I’ve also had many customers who have done water based and would never repeat that process again because it just did not last as long. So, I will point out that while water based is a bit better for the environment, remember that it doesn’t last as long and the floors will need to be redone in a few years, thereby eliminating that benefit. When it comes to sanding and refinishing your hardwood floors, there are 2 main components: 1) The quality of the workmanship and 2) the quality of the materials (i.e. A high quality product like Bona Mega Clear HD takes up to 3 hours and Rust-Oleum Ultra Thick takes 2 hours. Because of this, many co-ops are now requiring their homeowners to use water based poly. DOWNLOAD YOUR FLOOR TIMELINE HERE! It has a contemporary and upscale look as it doesn’t have the yellow glow that you see in oil based polyurethane. Thanks. I believe Bona makes one. Now, most likely putting an additional coat of poly and using Bona Traffic will solve your issues and I would recommend it. But, I rarely see that happen. Any oil based poly, including Bona oil based poly will turn the floors yellow. If we need to sand the floors all the way down and refinish, is there a way to cover the (black) kitchen cabinets, black and white walls, furniture, appliances, many lights, etc so they aren’t covered with horrible wood dust forever? Hope that helps clarify. I’m currently using oil based Minwax. Remember that Bonaseal, Amberseal, Mega, and Traffic are all water-based … I have many customers who are in a rush to move into their new home, but I always recommend that it’s worth delaying move in by a few days and get their floors done right. Are there good points to make? So sealers are used all the time…and are not a cause of streaking. Oil based poly will turn these floors yellow and look tacky and they will continue to amberize (i.e. There are some exceptions because there are some places out there that use a very cheap water based poly. I would rather wait 6 months for their next trip and have them pay less and do it right with oil based. Duraseal recently reformulated so it’s harder and has the best durability among oil based polyurethanes. You can reach me at 914-937-2950 or at TheFlooringGirl.com. And 3rd is that this really is not right for all circumstances. Dawn – They’re the same in terms of color and durability. But, it is more expensive and requires purchase of additional equipment. Subscriber Exclusive Offer Privacy Policy. Sanding & refinishing is rather inconvenient and you need to be out of the house in most circumstances. Is there any difference in yellowing over time betweeen a matte oil and satin? Water borne poly comes out lighter and has a duller finish. The majority of homes in Westchester are made with oak hardwood, and that is followed by older pine floors. I am painting a piece of vinyl flooring to use as a rug under my dining table. It’s hard to say. Anne – Thanks. In particular, if you have maple hardwood floors, they look much better with water based. How much time between products? I’ve got an odd situation where I’m looking at doing a penny floor and am hoping to use a water based poly to finish it (rather than epoxy – working with epoxy as a rank amateur DYI scares me and I’m also not find of the high gloss finish). felt pads, doggie socks, Ebook – What to look for when buying a home with hardwood. Is that correct? While it does take longer for the floors to dry with oil based poly – a few more days –  to me, that is generally worth it to add a few more years at the back end. Bona Mega is a single component waterbased floor finish. That is correct. my question is, what does oil modified mean ? Most water-based polys contain only 30 to 35 percent solids, compared with the 45 to 50 percent solids in oil-based products. Third, and this is a little bit controversial, it might be a little bit better for the environment. Bona Traffic hardwood floor finish is a professional-grade floor finish that works wonders for residential and commercial floors. We bring the store to your door. Hardwood supplies – e.g. Second, I’ve never heard of putting poly on before you install the floor and that seems really odd an risky. It’s newer, so it hasn’t stood the test of time yet. But, it definitely does cost more. I appreciated your response so much. But, it’s fine to move back after 4 days. Contrary to what some believe, the finish sheen (semi gloss, satin, or matte) does not make a difference. Our builder is using two coats of Loba Hybrid. You'll be paying for a gallon of Traffic … I’m so bummed because this reno has been going on for over a year, and we were really almost done. So, if you want yellow floors use Duraseal oil based poly. The reason being is first, it looks better. Glossy is too much since it will be impossible to keep clean and the same goes with Matte since I’ve heard it will always look dirty. I imagine Duraseal is similar. I can’t imagine it being thick enough for penny/penny rounds, and you would need many coats. I just wanted to make sure you are aware of this. And, Bona oil based is not a good polyurethane. You should be able to use either type. With the oil based poly, you should wait 4 days before putting furniture back and with water, 2-3 days (3 days is better), so you’re really just saving 1 day on returning furniture. I’m now going to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of water borne poly. The floor guy is suggesting bona water based and saying that sometimes on a darker floor the oil based poky can leave visible bubbles …. I feel fine when outside, or at work, but when in the apartment i am all congested and feel sick. Generally, if you are getting a much lower price on refinishing (while comparing the same type of poly (i.e. And, a lot of people like this as they have limited time to get the work done – sometimes they are limited before they move into a new home or they may only have a few days when they’ll be away for vacation. But, if you want to do water, Bona Traffic is the way to go as it holds about equally as well as oil based. Ideally we would sand down and re-stain to a slightly darker color, but the time the house will be empty is limited. Your email address will not be published. Thank you for your help. But, in general the oil based poly will cost you less. We used to use this, and it’s a good brand. Thanks again for your response! Yes the oil based does smell strong, but we would much prefer to get the best durability and so the tradeoff is worth it. If you used Duraseal, wait 1-2 days. We chose oil based for our hardwood floors which are being refinished right now. They still have VOC’s but just less of them. You can see all my recos on my Amazon Influencer page. The best and most durable finish for water based polyurethane is Bona Traffic HD and for oil based poly, Duraseal. and, prob naturale in old area. Does anyone make an oil base poly with a matte finish. Thanks for your kind words. 4. When asked, he said that he used the oil to enhance the grain, but he didn’t like the look of the oil alone because it made the wood (hickory) look too yellow. I prefer less sheen but don’t want to enter the Matte territory. It may work, it may not. If you are going natural (and I’m guessing you are since it’s brazilian cherry), you should be able to the the work done over 2 days either way and walk on it after 24 hrs from last coat. So I’m not so sure that it’s really better for the environment. streaks: The brand of polyurethane will have a huge impact on how your floors look as well as how long they last. Also, if you are doing a gray floor or a white washed floor, you really need to do water based. However lots of high end customers are asking for dark stained hardwood floors with a matte finish. I’m going to share the best poly brands for both forms. The 2nd one is that it smells more, but generally this work is done while you’re outside of the home. The time to wait is based on the stain, not on the poly being used. Price wise, he’s charging the same. I would suggest fans w/ open windows and/or borrow exhaust fan. It’s helping me go with oil-based. It looks MUCH better. I moved into a house that was varnished with oil one month ago, and it smells and hurts my throat. I surmise it may be less “toxic” in certain areas but likely no less harmless. Oil poly – fully cured in 7-10 days. Hi. But, on top of the initial cost, you also need to consider that you will need to redo the whole job sooner…you will probably redo them almost twice as often. The dustless machine will probably take care of 90-95% of dust. I do have some people who prefer to do the water based because they have young kids and they are concerned about that. Hello Debbie, I looking to give it rich Satin finish. Brian – Actually, you’re better off with Bona Traffic HD, rather than oil based. Subscriber Exclusive Offer Privacy Policy. You would need to refinish it much quicker than other woods, and I doubt that you will be able to sand that if it’s engineered and just 5mm. I do have some people who prefer to do the water based because they have young kids and they are concerned about that. Hi, The biggest one is that it takes longer to do this work. Bona Traffic HD Commercial Semi-Gloss: Water-based Polyurethane $$$$ 4.2: 6. What do you know about “dustless” sanding? there are basically 2 components that go into the price:  1) workmanship/skill of labor and 2) grade of polyurethane. Hi Debbie, I am considering using Bona traffic HD on new flooring which is a mix of white oak and red Oak. I forgot to mention that we are living in the home while the floors are being refinished. Thank you for posting so much useful information. I’m guessing you’re contractor is doing this to save money. Bona Traffic is the best option for these floors as it is stronger/lasts longer vs. other basic water borne polyurethanes and Bona traffic yellows the least so your gray or white washed floors will look better longer. Generally, maple (without a stain) looks better with water borne poly. The floors in both spaces are red oak.I would need to get special permission from my co-op to use an oil based poly. Curious of your opinion/experience with this product for recommended waterbed applications? Bona Mega is a mid grade water borne polyurethane. You can find me at TheFlooringGirl.com. felt pads, vent covers, Hardwood supplies e.g. It’s a good water borne poly. We use this when our customers want (or are required by their co-op) to use water borne poly, but their budget won’t accommodate Bona Traffic. But, for regular homeowners, usually, it’s worth waiting the extra 2-3 days in order to have the job last longer. 914-937-2950. If so, feel free to buy me a coffee and support my blog. With the oil based, they really tend to yellow over time and it does not look so pretty. And, yes, I did validate this with the manufacturer – and they offer both water and oil based (and they make more money on the water based so they have no reason to mislead here). So, you may want to go back and see if the contractor would give you a discount for the bad and misleading advice. Will it be a problem for delaying that long? Please note that some of this site’s links are affiliate links, and TheFlooringGirl.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Get ultimate durability and flexibility when you use Bona Professional Waterborne Finishes and Sealers. Want to see the floor cleaning products I recommend? It costs more than Bona Mega, but it’s worth it as it looks better, lasts longer and amberizes less. So, in total, this may shave your timeline up to 3-4 days which definitely can help. You can also try contecting the manufacturer for their recommendation on best practices. Like Traffic but better. Looking for best poly that doesn’t yellow at all for white oak. Read the article I wrote on best brands of polyurethane (and the ones to stay away from). Among the water based polyurethanes, Bona Traffic is definitely the best one. You need to sand the floors after installed. Secondly, it lasts longer, and third, it costs less. May I ask what you prefer for Bona Traffic HD specifically for this Driftwood? http://amzn.to/2yP1qGN. You usually grout these. Should I get the Bona Traffic put down? Bona still make the best sealer available. Water based poly has lower VOC’s (that’s Volatile Organic Compounds). but we are stuck on the sealer. You would use the same brand and type of polyurethane for you steps as the res of the floors. I’m going to talk to my guys about this next week and get their thoughts on this. It seems to me you are a “designer” trying to sound knowledgeable about floor refinishing by parroting what you’ve learned and doing online research. As mentioned above, the VOC’s are lower not non-existent. You should use Bona Traffic HD. It protects the wood spills, oils (from your feet), dirt and variety of other things. it is a large space of approximately 1500 sq. Wecannot find matte finish oil base poly only water based and the satin finish oil base has a little to much shine for interior decorators and high end jobs. I’m leaning towards Oil based on your information. My name is Debbie Gartner, and I’m known as The Flooring Girl. This is my first choice vacuum for hardwood floors, the best steam mop for tile floors and best hardwood floor cleaner. Period. StreetShoe would be my 2nd choice water borne polyurethane. In … That makes a lot more sense. This is a false perception. Next question I have is which yellows more oil or water…Do you have a better poly that you recommend so not to yellow. Buying a new home and want to refinish the floors to a color I like. But, if you can do it, go for it! I must have an allergy to the floor coating that i never experienced before. It looks great, dries quickly, and doesn’t amberize. But my potential contractor said Arboritec is ceramic whereas Bona Traffic is acrylic and the former is better. But, it doesn’t look like that’s the cause of the streaks. At this point, if I’m going to have him do the coat of Bona Traffic, it’s going to need to be after the holidays, so I’m going to just let the holidays pass and see if the scratches are just “normal” and I’m just freaking out since it’s new to me. In general, oil modified means a mix of oil and water. Bona Traffic HD is a waterborne wood floor finish that provides an exceptional level of durability and ease of use. Do you think I can get away with an oil-based Glitsa on top? Thank you soooo much for any advice or opinions you can offer!! And, at those points in time, the water based poly looks way worse than the oil based – in fact, it’s usually peeling off and the hardwood is starting to look gray. This is Part 2 in my question to answer the question about Oil vs water based polyurethane and which is better for refinishing hardwood floors. Choose from water-based, oil-based, and gym floor finishes, as well as sealers, stains, and paint. On the other hand, if you want a lighter look, then use Bona Traffic HD water borne poly. Traffic HD is the best top coat I've used. Hello, – Awesome article with tons of info. I recommend them as they are good products. Sanding & refinishing is rather inconvenient and you need to be out of the house in most circumstances. Do they stain with oil and finish with Bona Traffic hd? Hi, Thanks for all the great information on this site! Thanks. It has low odor. If they don’t, they will spend more time and money paying for this later. There are 5 levels/colors, so you’ll want to look at those. If you’re looking to do dark floors, esp very dark floors, you will get a darker look with the oil based poly. In my article for oil vs water based, I generally recommend oil based..but for standard colors and especially dark colors. Here are some more pictures – both from the same house. I’m not familiar with Vermont Naturals. So it dents and scratches very easily. This is especially … 4a. The purpose of getting prefinished wood is to avoid the need to refinish. I prob. It will just not look right with the oil based. Currently it is the natural red oak color, but it is very yellow. I’ve had a problem installing a water based poly in a large room (14′ x 26′). Hardwood supplies – e.g. I see here that you recommend 4 coats. Most customers prefer the look of oil based poly. He told us after 24 hours we could move our furniture around but just don’t slide it around, and maybe another day or 2 to let the dog back on it. Thx for your help! Thanks for letting me know. My contractor will stain with but I thought oil turns the wood yellow?? That’s your best bet. So I’m not so sure that it’s really better for the environment. It turned out really beautiful and I would really like to see it last and I am willing to spend the money to do so. I am leaving towards s darker stain ( Jacobean) with a satin finish. You don’t see the yellow on dark wood. And, when you add in an extra 1-2 coats, your cost will increase further. It may just be that your contractor feels more comfortable with oil based as it’s “more forgiving”/hides imperfections a bit more. The key is using high quality water based poly like Bona Traffic … You need to move all the furniture out and often go away for a week. Please note that some of this site’s links are affiliate links, and TheFlooringGirl.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If it’s water based, should wait at least 3 full days. It’s either that or extra matte. And, it would probably cost you an arm and a leg. I’m going to do this in 2 parts. No, it is oil based. So this exaggerates the color difference. Thanks. but then there is the dog issue. We are currently in the middle or a renovation and the floor guys are here as I type:) We have original white oak floor throughout and they are laying matching floor in the kitchen and front Hall which was previously tiled. Also, if you want your oak floors to be as light as possible (and the least yellow), this is the best option. At NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I will earn a small commission, if you purchase them. I also don’t know if there is any real testing or experience with how it really works over time. Yes, traffic is much better than mega. And waterborne satin looks like matte in oil. We offer both options, but I usually recommend oil based polyurethane over water based for dark floors because: So, it seems like a no brainer, right? The oil based won’t look right with that color as it will add yellow. It’s more challenging for DIYers to work w/ water borne poly, so you may also want to consider hiring a professional. Either is fine, but if you use water borne, use Bona Traffic for sure. Dura Seal Durafinish Liquid Floor Wax - Coffee Brown - Gallon : Paste Wax $$$ 4.1: 7. How to apply one coat of Bonaseal followed by two coats of Mega or Traffic. Do we need to do a light sanding? But if they are next to each other, it will show more. Here’s a link direct to Amazon (I hope it works) for the product. Hi! If you have maple hardwood, or if you are going for a whitewashed or gray look, you really want to do the water based poly. My plan is to glue and float the floor. Thank you. And contractor is going to have another guy come take a look (we’re pretty sure he will cover the cost since it’s clearly an error no matter what). High quality water based polyurethanes is considered by many homeowners & flooring professionals to be equally durable. More for that in my next video. I have bamboo floors. I would recommend 3 coats Bona Traffic. And, it sounds like your contractor is up on the trends. 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