Water-Based Polyurethane vs Oil-based

[lizziecupcakes]

Also, can anyone confirm the smell that comes off:

Osmo polyx
Shellac
Bona Prime

 

[lizziecupcakes]

I should also add, the Osmo Polyx comes in glossy, semi-matt and matt.

I don’t want glossy at all, but is the semi-matte still quite glossy?

I’m not sure if I should get the semi-glossy vs matt

Thanks all (we are finally here at the flooring stage, well, after the wallpaper is up and painted)

 

[Cubist]

I've used the Osmo products on a number of occasions and have found that;

• The drying time of the gloss/satin/matt (sometimes referred to as raw) is gratefully brief and two coats applied over 24 hours will be touch dry within 24hours of final application.
• They are all low odour during use and that fades rapidly again within 24-36 hours.
• Theres a need for caution though as the final finish does not like exposure to detergent laced water.
• Personally I prefer the matt/raw finish, particularly with oak, mostly because I like its 'natural' wood appearance and also because it better resists (or rather it limits the appearance of) the kind of scratches that arise from the small particles of grit that can sometimes become lodged in those felt pads used under the legs of furniture.

I have, in the distant past, used shellac both on floors and as a French polish on furnishings. Again, the odour is quite low until dry but that too is mercifully brief. It can go down rather thickly though and remain soft for for a couple of days so bets not to walk on it too soon.

Never used the Bona products so cannot comment - but I'm a little nervous of the company name from its Round the Horn days under the management of Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick.

Congrats on the progress to-date and may all your endeavours be appropriately rewarded. Good luck.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

I've used the Osmo products on a number of occasions and have found that;

• The drying time of the gloss/satin/matt (sometimes referred to as raw) is gratefully brief and two coats applied over 24 hours will be touch dry within 24hours of final application.
• They are all low odour during use and that fades rapidly again within 24-36 hours.
• Theres a need for caution though as the final finish does not like exposure to detergent laced water.
• Personally I prefer the matt/raw finish, particularly with oak, mostly because I like its 'natural' wood appearance and also because it better resists (or rather it limits the appearance of) the kind of scratches that arise from the small particles of grit that can sometimes become lodged in those felt pads used under the legs of furniture.

thanks @Cubist! I think i’m keen on the Osmo. Appreciate you sharing this.

Did you use the Osmo oak stain on pine floors?

 

[a twig]

Never used the Bona products so cannot comment - but I'm a little nervous of the company name from its Round the Horn days under the management of Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick.

Should probably point out for the benefit of more recent generations of this parish that Round The Horn was was a 60s BBC radio comedy lest they become concerned about corporate shenanigans

 

[fernicarry]

I’m just wondering if the shellac adds colour/stain?

Not really if its onto bare wood. I tried once and nothing much changed, had to strip it back off again. The water based stain I use dries really dull and not very saturated colour-wise but once you do the shellac the colour goes much deeper and richer. Was a bit of a leap of faith but really happy with how it turned out.

Shellac smells of meths because thats what the little beesties are dissolved in, but it dries within minutes and then the smell is gone. The stain doesn't smell of anything.

Below you can see bare boards, stain only, and stain with shellac (and probably waxed). Had to do this room in two halves so the stain-only board is the control to make sure I get the same colour saturation on the second half. The stain on its own is not exactly confidence inspiring, its the shellac that makes it work. I'm indebted to Mr Newell for pointing me in this direction (although I'm sure he would find fault with my efforts).

 

[Lacan07]

There isn't much you can do about those gouged hollows but bear in mind the fact that if you plan to sand the floor back properly they'll be less dramatic as you are taking a fair amount of material of the surface.

And also the finish your left with certainly won't be the same colour as the boards in your photo on page 1 of this thread. Have you sanded back a sample board yet? Different varieties of pine do vary slightly in tone when sanded, a clear varnish will darken them down slightly.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Should probably point out for the benefit of more recent generations of this parish that Round The Horn was was a 60s BBC radio comedy lest they become concerned about corporate shenanigans

Haha ok I’ll look it up in youtube

 

[lizziecupcakes]

View attachment 17080

The floors look gorgeous. I really hope mine work out. I don’t know why but it’s making me nervous

 

[Cubist]

Haha ok I’ll look it up in youtube

Cheers both - seems I should consider applying for 'ancient monument status' myself. Bloody kids, harumph!

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Hi all I'm just wondering which tin volume to buy of the Osmo - any recommendations?

Also, what did you use to apply it? I'm not sure about that bit

It's quite costly, so want enough for the bedroom. The bedroom is about 5m x 4m . I'm thinking about 2-3 coats is ok.

On B&Q, the 750ml tin is about £36, and the next one up (2.5L) is about £100

I will defo need a lot more for the whole house but we are working so slowly that I don't know when I'm going to get around to doing the floors for the other rooms. I am not sure if a large tin would keep well after being opened.

Thank you

 

[Cubist]

Hi all I'm just wondering which tin volume to buy of the Osmo - any recommendations?

Also, what did you use to apply it? I'm not sure about that bit

It's quite costly, so want enough for the bedroom. The bedroom is about 5m x 4m . I'm thinking about 2-3 coats is ok.

On B&Q, the 750ml tin is about £36, and the next one up (2.5L) is about £100

I will defo need a lot more for the whole house but we are working so slowly that I don't know when I'm going to get around to doing the floors for the other rooms. I am not sure if a large tin would keep well after being opened.

Thank you

For a 20 square metre floor a 2.5 litre can should give you 2-3 coats. The 750ml would get you one coat but on a new, or recently sanded, floor that would not be enough.

If theres much left in the can after you've finished push a plastic bag down inside to cover the surface of the oil. That will usually stop it, or any other kind of paint, forming a skin.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

For a 20 square metre floor a 2.5 litre can should give you 2-3 coats. The 750ml would get you one coat but on a new, or recently sanded, floor that would not be enough.

If theres much left in the can after you've finished push a plastic bag down inside to cover the surface of the oil. That will usually stop it, or any other kind of paint, forming a skin.

Thank you! I'll order it now. I'm so excited for this part!!

 

[lizziecupcakes]

hi all, I am just preparing how to apply the osmo.
I found this youtuber using a "non-abrasive scratch pad":

How do you all recommend I apply it? It's for the main bedroom about 4 x 5 metres. There are gaps between the floor boards (no slithers used).

Thank you

 

[Cubist]

For a floor soft paintbrushes are best in my experience. A small 20mm brush if there are any tight corners or turns that need to be navigated, a 50mm to create the border and a 100mm brush for the large areas. Use all three as you progress around and across the floor - don't just paint in the borders and come back to them later after they have dried. If you're using the Osmo products they are fairly forgiving during application and you don't need to slather it on - it almost tells you when you need to reload the brush. Don't worry about any small gaps, the fibres of a soft brush will penetrate these while working along the length of the boards - you can work at right angles across the boards but this can cause puddling of excessive amounts of the product in the gaps but that can be no big deal if you immediately return to the direction of the planks run. As you are applying the product brush streaks will usually disappear rapidly assuming you lay it down - if they remain for more than a few seconds then you haven't got enough product on the brush.

Best tip of all though is - don't paint yourself into a corner. Have your exit route behind you at all times and banish the cat, dog or other half to the other side of a closed door.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Hi all,
Just need some help with this query from you all please - I would value all your experienced advice with this one as we are nervous about this

We are now ready to move onto the floors! We made it!!!!

If you take a look at the floorboards (from the beginning of this thread), they were already sanded by the previous owner, then they just covered them up with carpet.

I do not believe there is any protection on them. We decided to get Osmo, although I could be persuaded to get Mylands (clear) which was used by someone else on the forum recently who did their own floors beautifully!!

Anyway, my question is: we planned to lightly sand these floorboards down (180 grit just to make them smooth). The festool is ready!! And then apply the Osmo 2-3 coats.

But, do we need to sand them at all, since they were already sanded?

Just wondering what you all think.

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Here’s an updated photo! There are very fine “scratches” on it and that’s why we think a 180 grit once over would be enough - what do you all think?

(It looks less orange now - more yellowish - it’s been covered under thick dust sheets for months)

thank you

 

[Cubist]

Two things to know; wiping over a small area with a cloth pad dampened with water or a clear alcohol will give you a fair impression of how the wood will look when the final finish is applied and will also highlight any imperfections in the surface. The second is that you already know where most of those imperfections are and after applying the final finish your eye will always be drawn back to those spots and you will see them.

In the new photo above I can see many fine scratches that run at odds to the grain. Get your sander out, theres more to do before you'll be happy.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

In the new photo above I can see many fine scratches that run at odds to the grain. Get your sander out, theres more to do before you'll be happy.

Thanks @Cubist - what grit do you think we should start at? I think too coarse a grit is not needed here but I’ve never done this before so

 

[fernicarry]

I only went to 120 grit on my boards. I did give them a thorough scrub with wire wool and meths which would have been equivalent to a finer grade but that was for the purposes of getting them perfectly clean not because they weren't smooth enough.

I think the scratches you are referring to are from one of those hire machines that are generally used at an angle across the boards. Looks like the result of quite a coarse paper to me. As @Cubist says you'll still see those after the finish is applied. 180 might take them off but it'll be a slow business. No harm in trying it first and if its too slow go down to 120 or even 80. Careful not to remove too much material in any one area.