Testing Hardwood Floor Finish
Using these solvents requires gloves and good ventilation and it doesn t hurt to have on a pair of safety glasses either.
Testing hardwood floor finish. Denatured alcohol lacquer thinner and xylene. Wax is the traditional time tested finish for hardwood floors making it a great choice for antique floors in historic homes. Testing for oil or wax. If nothing happens move on to the next test.
Select an inconspicuous area of the floor surface and apply a small amount of paint remover. Testing hardwood floor finishes in an old house part 2 the commonly accepted hardwood floor finish tests and paired solvents. To begin put a few drops of mineral oil on your cleaned spot. Part 2 of this article including video of testing floor finishes in a closet testing hardwood floor finishes part 2.
He was asking for advice on his wood floors and more specifically testing hardwood floor finishes. The easiest way to test a floor finish is to run your hand along the surface of the floor. Let it sit for a few seconds and then rub it into the area. Brush up on the basics of 8 popular options before choosing yours.
Testing hardwood floor finishes in a closet. A few weeks back jeff b i wrote this little spiel on diy home inspections for him contacted me. How to know the finish of my hardwood floors a variety of finishing materials. Before polyurethane became a household word floor finishers applied wax varnish.
Choose a low traffic area that has been cleaned thoroughly. Hardwood floor finishes have varying levels of ease durability even glossiness. Run your hand over the floor surface. Paint thinner and let them sit for 2 3 minutes on the.
Put a couple drops of mineral spirits naphtha or turpentine on the surface you want to test. Behind a door is a good spot because this area is usually. Testing for grease based residue like wax or oil soap 1. I knew pretty well.
If the finish dissolves congratulations you ve got a waxed floor. Listed in order of aggressiveness of paired. If the finish bubbles up it is most likely a surface finish. If you can feel the wood grain the finish is probably a penetrating finish.
So i found myself in the closet. Next place several drops of mineral spirits a k a.