is this true? Likewise we are hoping the floor will have a rich golden look upon completion. Do oil based poly better achieve this look than water based poly? (Note, drying time is not a factor for us).

3) Since the old and new will transition together, what would be our best bet for getting a non-noticeable match short of staining? We would perfer a natural look end result. But if the tradeoff is a major transition difference given the effects of aging on the exisitng wood we may have to rethink our plan. Your thoughts please.

Thanks for the help and insights.

DIYaddict

08-02-06, 09:40 AM

Here are a few previous threads you can read in the meantime

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=271679&highlight=oil+water+based+poly

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=238782&highlight=oil+water+based+poly

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=202095&highlight=oil+water+based+poly

Those are just a few.

Obviously, time factor is not an issue for you so that's good.

mitch17

08-02-06, 10:33 AM

First, there are specific polys meant for floors, so be sure to only use one that is. Second, water based poly is clear and oil based has a little amber tint to it. I would decide based on that fact alone which to use. If the color you have is great, go water based. If a little darker is ok, oil based makes more sense. I think that the transition you're mentioning is probably not as big a deal as you think, would doesn't have to match, it only has to blend.

marksr

08-02-06, 01:34 PM

Oil base poly dries harder than latex = more durable.

Oil base tends to deepen the colors and will yellow a little with age, latex will do neither.

If all the stain/finish is sanded off of the old wood there shouldn't be a lot of difference between the old and new. If you are just lightly sanding and applying fresh coat of poly, you may need to stain the new for it to match.