I have been asked to refinish the floors in a house that was built for
solders returning from the Korean war. There are approximately 800 square
feet of floors to be sanded.
I just read your comments about lead in finishes circa 1960's.
What about the early 50's?
What should I look for?
Thanks,
Jack
Old Hardwood Floor Finishes
Summary:
Old hardwood floor finishes were
often varnish and possibly shellac. But in the mid-1960's, new urethane products
were introduced. Lead was sometimes added to old varnishes, so sanding old
hardwood floors can be dangerous.
DEAR TIM: What type of finish was used on hardwood floors circa 1964? Does it need to removed or screened to apply a new finish such as oil or water-based urethane? Jim Heavey
DEAR JIM: Although highly unlikely, it is possible your finish is urethane. Urethanes were developed in the early 1960's. The widespread adoption of urethanes for floor finishes didn't start to happen until the late 1960's and the early 1970's.
In all likelihood, the finish on your floor is traditional varnish. It is hard to discern the difference between the two with the naked eye, but you can test in a small out-of-the-way location. A large drop or spot of water will often turn varnish cloudy within 30 minutes or less. Urethane, on the other hand, is usually unaffected by water.
The bigger problem might be the presence of lead in the varnish. Yes, lead was sometimes added to clear finishes years ago. I would absolutely perform a lead test on the finish before I would create clouds of sanding or screening dust.
Furthermore, it is also possible a past owner of the home applied wax to the finish. If wax is present, you must remove it before you do any application of a new urethane. The screening process will not remove all of the wax, if it is present. Screening is the same as a light sanding and is meant to lightly scuff an existing surface to ensure a good bond between an older glossy surface and the fresh coat of floor finish.
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Comments:Welcome! I, Tim
Carter, don't answer questions
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Jack Williams 19 Dec 2007, 19:43
AsktheBuilder 19 Dec 2007, 19:54
Jack,
Look for a lead test kit at a local hardware store.
Pam Festian 12 Mar 2008, 11:43
We recently built a new home and requested BonaKemi Satin Traffic as the
finish for our unfinished Brazilian Cherry Floor after researching this
product on the internet. We have now discovered that BonaKemi Satin Mega
was used twice (without a base coat), and the final coat unfortunately was
switched to Synteko Best without our knowledge. We did ask for Semigloss
on our final two coats, but we never asked for the manufacturer switch.
Apparently we never got the more expensive Traffic Product that we paid
for. The finish result is terrible mainly because the floor was not
prepped properly prior to applying either one of these products.
Regardless of swapping products, the result would have been bad even with
the Traffic Product because of poor prep work. It is now obvious why we
were locked out of the house during this entire process. He didn't want us
to see the "bait and switch" being pulled. In order to find a different
contractor to fix the mess, we are being asked to get the finish tested in
order to determine if the product on our floor is water-base or oil-base.
Nobody wants to be responsible for the outcome of the "unknown product"
initially installed. Where do we go for this type of testing, and how
outrageous is the expense? Our Zip code is 48098 in Michigan. Thank you
for your time. We look forward to some resolution and being able to live
in our new home.
AsktheBuilder 14 Mar 2008, 19:26
Pam,
This seems complicated. I assume you are holding all of the money. So start over. Sand off the old finish and do it right. Either you be there to supervise or pay a trusted inspector that will verify the work is being done correctly.
quinn Starr 09 Apr 2008, 01:55
would a floor that had a varnish or shellac finish have a strong odor if
washed with water and vinegar? The floor was covered with very old
linoleum. The mop bucket left a white ring that did not go away. I tested
for lead with a leaching method and a surface method and both tested
negative. Ever since I pulled up the linoleum and washed the floor there
has been this pungent odor that has not dissipated after weeks of airing
out the room. What is this toxic phantom I'm dealing with?
AsktheBuilder 12 Apr 2008, 14:14
Quinn,
Could it be the adhesive?
Linda T. Bell 12 Jun 2008, 20:04
Our house was built in 1972, and instead of enjoying the beautiful urethane
hardwood floors, I could not
wait until we could afford carpeting! Duh! After 30 years, we pulled up some of the carpeting, but there is a sticky, dark, yucky substance that is defying my cleaning attempts. Help! Thanks!
Darwin 12 Jun 2008, 21:04
Today I was given two estimates for refinishing five rooms of hardwood
floors. One said they would use 2 coats of Mega finish- satin sheen and
the other said he would use and oil based product. He also said he prefered
oil over water based. What would you suggest as a finishing coat?
Lanya LaPunta 17 Jul 2008, 12:21
I simply want to be able to access the comments.
wallace stamey 13 Aug 2008, 18:50
i am sanding 1960's hardwood floors...i get about a square foot section
done w/ a 36 grit floor sander and the paper is so gummed up that i have to
get a new one...at $7.00 a piece it would cost me a fortune. I know im
doing something wrong ...please help!
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