Protecting pine floorboards
- Thread starter clueless1
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I always use a well known brand of Hardglaze polyurethane varnish on mine. The first coat raises the grain so sand it flat again. Two more coats will finish the job. Note that the stuff will not be fully hard for weeks after it has 'dried'. This is a characteristic of all polyurethane based varnishes and gloss paints. The first stage of drying is evaporation of the solvent and this will be complete within 24 hours. The second stage is polymerization in the presence of oxygen. That's the slow bit. When it's finished the varnish will have lost the rubbery feel that it had when just dry.
Whether you use varnish or wax you can expect it to change colour over time. It gets darker. This is oxidation again. You will also find that if you leave a rug over part of the floor for several weeks there will be a lighter area underneath when you take it up. That's because it didn't oxidize as fast as the exposed stuff.
Whatever you do you will begin to see dents and grooves in the heavily trodden areas after a while. You can't expect to maintain a mirror finish unless you never step on it.
Whether you use varnish or wax you can expect it to change colour over time. It gets darker. This is oxidation again. You will also find that if you leave a rug over part of the floor for several weeks there will be a lighter area underneath when you take it up. That's because it didn't oxidize as fast as the exposed stuff.
Whatever you do you will begin to see dents and grooves in the heavily trodden areas after a while. You can't expect to maintain a mirror finish unless you never step on it.
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felix said:
Your absolutely right Felix. softwood is softwood, although 'hardwood' also gets dented and damaged in the long run.
I sanded and varnished my front room about 6 years ago. SWMBO now says it's too orangy!!! 
I suppose it a strip and varnish job again.
Unless you lot know different!
I suppose it a strip and varnish job again.
Unless you lot know different!
Varnish or oil it in a slightly darker colour, that might help preventing the pine turning orangy.
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