Last Updated on December 24, 2015 by Kristi Linauer. I hope youll join me on my DIY and decorating journey! I wanted to quickly share a follow up on my refinished hardwood floors, and my decision to use Waterlox to seal them rather than polyurethane. Waterlox comes in several finishes original, satin and high gloss. Waterlox has to be applied to bare wood. I absolutely love that stuff, and I just wont EVER paint cabinets or furniture without it. But it's a budget issue, also. With poly, I can feel the coat drying and thickening before I am finished when I am working on a large project like a table top. and looks great. I didnt know such a product existed. I didn't even bother. Wish me luck!! I can do some spot sanding on the areas where I dripped paint, scratched the floor with my tools, etc., and give it another coat of Waterlox, and itll look beautiful again! If you want to use Waterlox, your floors will need to be sanded down. (And I did this about an hour ago, so even now its still wet. But with Waterlox that is not necessary. If only someone would invent a waterproof hardwood flooring . The floors werent nice when I moved in. Other popular waterproof flooring options. thanks for any ideas you can give me,Arlene. Waterlox is only a sealer/ protectant for wood and provides minimal coloration. Basically the building requires certain upgrades whenever work is done. For example, Shaw makes a product comprising a layer of real wood on top of a core of stone polymer composite (SPC). Lets just say that dragging heavy furniture around (like a sofa) all by myself has left some pretty sad looking gouges in my hardwood floors. Would waterlox be good to use on a bathroom counter made of wood? The contractor has asked us for specifications, but honestly I have no idea what to tell him. Love your floors and it appears that the Waterlox is perfect. If you do NOT want to live through a 'refinish' (in 20 years) then you will want to purchase 'disposable flooring' such as laminate or vinyl. PROS: gives the advantages of laminate without its downside, easy to clean, recyclable, CONS: available mainly in Europe as of this writing. I always wonder the effectiveness of nails driving through a water proofing membrane. The good folks at Waterlox dont know me from Eve, and I didnt receive any free products from them. Debbie, https://www.addicted2decorating.com/the-correct-way-to-sand-hardwood-floors.html. Eventually all of these liquids will cause unprotected wood flooring to swell, bloat and warp. They were badly in need of refinishing. And let me make this perfectly clear this is not a sponsored post. Over concrete is where you will lay 6-10 ml poly then the foam underlay. Versatility. What is happening here is the condo board failing to understand what they are asking for. wow, I have an entry way that needs done seriously soon..gonna have to check this out! Both engineered and solid have the same hardwood material as a wear layer. I swear by this product (and I am not sponsored by Waterlox either). It's a wood frame building (not concrete slab) and the new floor is going over a plywood, which itself is on top of a plank subfloor (both existing). Waterlox is tung oil resin that penetrates into the wood and hardens. Grace Ice and Water Shield..it is a peel and stick product.. leelee: No, there's not one already in place. When I search I find resources on installing membrane under tile floors and under floating wood floors installed on concrete. Im so glad that dealing with scratches from here on out will never require a whole-house or even a whole-room sanding and refinishing of the floors! Bruce hydropel or Sure+ waterproof hardwoods? There's also a product from them called Hydroban, which dries faster, but costs more. I also used it for my oak counter top and an oak mantel. Just because something 'scratches' (or shows scratches) does NOT mean it is useless or delicate. Ah! The builder finally suggested a paint-on product from Laticrete (Laticrete 9235). - Yes! Thank you for this post. However, the waterproof laminate of the 2020s gets around this problem quite handily, since it is all plastic. Sharon. Do you think we could sand them down and then change to Waterlox or is that way denied to us? Isnt that awesome? Old school laminate flooring was somewhat water resistant but definitely not waterproof. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Your floors look great. With Waterlox, I can take my time and work at my own pace, go over any area I want to without feeling hurried. Have you ever used any of these products? I'll probably end up asking, but for various reasons thought it would be good to research the choices and methods myself before having that conversation. Our new home has light hardwood floors. Thank you, Kristi, Im always so glad when you recommend products that you find work good (or fantasitc)! Thank you! There are wood glues that have moisture barriers/inhibitors within them.Shaw Floors carries a product called 3-in-1 which has a moisture inhibitor and noise reduction within the glue. Otherwise, they have nothing to enforce! If you already have natural wood floors installed in your home, you wont be able to make them completely waterproof. When my project is over, I'll encourage the building to get expert advice on the issue of waterproof membranes and share some of the advice here. (Still cant believe you refinished all of yours by yourself!!) Waterproof hardwood cannot be sanded down and refinished, although its durability and high scratch resistance make that less of a minus than you might fear. I love that about Waterlox. When your lifestyle includes kids, pets, and tons of activity, spills and splashes are impossible to avoid. Is there a finish for commercial as well? I actually just finished remodeling my music room, and I made a complete mess of the floor. And it comes in a satin finish, so its not too glossy. Can you waterproof your existing hardwood flooring? Read the pros vs cons of waterproof hardwood flooring below, then consult a reliable flooring professional for advice on the best type for your home. I'm a DIY fanatic remodeling my way through our 1948 fixer upper. Please and thank you. Kristi love it! I would ask for them to sign a waiver stating that if YOUR vapour barrier (which they require) causes THEIR SUBFLOOR to ROT, you are not responsible. Sand and clean your wood floor. which Waterlox product did you use? Your help with this Kitchen Layout, please : ). The original laminate flooring, Pergo is still the gold standard. The board doesn't have to let anyone do renovations and there's zero chance that they or any NYC coop board would sign a such a thing, or choose to relax the requirements if asked to do so. The main determination factor we look at when we measure homes for installation of hardwood is the height of other surfaces we're going up against, (solid hardwood is usually a bit thicker), underlayment or what we are installing over (engineered floor is usually more versitile and can be installed over most surfaces). I saw that on disaster house on DIY. Any update on the floors or your satisfaction since you completed the project? Expense. We like prefinished because the floor can be UV cured which is a very strong finish as opposed to doing a sand and stain in home which can be messy and the finish is not usually as strong. It looks better as well, as the surface is much smoother and doesnt show so much paint strokes, so it really is a product to recommend, thank you!!! If you need more information feel free to read into our website for helpful information. Both will wear the same. With all the moving around of stuff, they would make it a breeze and not harm the floors. Cool. Thanks for your recommendation of waterlox. The downside/upside to Waterlox is the cure rate. As I was mopping the floor tonight, I was thinking how unbelievably thankful I am that I chose Waterlox for my floors. on hardwood floors and carpet all by my little petite self (I said petite, because of height only and will leave it at that LOL). Just one problem moisture is hardwoods kryptonite. Hello Im wondering if this comes in different shades? Yes, Waterlox will definitely stand up to puppy accidents as long as youve used an appropriate number of coats on your floor, and obviously clean up the puppy accidents as soon as you notice them. It sounds like they are looking to protect the tenants under you by requiring the membrane. The big one (shown in the first picture) was about five inches long. What it hard to handle? But of course, over time, hardwood floors get scratched from everyday use. Once thats dry, Ill probably add one more coat. What about tung oil? Enjoy hardwood floors anywhere in the house, including rooms formerly off limits to real wood floors, like the kitchen, mudroom, laundry, kids room, or even an elegant master bath. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Is it? Buildings' upgrade requirements change over time, but usually changes are implemented only as people renovate their apartments (for fairly obvious reasons--imagine the building suddenly telling you you had to pull up your floor and put down a waterproof membrane). I get compliments all the time. www.koebers.com Hope this helps :) A few great prefinished brands are on our website as well. However, you can use the right treatment to make your flooring more water resistant, with the result that spilled liquids dont have to be dealt with immediately. Choose your personal favorite from a variety of wood species, attractive finishes (such as hand-scraped), and plank widths. Life would be so much easier. The water-proof wood floors are yet to be tested long term in the US market. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Refinishing not an option. On Sunday that made my day: I was repainting two old wooden chairs and had gone to some length to find Floetrol over here in Germany, as you recommended it. Well, during that time, I was researching like a crazy woman, trying to decide how to seal my hardwood floors. They will sit up and take notice when the ink has to hit the legal document!!!! . Here's what you need to know, We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring, Know how to apply nail polish? Some others suggested these same exact products. Your floors look fantastic! This is exactly what I am wanting to do to my floors, thanks for the info, Hi Kristi, I would love to use waterlox, but because the floors are continuous with the rest of the house (where the floors are still in great shape), we will probably need to use poly on them. Do NOT use the one called a square buff. and for those who would then say, "then let the dang building pay for it!" I am living here 17 years and had the diningroom done two times. 2022 www.recordonline.com. The depth of color maxes out on the second or third coat (depending on how thick the coats are). If you want darker floors, youll need to either stain the wood before applying Waterlox, or add a bit of stain to the first coat of Waterlox. I keep coming back to this post! I would be interested to learn what type of sander you used and have you used one before? A floating wood should have a 6 mil poly used under as a moisture barrier. I really dont think that anyone would be able to tell that there was once a 5-inch gouge in the floor right there. How long did it take? All rights reserved. Worth every penny and doing it myself was significantly less than the quote I got to have someone polyurethane the floors which would have involved sanding in between coats. Then treat with one of the following finishes: Allow the finish to dry thoroughly, according to product instructions, before walking or replacing furniture on the wood surface. What if I stain them and they come out too dark? Solid hardwood and stone can be REFINISHED and therefore offer 60-100 years worth of life. I hate that repairs really cant be made. other floors once. But by the time my floors finally looked like this, I knew exactly what I wanted. That benefit alone is probably the single thing that sold me on Waterlox for my floors. The technology is still quite new, but as its reputation spreads, other companies are likely to jump on the bandwagon as well. I did 4 coats and if I remember correctly, purchased 30 gallons. I need to refinish my hardwood floors. What if I dont stain them, and then they dont come out dark enough for my taste? owner. Get them to sign the waiver. I finished the water closet area of our master bat, I just snapped this picture because the sunlight w, There have been a couple of changes in here. You need a set of those mover pads. What they are looking for is IIC and STC ratings to the flooring. If I had polyurethaned my floors, I wouldnt be able to do that. Thoughts? Vapour retarder is as good as it will get for you. Waterproof hardwood flooring appeared on the home improvement market toward the beginning of 2019, and its catching on fast. When youre applying the Waterlox satin finish to cover a small area that is scratched do you use a brush or cloth? But when I come across a product that I truly believe in, I like to pass that info along to yall. And as soon as the sanding was finished, I was able to seal them with the Waterlox that I purchased (I didnt use any stain at all), and after all that work my floors finally looked like this. It takes several hours to dry.) Now the "requirements" become moot. Just wondering. Your floors look great! When I move a piece of furniture I put terry cloth rags under furniture feet.no cost and easy breezy. Kristi, you need yourself a set of furniture slider thingys to put under the legs of your furniture. baileysr - the building mgmt uses a standard alteration agreement form and so I'm guessing hasn't really considered it. Osb/plywood is perm rated at 6 or so. Long-term solutions include stone, porcelain tile and solid hardwood. Yes, you could definitely use it on a bathroom counter made of wood. If it can be applied to wooden boats, wouldnt it be tomcat proof on wood floors? However, this plus side is also a problem because unlike poly which you can re-coat in 8 hours, you cant re-coat Waterlox for 24 hours. For those asking about dark staining with Waterlox you will still need to stain (with something like Minwax) before applying the topcoat of Waterlox. And I love the look of your floors! A number of Americas largest flooring businesses each have their own version of waterproof hardwood: Flooring America/Flooring Canada (FA/FC) Aquadura H2O. As Cinar says, the adhesive would become the vapour barrier for glue down. Please help with furniture placement in sons Heritage Home apartment! How should it be installed? ), but that extra bit of hassle was worth it! Unlike ceramic tile or laminate, you will never see a pattern repeat in waterproof wood flooring. It is very difficult to keep our small dogs from sometimes going where he marked. 15 years later, the Waterlox has worn better, is easy to spot repair (I agree this is the best part!) We plan to have our hardwood floors redone this summer. The kitchen had solid cherry cabinets. Anyone done this? I think the most maintenance free and pretty option is the concrete. Your floors are gorgeous and mine really need to be redone but Im kinda nervous to tackle that project but not willing to hire anyone either! Totally understandable; as you would appreciate the same from your upstairs neighbors. That way youll never miss a thing! it is not cheaper than all wood. I had to get it via the internet as shops here dont seem to offer it (yet? Its called a drum sander, and its the only kind I would recommend. Kristi, what type of sander did you use for your living room? I saw your pics of your floors and they look great. I took that picture right after I added the new Waterlox, and its still wet. Dont try this with polyurethaned floors. First, lets explore the difference between two frequently confused terms: waterproof vs water resistant. I wasnt sure if I could really do the whole house floors with Waterlox, but next time through thats whats happening! Find out how to keep them that way, Dreaming of gorgeous, natural wood floors? My daughter had a chihuaua, need I say more. I would absolutely use it on my floors in my home. to hide scratches or dings the floor endures. Remember 'scratch resistance' is just a sales pitch. Vapour retardant with a perm rating is all that is allowed over wooden substrates. I also took the poly junk off my wood counters and used Waterlox last year, since I use cutting boards anyway. Yes you can and make sure to put insulation under the heating pad so the heat won't escape to the bottom. After much research I settled on Waterlox. Consider these professional pointers before you lay the first plank, Toasty toes and money saved are just two benefits of radiant heat under your concrete, wood or tile floors, Which kitchen flooring is right for you? Any recommendations for the membrane product itself? Thought I would report back on what we decided on. Im using waterlox on my pine floors over 100 yrs old.sanded and ready! If I do not work quickly, I will end up with brush marks, bubbles or wrinkles in my finish. So anyway, remember when my floors looked like this, And then I removed all of the carpet and they looked like this. I think youve sold me on Waterlox for my floors. That seems only fair. I am renovating a 1948 house and love the maintenance ease of Waterlox and the way that your floors came out. Not certain if you answered this question but would love to know the exact Waterlox products you used? You want a vapour retarder as per NWFA guidelines with a perm rating of >1. I just wanted to smooth out the rough edges and minimize the gouge as much as possible. They are asking for something that isn't allowed. How much wall space should there be between cabinet and sink window? Yepas Ultimate and I have stated, you do NOT want vapour BARRIER such as 6mil poly OVER TOP OF wood. There will be HUNDREDS of nail holes. I actually had three right next to each other. Waterproof hardwood flooring is natural hardwood, pine, or bamboo that has been enhanced by technology to make it impervious to liquid. Like shooting holes in a pool lining and then wondering why the water wouldn't stay in the pool. I did a home remodel. We are having wood counter installed, and the company uses waterlox to finish them (there will also be an area with an oil finish that we can use for cutting). I simply did my own research (lots and lots of research) and considered everything from polyurethane, tung oil, Waterlox, and even a couple of other things. If you buy a good one, it can also be refinished. Handsome hardwood flooring, the homeowners delight. Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Itll save a lot of wear and tear on your furniture, floors and most of all, your back! I watched a few videos on YouTube of people using a drum sander to get the idea of exactly what I needed to do, and that gave me a bit more confidence. They sign the waiver stating that you MUST do something that goes AGAINST better building standards. I can empathize with you about the puppy puddles! I am restoring a 90 year old house. Even the slightest spill had to be wiped up within minutes before it could deal a death blow to the floors fiberboard core. An expert gives us the rundown, Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor and the one mistake you should avoid, Rubber, cork, concrete and other materials are worthy options in lieu of hardwood or tile, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, https://laticrete.com/our-products/tile-and-stone-installation-and-maintenance/waterproofing, Convert Your Tub Space Into a Shower Waterproofing and Drainage, Transition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors, What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor, Contractor Tips: Smooth Moves for Hardwood Floors, Pros and Cons of 5 Popular Kitchen Flooring Materials, What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors, 6 Alternative Flooring Ideas to Kick Up Your Style. I too decided on Waterlox for our pine floors when we built. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. All producers do add one common element, though -- a highly protective finish to guard against both water infiltration and everyday wear and tear, such as scratching and scuffing. For hardwood just put a small square of cut up carpet (with the soft side down) under all legs and moves like butter. Peace of mind. Im on a slab and must use floating floor- possibly engineered wood. As expensive as a moisture resistant adhesive is (it will add PLENTY of cost to this renovation) it is the least likely to cause issues down the road. We have polyurethaned kitchen floors that need to be refinished. I was like you and frozen with indecision but decided on Waterlox I LOVE it. You floor looks wonderful! If you're planning to do a nail down I believe tar paper is what you will need as a moisture barrier as stated by the NWFA guidelines. And then I just added more Waterlox right on top. Believe me. The tech varies according to the manufacturer. When legal issues arise (like this) they will sit up and take notice. The condo board is asking for something that goes against "good building practices".which is where the waiver comes in. PROS: handsome with oodles of curb appeal; tile repair can be done by just replacing the damaged tile(s), CONS: complex to install (a VERY challenging DIY project); may be slippery and/or cold underfoot. This is so common I could spit! (You can see one of them in the picture above.). You're right. There are videos online about how to install it, and it doesn't seem too bad. Good luck. Alternate product I was considering for the two back room floors: Marine Spar Varnish. If your building requires this membrane, then they should have some specs for what exactly they require. My parquet floors of oak ,house built 1929. need to be redone . And just for fun, a vapour barrier (like 6mil plastic sheeting) is not recommended over top of a wood subfloor. My Merriam-Websters definition of waterproof is impervious to water, but water resistant is defined as merely water-repellent, meaning that eventually the water will penetrate the wood. Sounds like every other NY condo board I've run across. I echo what the girls said above about the mover pads. I REALLY dont want sheet vinyl or tile in the back two rooms! Learn how your comment data is processed. I only use Waterlox and it is wonderful. No, Ive actually never used an engineered wood floor. We'll be putting a floating wood floor over top. Then another major determination is the width of plank you're looking at. Beauty. Id love to hunt Waterlox down for my floors as they show a lot of those scratches as your pictures, but, alas, the floors in our house are polyurethaned (not our decision). I use them all the time and have no problem moving desks, beds, couch, armoire, etc. This is a great idea with traditional kitchen flooring (tile, sheet vinyl, sheet lino, vinyl planks, etc). Especially when someone as independent and (yes) careless and I am lives in the house. Its one of the few detailed blog posts about Waterlox out there. Our old home had dark hardwood floors and many flaws were still visible after refinishing them ourselves and using poly. Then you can give your wooden floors a brand-new look, Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. Thank you so much for sharing this,I have been lamenting over what to use in a very busy house .Think we will give it a try! I might try the Waterlox on these. No, it really needs to be used on bare wood floors. Polyurethane creates a coat on top on top of the wood. If you're looking at a plank width under 4" either will work just fine! Heres a link to a post I did on the project http://leisa-land.blogspot.com/2012/10/message-from-universe.html Though for some reason I dont have an after picture! In fact, my husband is a lumber salesman and his company doesnt carry the product so I drove over State lines to purchase (at the time I could not get the gallon size in Massachusetts due to VOC regulations). PROS: Vinyl is easy to install and lightweight; simple to maintain, CONS: impossible to repair or recycle; may off-gas unpleasantly; does not add to the value of your home. If necessary, they can be left for hours before they begin to harm the woods structure. Well make sure the contractor uses waterlox. And I wont say that it was completely easy to use, but it wasnt difficult either. Matt has M.S. And then I purchased my products online, and paid full price, just like you would have to. The two refinished floors, covered in gloss polyurethane are in moderate condition (I didnt notice a few problems and there are SOME black stains)The product Waterlox suggests that it might be waterproof. Nothing reveals the beauty of wood better than this product, in my opinion. Such great info! They have! Also note over a wood substrate you never want 6mil poly. Sam if you're planning to do a glue down product, I would recommend using a glue in relation to what I stated above. So ignore that lovely little buzz word. I have a tendency to cure the full 30 days. Because 6mil poly sheeting has been known to cause wooden subfloors to rot because of condensation allowed to sit on top of the plywood (underneath the plastic and on top of the wood). Im so glad to see the process and how beautiful your floors turned out. Or requiring a new lead pan whenever changing finishes in the shower. Now the firm offers two waterproof versions, OutLast and TimberCraft, which combine a hydrophobic coating with tight Uniclic locked-together joints to trap water atop the laminate surface. Low-maintenance, waterproof flooring of all types is a growing trend in home improvement. Stone and porcelain can scratch as well as wood. Your floors look absolutely stunning! If you have polyurethane on them, youll need to sand your floors before using Waterlox. It's like requiring new branch plumbing or riser insulation whenever existing pipes are exposed (the latter is actually now required by law in NYC, but was already in many alteration agreements). I have two schnauzers and they run around a lot in the house and im wondering how the finish would hold up , like would the floors scratch easier then poly? It DOES require good ventilation though. We do NOT know if the water proof wood floors will last 20 years let alone a refinish. There are some really lovely ones. That means unwelcome hassle and expense for you. The cost to purchase waterproof flooring is higher than that of conventional wood. You can learn more about me here. After about two coats of Waterlox, the color stays pretty consistent. But heres where the real beauty of Waterlox kicks in. Not many people (on this forum) have been brave enough to be guinea pigs. Despite the style choices available, there is still a more limited selection than youd get with traditional wooden flooring. We're in an NYC coop apt and are having our kitchen renovated. Link: https://laticrete.com/our-products/tile-and-stone-installation-and-maintenance/waterproofing. Should I stain them first? If youre too busy to wipe up spills, pet accidents, or tracked-in snow immediately or if you have an undetected moisture problem (such as an air conditioner leak) -- beware! Depending how hard your floor is going to used (kids, dogs), the suggestion of JDM Countertops for faux wood tile is very good.