CLEAR hardwood finishes? -- moisture cure, etc.

Posted by JayB on November 6, 2009, 11:23 am

I now have a new unfinished red oak hardwood floor installed in an apartment
that I will be renting out.

What I want is a truly *CLEAR* finish to put down on the new unfinished
flooring.

I have extra flooring that I have set up so I can test various finishes. I
have already tested a number of stains and, if I have to, I will go with one
of those. But, what I really want is to be able to put a completely clear
finish over the new unfinished hardwood flooring. I like the way it looks
now and I would like to be able to keep that look and coloration. All of
the so-called "clear" polyurethane finishes I have tried so far are not
really clear. They are amber color, and they also stain and darken the wood
grain.

Here are my two questions:

1) I am interested in clear Moisture Cure Urethane (one brand is made by
Garco) -- but I can't find anywhere to buy it. It is supposed to be truly
clear. I know it is super volatile and maybe that's why it is not easily
available. I can apparently buy it online, but then I have to wait 4 to 14
days for it to arrive. Does anyone know where I can go in person and buy
this stuff? I am in New Jersey near Philadelphia, PA.

2) I haven't tested out water-based polyurethane products yet. I get the
impression that they can be more clear than oil-based polyurethane. MinWax
sells a clear water-based base coat and a clear water-based polyurethane
that goes over the base coat. The clear base coat is supposed to seal the
tannins (or something like that) in the wood so it doesn't darken, and then
hopefully the top coat won't darken the wood when it is applied.

Are water-based polyurethane finishes okay for hardwood floors? Are they
durable enough compared to oil-based polyurethanes? Are there any special
cleaning requirements or instructions for water-based finishes that are
different than for oil-based polyurethane finishes?

Can I later cover a water-based polyurethane finish with an oil-based
polyurethane finish? I think the answer to that one is "no", but I thought
I would ask anyway.

Posted by charlie on November 6, 2009, 11:35 am

>I now have a new unfinished red oak hardwood floor installed in an
>apartment that I will be renting out.
> What I want is a truly *CLEAR* finish to put down on the new unfinished
> flooring.
> I have extra flooring that I have set up so I can test various finishes.
> I have already tested a number of stains and, if I have to, I will go with
> one of those. But, what I really want is to be able to put a completely
> clear finish over the new unfinished hardwood flooring. I like the way it
> looks now and I would like to be able to keep that look and coloration.
> All of the so-called "clear" polyurethane finishes I have tried so far are
> not really clear. They are amber color, and they also stain and darken
> the wood grain.
> Here are my two questions:
> 1) I am interested in clear Moisture Cure Urethane (one brand is made by
> Garco) -- but I can't find anywhere to buy it. It is supposed to be truly
> clear. I know it is super volatile and maybe that's why it is not easily
> available. I can apparently buy it online, but then I have to wait 4 to
> 14 days for it to arrive. Does anyone know where I can go in person and
> buy this stuff? I am in New Jersey near Philadelphia, PA.
> 2) I haven't tested out water-based polyurethane products yet. I get the
> impression that they can be more clear than oil-based polyurethane.
> MinWax sells a clear water-based base coat and a clear water-based
> polyurethane that goes over the base coat. The clear base coat is
> supposed to seal the tannins (or something like that) in the wood so it
> doesn't darken, and then hopefully the top coat won't darken the wood when
> it is applied.
> Are water-based polyurethane finishes okay for hardwood floors? Are they
> durable enough compared to oil-based polyurethanes? Are there any special
> cleaning requirements or instructions for water-based finishes that are
> different than for oil-based polyurethane finishes?
> Can I later cover a water-based polyurethane finish with an oil-based
> polyurethane finish? I think the answer to that one is "no", but I
> thought I would ask anyway.

water based are more clear than oil based, and have a slightly blue tint
rather than yellow. they do use water based for floors, but you may have to
recoat more often as they may not be as hard.

ask the rest of your questions on rec.woodworking.

Posted by JayB on November 6, 2009, 2:08 pm

charlie wrote:

>> I now have a new unfinished red oak hardwood floor installed in an
>> apartment that I will be renting out.

> water based are more clear than oil based, and have a slightly blue
> tint rather than yellow. they do use water based for floors, but you
> may have to recoat more often as they may not be as hard.
> ask the rest of your questions on rec.woodworking.

Thanks. I'll have to see how the water-based stuff looks, and see if it is
clear enough and doesn't darken the wood grain like the so-called "clear"
oil-based stuff does..

And, thanks for the tip about rec.woodworking. I'll post my questions
there. Hopefully that group is as good as this one in terms of people
providing answers and trying to help.

Posted by jamesgangnc on November 6, 2009, 12:14 pm

> I now have a new unfinished red oak hardwood floor installed in an apartm=

ent

> that I will be renting out.
> What I want is a truly *CLEAR* finish to put down on the new unfinished
> flooring.
> I have extra flooring that I have set up so I can test various finishes. =

=A0I

> have already tested a number of stains and, if I have to, I will go with =

one

> of those. =A0But, what I really want is to be able to put a completely cl=

ear

> finish over the new unfinished hardwood flooring. =A0I like the way it lo=

oks

> now and I would like to be able to keep that look and coloration. =A0All =

> the so-called "clear" polyurethane finishes I have tried so far are not
> really clear. =A0They are amber color, and they also stain and darken the=

wood

> grain.
> Here are my two questions:
> 1) I am interested in clear Moisture Cure Urethane (one brand is made by
> Garco) -- but I can't find anywhere to buy it. =A0It is supposed to be tr=

uly

> clear. =A0I know it is super volatile and maybe that's why it is not easi=

> available. =A0I can apparently buy it online, but then I have to wait 4 t=

o 14

> days for it to arrive. =A0Does anyone know where I can go in person and b=

> this stuff? =A0I am in New Jersey near Philadelphia, PA.
> 2) I haven't tested out water-based polyurethane products yet. =A0I get t=

> impression that they can be more clear than oil-based polyurethane. =A0Mi=

nWax

> sells a clear water-based base coat and a clear water-based polyurethane
> that goes over the base coat. =A0The clear base coat is supposed to seal =

the

> tannins (or something like that) in the wood so it doesn't darken, and th=

> hopefully the top coat won't darken the wood when it is applied.
> Are water-based polyurethane finishes okay for hardwood floors? =A0Are th=

> durable enough compared to oil-based polyurethanes? =A0Are there any spec=

ial

> cleaning requirements or instructions for water-based finishes that are
> different than for oil-based polyurethane finishes?
> Can I later cover a water-based polyurethane finish with an oil-based
> polyurethane finish? =A0I think the answer to that one is "no", but I tho=

ught

> I would ask anyway.

You need to use water based if you wish to avoid yellowing. Most
people never really notice the yellowing though and oil based coating
have been used for a really long time.

Posted by on November 6, 2009, 12:22 pm

On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:14:17 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc

>> I now have a new unfinished red oak hardwood floor installed in an apartment
>> that I will be renting out.
>> What I want is a truly *CLEAR* finish to put down on the new unfinished
>> flooring.
>> I have extra flooring that I have set up so I can test various finishes. I
>> have already tested a number of stains and, if I have to, I will go with one
>> of those. But, what I really want is to be able to put a completely clear
>> finish over the new unfinished hardwood flooring. I like the way it looks
>> now and I would like to be able to keep that look and coloration. All of
>> the so-called "clear" polyurethane finishes I have tried so far are not
>> really clear. They are amber color, and they also stain and darken the wood
>> grain.
>> Here are my two questions:
>> 1) I am interested in clear Moisture Cure Urethane (one brand is made by
>> Garco) -- but I can't find anywhere to buy it. It is supposed to be truly
>> clear. I know it is super volatile and maybe that's why it is not easily
>> available. I can apparently buy it online, but then I have to wait 4 to 14
>> days for it to arrive. Does anyone know where I can go in person and buy
>> this stuff? I am in New Jersey near Philadelphia, PA.
>> 2) I haven't tested out water-based polyurethane products yet. I get the
>> impression that they can be more clear than oil-based polyurethane. MinWax
>> sells a clear water-based base coat and a clear water-based polyurethane
>> that goes over the base coat. The clear base coat is supposed to seal the
>> tannins (or something like that) in the wood so it doesn't darken, and then
>> hopefully the top coat won't darken the wood when it is applied.
>> Are water-based polyurethane finishes okay for hardwood floors? Are they
>> durable enough compared to oil-based polyurethanes? Are there any special
>> cleaning requirements or instructions for water-based finishes that are
>> different than for oil-based polyurethane finishes?
>> Can I later cover a water-based polyurethane finish with an oil-based
>> polyurethane finish? I think the answer to that one is "no", but I thought
>> I would ask anyway.

>You need to use water based if you wish to avoid yellowing. Most
>people never really notice the yellowing though and oil based coating
>have been used for a really long time.

In a rental, the primary consideration should be durability, not
slight yellowing. What will it look like in 5 years?

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