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      • How to Test a New Product for Chemical Sensitivity
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      Learning Center

      • Why we don't sell luxury vinyl tile!
      • Why Is Our Flooring Different?
      • How to Buy a Green Floor: 7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
      • Bamboo Flooring Buyer's Guide
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      •  
      •  
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      • Wood Stains & Sealers
      • Odor Blocking Sealers
      • Grout Sealers
      • Concrete & Masonry Sealers
      • Polyurethane Sealers
      •  
      •  
      • Brushes & Trowels
      •  
      •  
      • View All Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      Trusted Brands

      • AFM Safecoat
      • Bioshield
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      • ECOS Paints
      • Franmar
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      • Gulf Synthetics
      • Paperstone
      • Pro-Lab
      • Radiosity
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Silacote
      • Vermont Natural Coatings
      •  
      •  
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Learning Center

      • The Truth About Paint
      • AFM Safecoat Sealers for Off-Gassing
      • ECOS Non-Toxic, Zero VOC Paint
      • How do I know if a product is really safe?
      • How to Test a New Product for Chemical Sensitivity
      • Samples
  • HOME GOODS
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      • Lighting
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      • Test Kits & Energy Monitors
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      • Composters
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      • View All Energy, Water & Air

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      • Cutting Boards
      • Utensils
      • View All Eco Home Goods

      Cabinets & Countertops

      • Cabinets
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      • Non-Toxic Kitchens
      • View All Cabinets & Countertops

      Building Materials

      • Roofing
      • Sheet Goods
      • View All Building Materials

      Trusted Brands

      • AquaRain
      • Brava
      • EcoStar
      • Natural Light Energy Systems
      • Pro-Lab
      • Radiosity
      • Sun-Mar
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Learning Center

      • All About Mold
      • How to Improve Energy Performance with the Electric Meter
      • PowerCost Monitor FAQ
      • Basic Principles of Composting
      • Using Marmoleum for Countertops and Wainscotings
      • Can a wood butcher block countertop be permanently sealed?
      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • Is solid wood T-1-11 safe for interior use?
      • View All Learning Center
  • CLEANERS
    • Healthy Cleaners

      • Household
      • Floor
      • Mold & Mildew
      • Body Soaps
      • View All Healthy Cleaners

      Blissfully Clean

      • Extra Sponges
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • View All Blissfully Clean

      Trusted Brands

      • AFM Safecoat
      • Bioshield
      • Blissfully Clean
      • Caliwel
      • Comsentech
      • Core Products HydrOxi Pro
      • Forbo Marmoleum
      • Franmar
      • Green Building Supply
      • Paperstone
      • PerfectCLEAN
      • Pro-Lab
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Woodwise
      • Wools of New Zealand
      •  
      •  
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Learning Center

      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • What is the safest primer to use to get rid of tobacco smells in a home?
      • Blissfully Clean 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
      • Samples
      • View All Learning Center
  • ALL DEPARTMENTS
    • Sustainable Flooring

      • Bamboo Flooring
      • Hardwood Flooring
      • Cork Flooring
      • Marmoleum
      • Wool Carpet
      • Tools & Supplies
      • Underlayment
      • View All Sustainable Flooring

      Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      • Paints & Primers
      • Strippers & Thinners
      • Plasters & Pigments
      • Caulks, Sealants & Adhesives
      •  
      •  
      • Hardwood Floor Finish
      • Wood Stains & Sealers
      • Odor Blocking Sealers
      • Grout Sealers
      • Concrete & Masonry Sealers
      • Polyurethane Sealers
      •  
      •  
      • Brushes & Trowels
      •  
      •  
      • View All Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      Eco Home Goods

      • Cutting Boards
      • Utensils
      • View All Eco Home Goods

      Cabinets & Countertops

      • Cabinets
      • Countertops
      • Non-Toxic Kitchens
      • View All Cabinets & Countertops

      Energy, Water & Air

      • Lighting
      • Tubular Skylights
      • Test Kits & Energy Monitors
      • Insulation
      • Composters
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      • Toilets & Urinals
      • View All Energy, Water & Air

      Healthy Cleaners

      • Household
      • Floor
      • Mold & Mildew
      • Body Soaps
      • View All Healthy Cleaners

      Blissfully Clean

      • Extra Sponges
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • View All Blissfully Clean

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      • Roofing
      • Sheet Goods
      • View All Building Materials

      Shop By

      • Customer Favorites
      • Featured
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      • New Arrivals
      • Free Shipping

      Top Trusted Brands

      • AFM Safecoat
      • Amorim
      • Bioshield
      • Blissfully Clean
      • Brava
      • Caliwel
      • Chemlink
      • Crystal Cabinets
      • Core Products HydrOxi Pro
      • DriTac
      • Earth Weave
      • EcoFusion
      • ECOS Paints
      • EcoStar
      • Forbo Marmoleum
      • Franmar
      • Green Building Supply
      • Gulf Synthetics
      • J Mish
      • Kahrs
      • Natural Light Energy Systems
      • Paperstone
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Teragren
      • Tesoro Woods
      • Unique Carpets, Ltd.
      • Wicanders
      •  
      •  
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Top Articles

      • Why Is Our Flooring Different?
      • Why we don't sell luxury vinyl tile!
      • How to Buy a Green Floor: 7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
      • The Truth About Paint
      • AFM Safecoat Sealers for Off-Gassing
      • ECOS Non-Toxic, Zero VOC Paint
      • How do I know if a product is really safe?
      • How to Test a New Product for Chemical Sensitivity
      • All About Mold
      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • Samples

      Learning Center Categories

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Flooring

What is the safest and most durable finish for wood floors?

Q: We are refinishing our white oak floors and want to use the safest and most durable materials. Street Shoe? Bonakemi? Rubio monocoat? We have boys and a dog and have not found anyone in our area who uses Osmo.
—Asked by Shmuel, Takoma Park, MD

A: To my knowledge, there is no cross testing that shows which product is safest or most durable. However, I have used two of the three plus AFM Safecoat Polyureseal BP, AFM Naturals Oil Wax and Bioshield Aqua Resin Floor Finish and can provide some insight based on my experience.

In our house, our Labrador lived outside, so I can’t say how well these finishes would hold up to dogs, but we entertain 30-40 people each month in our home and had a normal teenage son. We do remove our shoes when we enter the house which helps immensely to keep out dirt and avoid scratching.

Water-based 'topical' sealers

In 1991 we used Street Shoe by Basic Coatings on our flooring, stairs and woodwork around the house. It was a water-based product but still had a strong odor which dissipated over the course of several weeks. We had to wear respirators so we could breathe. It was all that was available back in those days. It was a highly durable coating, perhaps the strongest and also one of the most expensive.

I’ve never used Bonakemi but I’ve heard good reports about the performance of their products. I have since used AFM Safecoat Polyureseal BP which is non-toxic water-based floor sealer with very good results. It has no odor at all when dried in about 1-2 days. The same is true for Bioshield’s Aqua Resin Floor finish which performed very well and had no off-gassing once cured.

Air quality and durability of water-based sealers

As you may be aware, just because a product is water-based or low VOC does not make it safe. There are still many aromatic hydrocarbons or deregulated chemicals that are toxic contained in most polyurethanes and some companies even use masking agents (which are toxic) to reduce the odors. I've written extensively about this subject on the Green Home Guide as well as on our website.

All of the above water-based products can be classified as topical floor sealers because they build up a coating on the surface and eventually wear off. They may all be slightly different in chemical makeup, but they can all scratch or fade, some more than others, and they all need to be recoated after several years of wear and tear. Such recoating can be expensive, depending upon where you live, from $3 - $4 per square foot, and it usually requires the occupants to move out of the house for several days while the sanding, cleaning and refinishing takes place.

Oil-based 'penetrating' sealers

Another alternative to polyurethanes are oil-based penetrating sealers. These are making a comeback in Europe and the US for several reasons:

  1. they use natural and non-toxic ingredients
  2. they are relatively easy to apply
  3. they can scratch, but are easy to repair without moving out of the home
  4. they produce a rich patina that ages with the wood
  5. they hold up well to foot traffic and can be easily maintained

As one flooring manufacturer put it, when it comes to floor finishes,“Repairability is the new sustainability.”

Almost all of the oil-based products use one or more oils made of polymerized linseed, tung oil, soy oil, sunflower oil, china wood oil, safflower oil, hemp oil, etc. along with lead-free dryers. Some manufacturers use pure oils, resins and some add carnauba, bees, or candellila wax to give the wood more depth and add some moisture protection. The wax is usually buffed out at the end of the application process which takes a little more effort, but the results are worth it. The patina produced by hard oil or oil wax floor finishes is naturally more desirable, richer and less like the plastic finish of polyurethane. It is also allows the wood to breathe better, resulting in a living floor that tends to respond better to excessive humidity or dryness.

Choosing an oil finish

It’s difficult to say which oil is preferable as my own testing indicates very similar results depending upon how you apply and buff them out. Most of my experience is with AFM Naturals Oil Wax which I love to work with on floors, doors, trim or any wood. I also like Bioshield Hard Oil very much. I have also tried Osmo which has a good reputation, but I could not tolerate the strong odor during application.

Oils are not much different in price from polyurethanes, and they all have some odor during application. Most, but not all, are a natural linseed odor, which takes one to two weeks to dissipate completely. Much of the odor can be eliminated if the oil is applied in thinner applications and wiped off properly. Temperature and humidity play an equally important role in dry time and reduction of odor.

Maintenancing oil finishes vs. polyurethanes

In the old days, long before polyurethanes, acrylics, aluminum oxides, etc. everyone used oils and waxes on their hardwood, cork or linoleum floors. This worked well if maintained properly. Polyurethanes claim to be almost maintenance free but they require routine cleaning and touch ups. The problem with polyurethanes is that in the right light you can see the scratches easily and touch ups are difficult for novices to blend them in well. Any repairs tend to build up on the surface and look unsightly. Most people just learn to live with the scratches.

Oiled floors are maintained regularly by simply damp moping with similar cleaners such as WoodWise or specialty cleaners like Bioshield’s Floor Soap and the all-purpose Blissfully Clean Cleaner for scuff marks, crayons, permanent markers, etc. The scratches, even from dogs, don’t show as easily because they don’t contrast with the surface color or sheen. Most people repair scratches themselves without a professional because the process is fast, effective and inexpensive.

Making an intelligent choice

Making an intelligent choice about which finish to choose and how to maintain it may require sampling some different products to see which one looks best and performs according to your families needs.


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