Hardwood floor finishes have varying levels of ease durability even glossiness.
Testing hardwood floor finish.
If you can feel the wood grain the finish is probably a penetrating finish.
Testing for oil or wax.
Before polyurethane became a household word floor finishers applied wax varnish.
Next place several drops of mineral spirits a k a.
Wax is the traditional time tested finish for hardwood floors making it a great choice for antique floors in historic homes.
Run your hand over the floor surface.
If the finish bubbles up it is most likely a surface finish.
I knew pretty well.
It comes in both paste and liquid forms.
If the finish dissolves congratulations you ve got a waxed floor.
Put a couple drops of mineral spirits naphtha or turpentine on the surface you want to test.
If nothing happens move on to the next test.
Listed in order of aggressiveness of paired.
Testing for grease based residue like wax or oil soap 1.
A few weeks back jeff b i wrote this little spiel on diy home inspections for him contacted me.
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.
Behind a door is a good spot because this area is usually.
So i found myself in the closet.
The easiest way to test a floor finish is to run your hand along the surface of the floor.
Testing hardwood floor finishes in an old house part 2 the commonly accepted hardwood floor finish tests and paired solvents.
Part 2 of this article including video of testing floor finishes in a closet testing hardwood floor finishes part 2.
How to know the finish of my hardwood floors a variety of finishing materials.
To test the finish you ll need a little mineral oil baby oil and three solvents.
Brush up on the basics of 8 popular options before choosing yours.
Using these solvents requires gloves and good ventilation and it doesn t hurt to have on a pair of safety glasses either.
Denatured alcohol lacquer thinner and xylene.
Let it sit for a few seconds and then rub it into the area.
Testing hardwood floor finishes in a closet.
To begin put a few drops of mineral oil on your cleaned spot.
Paint thinner and let them sit for 2 3 minutes on the.