How to Finish Historic Flooring

Painting Advice and Premium Products from Experienced Professionals.

Finishing and Maintaining Historic Flooring

PaintSource has teamed with Historic Flooring to provide wood finishing advice and assistance. We have experienced wood care specialists to help clients get the most enduring beauty for their projects.

Click links on this page for finishing and care of your Historic Wood.

If you have questions, need products, or need additional advice for your project, contact us here.

We will be happy to help.

Visit Historic Flooring Website

Waterlox Application Video Guide

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Please review the Finish Bulletin for the Waterlox product you are using before you begin.

Satin Finish
Marine Finish
Original Finish

High Gloss Finish

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Care and Maintenance

Your newly finished Waterlox project will give you years of enjoyment. Cleaning consists
of vacuuming, broom sweeping, dusting, or mopping with a slightly damp mop. It is not
necessary to use wax, or any products containing wax, and we recommend against it.
Varnish-type finishes will not dry or bond over wax, grease or oil; therefore, all traces
must be removed before applying more coats.

For dirty areas or annual Spring-cleaning, use Waterlox Cleaner Concentrate for heavy mop cleaning , or PolyCare (for spray and buff wipe), or wash the surface with a non-film forming, non-abrasive, and non-ammonia base detergent or a white vinegar and water solution of 2 capfuls of vinegar to 1 gallon of water. The surface should be rinsed afterward to remove all traces of the residual soap or detergent film.

We prefer the "clean and buff" method for regular cleaning. Dirt is removed on the PolyCare Bonnet, without the need for rinsing and exposing floor repeatedly to water.

Read About : Waterlox Original | Waterlox Satin | Waterlox High gloss | Waterlox Marine

Frequently Given Answers

Finishing the Project

The final, and undoubtedly most important part of your flooring project will be the finish you use to beautify and preserve the wood. Over the years, I have experimented with dozens of different combinations of wood finishes and sealants, some worked well and some not so well. Please take the time to educate yourself on this crucial component of your project. Ask your contractor, read up on the web, or give us a call and we will help you. I have found the Waterlox line of wood finishing products to be particularly outstanding for finishing wood floors. We are pleased to team with PaintSource to provide information and expertise on the subject of wood finishing as well as the full line of Waterlox products. Steve McKinney- Historic Flooring

Fun Links compliments of Wikipedia.com:

Treatment of wood has been practiced for almost as long as the use of wood itself. Some accounts reach back to the beginning of recorded history. For example the Bible in Genesis, 6:13-14 “And God said unto Noah… make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” There are also records of wood preservation reaching back to ancient Greece during Alexander the Great’s rule, where bridge wood was soaked in olive oil. The Romans also protected their wood by brushing their ship hulls with tar. During the Industrial Revolution wood preservation became a corner stone of the wood processing industry. Inventors and scientists such as Bethell, Boucherie, Burnett and Kyan made historic developments in wood preservation, with the preservative solutions and processes.

The ancient Chinese used Tung Oil to waterproof their ships, and that same tung oil is now blended for even greater performance in Waterlox Tung Oil Finish.