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