Seeking floor refinisher specializing in non-poly eco/traditional finishes

  We need to re-do the floors in our new (pre-war) apartment and don’t want poly or wax. I’ve been reading about tung oil for a floor finish, anyone here done this? We’d have it sanded and stained first. I’m getting contradictory advice, which makes me think people don’t really know what they are talking about. Sounds fantastic, but I’d want to find someone with direct experience. So far, the only vendor I’ve found is this guy: http://ecobrooklyn.com/brooklyn-wood-floor-revival/ Other ideas? I’ve read about Waterlox, 100% tung oil, wax, shellac, Monocoat. Experienced vendor recommendations welcome!  I’ve asked around and people have said any floor refinisher can do whatever we want, but seems like they’re all about the poly and I don’t want to be an experiment.  We also need painting (traditional/low-VOC) and some carpentry (shelves in bedrooms and closets), so would be open to a GC who could do everything.

Mar

in Flooring 13 years and 5 months ago

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Carlos | 12 years and 11 months ago

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It was a pleasure working on your pre-war **Manhattan wood floors.   **The Waterlox Tung Oil **wood floors refinishing** did come out quite beautiful.  I’m posting a picture of your hallway here which you sent to me.  Gracias!  – **Carlos Salazar (****carloswoodfloors@gmail.com)**

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/4ff70b46c8ad0-processed-Wilkie_floor_hall.jpg

http://www.jcmartinrenovation.com/wood-floor-refinishing/

Mar | 13 years and 2 months ago

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Popping back in to say Carlos Salazar was fantastic — we used Waterlox and it’s so beautiful! Way better than poly. He worked quickly and within our budget. He did tests for color and finishes until we were happy. Highly recommended! There was a smell, but opening the windows fixed it after a few days.

slimc | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Tung Oil Product Info and Application Process: http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html

southslope | 13 years and 5 months ago

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TUNG OIL IS THE BEST. Sorry for shouting- but it is.  It penetrates the pores of the wood and hardens from the inside, hence, a finish that is low in toxins that protects without the “build” of a polyurethane (finishing with poly is like putting a nice specimen of wood in a zip-lock bag). I am partial to Sutherland Welles exterior polymerized finishes, check ’em out.  I could recommend Josey Delgado for this.  His company works with this product exclusively. 917.763.3073.

callalily | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Antique and Vintage Woods of America in the Hudson Valley supply antique wood flooring and were recommended in “Restoring a House in the City.” Maybe they could recommend a refinisher for tung oil based in Manhattan? They have a web site: http://www.antiqueandvintagewoods.com/index.htm Also it may not be advisable to stain the floor first if you are using tung oil, which will darken it.

stevecym | 13 years and 5 months ago

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You can use a combo of things you mention.  tung oil, once dry, can be waxed over.  sanding sealer, which is wax free shellac, can be waxed over.  shellac can be waxed over.   Most traditional finishes used in this country between 1840 and 1930 were some sort of shellac/wax combo.   I would be careful with shellac on floors which may encounter water or worse, alcohol; staining will result. I not trying to solicit this job, so continue the discussion with first reply and also consider talking to Charlie Hoey at Abbott Paints on Eagle st. in Grnpoint.  tell him stetson sent you. Steve http://brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/tinkerswagon

jcmartinrenovation | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Hi Martha, We recently did a refinishing floor project on Monroe Place in Brooklyn where we used Tung Oil per our clients request.  Keep in mind Tung Oil is penetrative so you MUST refinish the floor first – which means stripping any existing finish or stain.   It would be my pleasure to estimate your project, I can also send you pictures of the Monroe Place project or have you speak / email with the client directly as a reference.  FYI, we also offer painting and general construction services. Contact me – Martin Barazorda or my partner Carlos Salazar (carlos@jcmartinrenovation.com) who specifically handles all our wood floor projects. Best, Martin Barazorda JC Martin & Sons LLC (formerly Inti Interior Finish) Office: (347) 746-8439 / Cell: (347) 234-3597 Email:  martin@jcmartinrenovation.com http://www.jcmartinrenovation.com —————————————————————————-
READ WHAT OUR MOST RECENT CLIENT TESTIMONIAL:
JC Martin & Sons (formerly Inti Interior Finish) renovated our 1899 brownstone in Fort Greene over
about ten weeks this past summer.  The project involved remodeling a bathroom, removing walls, opening skylights, exposing brickwork, stripping and refinishing wooden moldings around windows and doors,
removing carpeting, refinishing floors and repainting the entire house.  Throughout the time that they were working on our new home, Martin and his team were professional, careful, collaborative, responsive to the changes that my husband and I made along the way and accommodating when we wanted to expand the scope of the project (to refinish the original wide-plank pine floors on three stories of the house) shortly before the due date for completion of the project. Martin was a wonderful resource for ideas and advice; he is very familiar with the history and original features of Brooklyn brownstones and evidently loves these old houses.  His input on several of our stylistic choices during the renovation was invaluable. I would not hesitate to recommend JC Martin & Sons to anyone planning to renovate a historic home. Emma L.
Fort Greene, Brooklyn