You want a vapour retarder as per NWFA guidelines with a perm rating of >1. on hardwood floors and carpet all by my little petite self (I said petite, because of height only and will leave it at that LOL). It is very difficult to keep our small dogs from sometimes going where he marked. When I search I find resources on installing membrane under tile floors and under floating wood floors installed on concrete. Any update on the floors or your satisfaction since you completed the project? I think the most maintenance free and pretty option is the concrete. So anyway, remember when my floors looked like this, And then I removed all of the carpet and they looked like this. I finished the water closet area of our master bat, I just snapped this picture because the sunlight w, There have been a couple of changes in here. Kristi love it! Your floors look great. Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Kristi, what type of sander did you use for your living room? It takes several hours to dry.) Expense. Stone, porcelain, and ceramic tile are all excellent materials to create waterproof flooring. We plan to have our hardwood floors redone this summer. I also find Waterlox much more forgiving, especially when my tabletops get marred. Yepas Ultimate and I have stated, you do NOT want vapour BARRIER such as 6mil poly OVER TOP OF wood. Old school laminate flooring was somewhat water resistant but definitely not waterproof. Now the "requirements" become moot. Believe me. Or requiring a new lead pan whenever changing finishes in the shower. The Waterlox itself only comes in one color, kind of like oil-based polyurethane only comes in one color. Long-term solutions include stone, porcelain tile and solid hardwood. In addition, Waterlox recommends a 7 day cure rate after the final coat, but I know many woodworkers who recommend a 30 day cure rate instead. which Waterlox product did you use? Heres a link to a post I did on the project http://leisa-land.blogspot.com/2012/10/message-from-universe.html Though for some reason I dont have an after picture! Its one of the few detailed blog posts about Waterlox out there. Osb/plywood is perm rated at 6 or so. That way youll never miss a thing! If you want to follow my projects and progress, you can subscribe below and have each new post delivered to your email inbox. If you want darker floors, youll need to either stain the wood before applying Waterlox, or add a bit of stain to the first coat of Waterlox. Isnt that awesome? I didnt know such a product existed. Sam if you're planning to do a glue down product, I would recommend using a glue in relation to what I stated above. Have you ever used any of these products? Despite the style choices available, there is still a more limited selection than youd get with traditional wooden flooring. Waterlox is only a sealer/ protectant for wood and provides minimal coloration. Belated thank you to those who commented on this. Our new home has light hardwood floors. With waterproof flooring, you can relax no harm done! With poly, I can feel the coat drying and thickening before I am finished when I am working on a large project like a table top. But it's a budget issue, also. Easier to move and no damage! I love that about Waterlox. If you decide that waterproof wood is not for you, investigate the alternatives. Kristi, you need yourself a set of furniture slider thingys to put under the legs of your furniture. I actually had three right next to each other. Do you know if they are white oak? That means unwelcome hassle and expense for you. ), but that extra bit of hassle was worth it! What they are looking for is IIC and STC ratings to the flooring. But when I come across a product that I truly believe in, I like to pass that info along to yall. If I had polyurethaned my floors, I wouldnt be able to do that. Ah! The contractor has asked us for specifications, but honestly I have no idea what to tell him. Yes, Waterlox will definitely stand up to puppy accidents as long as youve used an appropriate number of coats on your floor, and obviously clean up the puppy accidents as soon as you notice them. Nothing reveals the beauty of wood better than this product, in my opinion. I would absolutely use it on my floors in my home. Also, this penetration can give the wood a 3-D like appearance if the Waterlox is applied correctly rather than look like a plastic coating on top of the wood. Refinishing not an option. A floating wood should have a 6 mil poly used under as a moisture barrier. But with Waterlox that is not necessary. We're putting down a new hardwood floor and the building requires that a waterproof membrane be installed when re-doing kitchen or bathroom floors. When I get a scratch like that, I simply grab some sandpaper (120-grit in this case, just because its the first one I found), and I sand the area so that its pretty smooth. A number of Americas largest flooring businesses each have their own version of waterproof hardwood: Flooring America/Flooring Canada (FA/FC) Aquadura H2O. I actually just finished remodeling my music room, and I made a complete mess of the floor. If you need more information feel free to read into our website for helpful information. Once thats dry, Ill probably add one more coat. Your floors look great! The other two were less than an inch. The threat to non-waterproofed wood floors. Itll save a lot of wear and tear on your furniture, floors and most of all, your back! The big one (shown in the first picture) was about five inches long. Remember 'scratch resistance' is just a sales pitch. How should it be installed? I cant wait to rip out all my carpet and replace with hard surface. I wanted to quickly share a follow up on my refinished hardwood floors, and my decision to use Waterlox to seal them rather than polyurethane. They have! and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. Grace Ice and Water Shield..it is a peel and stick product.. leelee: No, there's not one already in place. When your lifestyle includes kids, pets, and tons of activity, spills and splashes are impossible to avoid. Which is better flooring for the kitchen: laminate or hardwood? When my project is over, I'll encourage the building to get expert advice on the issue of waterproof membranes and share some of the advice here. Those floors will offer decades of life. I am restoring a 90 year old house. The main determination factor we look at when we measure homes for installation of hardwood is the height of other surfaces we're going up against, (solid hardwood is usually a bit thicker), underlayment or what we are installing over (engineered floor is usually more versitile and can be installed over most surfaces). And then I just added more Waterlox right on top. Im so glad you liked the Floetrol, Karen! 15 years later, the Waterlox has worn better, is easy to spot repair (I agree this is the best part!) I took that picture right after I added the new Waterlox, and its still wet. This is so common I could spit! Hi Kristi, I really like the idea of using Waterlox on my floors when we refinish our hardwoods this spring, thanks to your review. And then I purchased my products online, and paid full price, just like you would have to. Im on a slab and must use floating floor- possibly engineered wood. Your floors look fantastic! A badly water-damaged hardwood floor cannot be repaired; eventually it is likely to rot and/or mold and will need to be completely replaced. And I finally decided on Waterlox. When working with a wood substrate, the recommendation (by the building industry) becomes a "vapour retardant" with a "perm" (permeability) rating. Only because I would like a darker finish. No, it really needs to be used on bare wood floors. There will be HUNDREDS of nail holes. I also used it for my oak counter top and an oak mantel. But heres where the real beauty of Waterlox kicks in. If your building requires a membrane then there should already be one in placeare you tearing out all the old subflooring? Should I stain them first? So ignore that lovely little buzz word. With all the moving around of stuff, they would make it a breeze and not harm the floors. PROS: handsome with oodles of curb appeal; tile repair can be done by just replacing the damaged tile(s), CONS: complex to install (a VERY challenging DIY project); may be slippery and/or cold underfoot. thanks for any ideas you can give me,Arlene. I get compliments all the time. owner. For carpet you use the hard plastic discs that are sold for that purpose..not only does it save floors, it saves backs too! Versatility. I absolutely love that stuff, and I just wont EVER paint cabinets or furniture without it. Can you waterproof your existing hardwood flooring? Vapour retardant with a perm rating is all that is allowed over wooden substrates. The condo board is asking for something that goes against "good building practices".which is where the waiver comes in. Then you can give your wooden floors a brand-new look, Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. I swear by this product (and I am not sponsored by Waterlox either). The tech varies according to the manufacturer. I think youve sold me on Waterlox for my floors. And it comes in a satin finish, so its not too glossy. That benefit alone is probably the single thing that sold me on Waterlox for my floors. In fact, my husband is a lumber salesman and his company doesnt carry the product so I drove over State lines to purchase (at the time I could not get the gallon size in Massachusetts due to VOC regulations). I nearly drove myself crazy with indecision, afraid that Id make a terrible decision. This is one of the main reasons I finally settled on Waterlox over every other finish the ease of repairing scratches in the floor. Do NOT use the one called a square buff. The cost to purchase waterproof flooring is higher than that of conventional wood. Enjoy hardwood floors anywhere in the house, including rooms formerly off limits to real wood floors, like the kitchen, mudroom, laundry, kids room, or even an elegant master bath. There are wood glues that have moisture barriers/inhibitors within them.Shaw Floors carries a product called 3-in-1 which has a moisture inhibitor and noise reduction within the glue. Copyright 2007-2022 - Kristi Linauer, LLC. My daughter had a chihuaua, need I say more. Kristi, Im always so glad when you recommend products that you find work good (or fantasitc)! People use it to seal butcherblock in their kitchens. I'll probably end up asking, but for various reasons thought it would be good to research the choices and methods myself before having that conversation. I keep coming back to this post! Thank you so much for sharing this,I have been lamenting over what to use in a very busy house .Think we will give it a try! Is it? Well, guess what? Thank you for this post. You can learn more about me here. Waterproof hardwood cannot be sanded down and refinished, although its durability and high scratch resistance make that less of a minus than you might fear. However, the waterproof laminate of the 2020s gets around this problem quite handily, since it is all plastic. Basically the building requires certain upgrades whenever work is done. In other words, unlike stain, it doesnt keep getting darker with each new coat. There are some really lovely ones. This new flooring has all the rich luster of genuine hardwood, the flooring most prized by homeowners AND home buyers. As expensive as a moisture resistant adhesive is (it will add PLENTY of cost to this renovation) it is the least likely to cause issues down the road. (You can see one of them in the picture above.). The 6mil poly would work with a floating floor. What if I dont stain them, and then they dont come out dark enough for my taste? Thank you! My parquet floors of oak ,house built 1929. need to be redone . If you want to use Waterlox, your floors will need to be sanded down. I always wonder the effectiveness of nails driving through a water proofing membrane. Dont try this with polyurethaned floors. I am living here 17 years and had the diningroom done two times. Bruce hydropel or Sure+ waterproof hardwoods? Your floors are gorgeous and mine really need to be redone but Im kinda nervous to tackle that project but not willing to hire anyone either! Yes you can and make sure to put insulation under the heating pad so the heat won't escape to the bottom. Just because something 'scratches' (or shows scratches) does NOT mean it is useless or delicate. wow, I have an entry way that needs done seriously soon..gonna have to check this out! Otherwise, they have nothing to enforce! it is not cheaper than all wood. Vapour retarder is as good as it will get for you. Thought I would report back on what we decided on. If you're planning to do a nail down I believe tar paper is what you will need as a moisture barrier as stated by the NWFA guidelines. Solid hardwood and stone can be REFINISHED and therefore offer 60-100 years worth of life. Read the pros vs cons of waterproof hardwood flooring below, then consult a reliable flooring professional for advice on the best type for your home. If it can be applied to wooden boats, wouldnt it be tomcat proof on wood floors? Well, during that time, I was researching like a crazy woman, trying to decide how to seal my hardwood floors. How much wall space should there be between cabinet and sink window? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. They sign the waiver stating that you MUST do something that goes AGAINST better building standards. Thanks Kristi. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A tile floor is only as good as its grout, however, so make sure that your grout is well sealed. (And I did this about an hour ago, so even now its still wet. What is the drying time? Or if I do, Im always disappointed. I used the satin to seal my (MInwax walnut) stained IKEA butcher block countertop on my island and I love it! Bad juju. The technology is still quite new, but as its reputation spreads, other companies are likely to jump on the bandwagon as well. Then treat with one of the following finishes: Allow the finish to dry thoroughly, according to product instructions, before walking or replacing furniture on the wood surface. We like prefinished because the floor can be UV cured which is a very strong finish as opposed to doing a sand and stain in home which can be messy and the finish is not usually as strong. It sounds like they are looking to protect the tenants under you by requiring the membrane. Low-maintenance, waterproof flooring of all types is a growing trend in home improvement. First, I made a flush mount glass bubble chandelier to go, Its not often that youll see colorless pictu, Just my bright, sun-filled living room after dark, I removed all of the carpet and they looked like this, How To Build A Bookcase (And Accomplish The Impossible), Bathroom Progress (And The Trim That Drove Me To Tears), DIY Built-In Bookcases, Part 2 (Making The Wood Countertop), That Time Nothing Went Right And I Gave Up (aka, Yesterday), http://leisa-land.blogspot.com/2012/10/message-from-universe.html. we of course get it as soon as possible. We're in an NYC coop apt and are having our kitchen renovated. Not many people (on this forum) have been brave enough to be guinea pigs. Learn how your comment data is processed. I can empathize with you about the puppy puddles! Its called a drum sander, and its the only kind I would recommend. Life would be so much easier. Both engineered and solid have the same hardwood material as a wear layer. Houzz Pro: One simple solution for contractors and design pros. A hardwood will dent, scratch, ding and all the above (which is the beauty in having a natural product like that). . The Waterlox website is very informative and their customer service is great. When I move a piece of furniture I put terry cloth rags under furniture feet.no cost and easy breezy. I wasnt sure if I could really do the whole house floors with Waterlox, but next time through thats whats happening! Do you think it would work with an occasional accident? Waterlox is tung oil resin that penetrates into the wood and hardens. Get them to sign the waiver. For hardwood just put a small square of cut up carpet (with the soft side down) under all legs and moves like butter. Buildings' upgrade requirements change over time, but usually changes are implemented only as people renovate their apartments (for fairly obvious reasons--imagine the building suddenly telling you you had to pull up your floor and put down a waterproof membrane). My Merriam-Websters definition of waterproof is impervious to water, but water resistant is defined as merely water-repellent, meaning that eventually the water will penetrate the wood. The floors werent nice when I moved in. If you have polyurethane on them, youll need to sand your floors before using Waterlox. The kitchen had solid cherry cabinets. Polyurethane creates a coat on top on top of the wood. As Cinar says, the adhesive would become the vapour barrier for glue down. I have a tendency to cure the full 30 days. Wish me luck!! Is there a finish for commercial as well? If your building requires this membrane, then they should have some specs for what exactly they require. I use them all the time and have no problem moving desks, beds, couch, armoire, etc. Because 6mil poly sheeting has been known to cause wooden subfloors to rot because of condensation allowed to sit on top of the plywood (underneath the plastic and on top of the wood). No, Ive actually never used an engineered wood floor. www.koebers.com Hope this helps :) A few great prefinished brands are on our website as well. It's like requiring new branch plumbing or riser insulation whenever existing pipes are exposed (the latter is actually now required by law in NYC, but was already in many alteration agreements). I'm a DIY fanatic remodeling my way through our 1948 fixer upper. Thanks for your recommendation of waterlox. When legal issues arise (like this) they will sit up and take notice. As I was mopping the floor tonight, I was thinking how unbelievably thankful I am that I chose Waterlox for my floors. I understand the "concept" but the practice is very odd. I didn't even bother. What about tung oil? I too decided on Waterlox for our pine floors when we built. I simply did my own research (lots and lots of research) and considered everything from polyurethane, tung oil, Waterlox, and even a couple of other things. Thoughts? The board doesn't have to let anyone do renovations and there's zero chance that they or any NYC coop board would sign a such a thing, or choose to relax the requirements if asked to do so. I would be interested to learn what type of sander you used and have you used one before? BTW, if you are thinking of engineered wood floor. Authenticity. Beauty. I really dont think that anyone would be able to tell that there was once a 5-inch gouge in the floor right there. Your floors look magnificent as is everything you do. There's also a product from them called Hydroban, which dries faster, but costs more. Hello Im wondering if this comes in different shades? The water-proof wood floors are yet to be tested long term in the US market. Worth every penny and doing it myself was significantly less than the quote I got to have someone polyurethane the floors which would have involved sanding in between coats. An expert gives us the rundown, Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor and the one mistake you should avoid, Rubber, cork, concrete and other materials are worthy options in lieu of hardwood or tile, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, https://laticrete.com/our-products/tile-and-stone-installation-and-maintenance/waterproofing, Convert Your Tub Space Into a Shower Waterproofing and Drainage, Transition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors, What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor, Contractor Tips: Smooth Moves for Hardwood Floors, Pros and Cons of 5 Popular Kitchen Flooring Materials, What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors, 6 Alternative Flooring Ideas to Kick Up Your Style. It isn't good for the subfloor. Your floors look absolutely stunning! I used professionally applied Swedish Oil finish on most of the house remodel and applied Waterlox by myself on an old floor in the living room. Would waterlox be good to use on a bathroom counter made of wood? Ahhhhthey were gorgeous and perfect (I mean, as perfect as 65-year-old hardwood floors can be). Choice. And let me make this perfectly clear this is not a sponsored post. If you already have natural wood floors installed in your home, you wont be able to make them completely waterproof. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And generally if I do this right before I head to bed, its dry enough to walk on by the time I get up in the morning. You need a set of those mover pads. Here's what you need to know, We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring, Know how to apply nail polish? If necessary, they can be left for hours before they begin to harm the woods structure. Just wondering. However, this plus side is also a problem because unlike poly which you can re-coat in 8 hours, you cant re-coat Waterlox for 24 hours. It DOES require good ventilation though. And I love the look of your floors! And just for fun, a vapour barrier (like 6mil plastic sheeting) is not recommended over top of a wood subfloor. What it hard to handle? However, you can use the right treatment to make your flooring more water resistant, with the result that spilled liquids dont have to be dealt with immediately. Anything over 4" wide plank we ALWAYS install an engineered hardwood because a hardwood will expand and contract through seasons and having a wider plank you need more stability to prevent cupping and warping. PROS: gives the advantages of laminate without its downside, easy to clean, recyclable, CONS: available mainly in Europe as of this writing. Other popular waterproof flooring options. Do I want to use polyurethane? Debbie, https://www.addicted2decorating.com/the-correct-way-to-sand-hardwood-floors.html. I did 4 coats and if I remember correctly, purchased 30 gallons. and looks great. Lets just say that dragging heavy furniture around (like a sofa) all by myself has left some pretty sad looking gouges in my hardwood floors. When youre applying the Waterlox satin finish to cover a small area that is scratched do you use a brush or cloth? I saw your pics of your floors and they look great. While untreated solid hardwood floors can withstand a few drops of water, when doused with larger quantities they start to resemble a sponge. Anyone done this? Peace of mind. I had to get it via the internet as shops here dont seem to offer it (yet? How long did it take? I used two coats of Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish followed by one coat of Waterlox Original Satin Finish. (Still cant believe you refinished all of yours by yourself!!) With Waterlox, I can take my time and work at my own pace, go over any area I want to without feeling hurried. It looks better as well, as the surface is much smoother and doesnt show so much paint strokes, so it really is a product to recommend, thank you!!! Find out how to keep them that way, Dreaming of gorgeous, natural wood floors? Youve sold me on waterlox also. I hope youll join me on my DIY and decorating journey! Consider these professional pointers before you lay the first plank, Toasty toes and money saved are just two benefits of radiant heat under your concrete, wood or tile floors, Which kitchen flooring is right for you? I hate that repairs really cant be made. Thanks! What if I stain them and they come out too dark? PROS: Vinyl is easy to install and lightweight; simple to maintain, CONS: impossible to repair or recycle; may off-gas unpleasantly; does not add to the value of your home. If youre too busy to wipe up spills, pet accidents, or tracked-in snow immediately or if you have an undetected moisture problem (such as an air conditioner leak) -- beware! Also note over a wood substrate you never want 6mil poly. If only someone would invent a waterproof hardwood flooring . First, lets explore the difference between two frequently confused terms: waterproof vs water resistant. I just wanted to smooth out the rough edges and minimize the gouge as much as possible. I am wondering if stain can be used with this product, and if so, do you think it would be as easy to repair scratches in it as it seemed to be for you without using a stain? We are having wood counter installed, and the company uses waterlox to finish them (there will also be an area with an oil finish that we can use for cutting). I have never used Waterlox on my hardwood floors. I also took the poly junk off my wood counters and used Waterlox last year, since I use cutting boards anyway. Love your floors and it appears that the Waterlox is perfect. Matt has M.S. All floors are 'scratch resistant' - even cork. Sounds like every other NY condo board I've run across. Thanks for sharing, Kristi. Link: https://laticrete.com/our-products/tile-and-stone-installation-and-maintenance/waterproofing. They will sit up and take notice when the ink has to hit the legal document!!!! If you have a busy home, try a hand scraped or something with variation or knots (hickory, acacia, oak, etc.) Waterlox comes in several finishes original, satin and high gloss. Mine are very similar as I have a 71 year old house. Im so glad that dealing with scratches from here on out will never require a whole-house or even a whole-room sanding and refinishing of the floors! I would ask for them to sign a waiver stating that if YOUR vapour barrier (which they require) causes THEIR SUBFLOOR to ROT, you are not responsible. Thank you, The more products we PREVENT from ending up in landfill the more we help ourselves live in a clean and sustainable world. I have two schnauzers and they run around a lot in the house and im wondering how the finish would hold up , like would the floors scratch easier then poly? All Rights Reserved. Eventually all of these liquids will cause unprotected wood flooring to swell, bloat and warp. The downside/upside to Waterlox is the cure rate. I can do some spot sanding on the areas where I dripped paint, scratched the floor with my tools, etc., and give it another coat of Waterlox, and itll look beautiful again! PROS: advanced technology, outstanding appearance, scratch resistant, easy to install as a floating floor, CONS: not as sought-after by home buyers as hardwood flooring. Our old home had dark hardwood floors and many flaws were still visible after refinishing them ourselves and using poly. Sand and clean your wood floor. Sharon. What is happening here is the condo board failing to understand what they are asking for. I echo what the girls said above about the mover pads. After much research I settled on Waterlox. I only use Waterlox and it is wonderful. Multiple coats do take a while to dry and they tend to move and level out so best to leave the masking tape on for a while.