I have experience with Waterlox, which is a mixture of tung oil and resins. It is very easy to apply and makes wood beautiful. It does not completely cover the wood like a thick film of poly, but it does soak in and provide some surface protection. It is also easy to spot repair. The negatives are that is takes about 1 week before you can put the furniture back on, 2-3 weeks for the VOC smells to go away, and around 30 days before you can put the rugs down. So it is best done right before or during a vacation and may not be the best choice for those with severe respiratory impairments. I have not used the low VOC version of Waterlox, just regular in Satin. Tung Oil by itself does not really give the surface of wood much protection. It also requires the use of thinners to work it into the wood. Examples of thinners are mineral spirits or citric based solvents and both have smell issues. Some on this forum have had success with straight tung oil, but it has some limitations in durability for a heavily used floor. I don't know much about Brazilian walnut (IPE) except that it is an extremely hard or dense wood. American black walnut is hot right now both in the USA and overseas. The price of walnut lumber has been going up almost every week for the last few years. The wood has dark brown heartwood and white sapwood and the lumber is often steamed for a more uniform tone and to darker the sapwood. It is hard enough for a flooring meterial, even though it is slightly softer than red oak. Go with a satin or matte finish to mask surface scratches and dings. If you want to see some beautiful countertops with Waterlox finishes, then check out this website: Here is a link that might be useful: DeVos Custom Woodworking

Thank you both for responding. I agree with Glen that the day is coming. It's already arrived in a half-dozen states. "Waterborne" sounds very green conscious to consumers. I'm gonna make an educated guess and say that VOC laws will only get tougher. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I also concur with Breezy that most waterborne's haven't yet quite achieved the natural look of oil based finishes. (this from my own test patches on finishes for my floor--basic, waterlox, dura-seal) The caveat being that yes, there are a few waterbornes that exactly mimic oil bases and provide the same surface protection--but from a chemical composition standpoint, they contain far more deadly compounds (arsenics and cyanides) than many oil-based finishes. But the drying of waterbornes is so superior to any oil base. It's hard to pass up. Things are changing so fast these days. Guess I'll go against my oil-base instincts and go with a waterborne. Wish me luck. And again, thanx for your input. Sandy

I was not specific enough sorry. We are refinishing our old floor and we have added a lot of new flooring (due to cat urine from prev owners) We were going to stain the floors before putting on the final protective coating which in our case we have chosen "street shoes" a water based very durable coating, from what we have heard. We were going to use English Chesnut as the stain but feel it is too dark for the second floor. I have been able to see many pictures of "Natural" stain on the internet. But we are considering no stain just the clear floor with coating of the finish to protect the floors. In our last home I believe the red oak was sanded and then poly oil based was applied. I did not like how orange it became over time. That is why I am not wanting to use poly this time. So I am looking for any pics of floors that were sanded and then not stained, not even with "Natural" and then were sealed with something other than the yellowing poly. I hope this explains it a little better. Thanks for your help!! Amy

@AboutToGetDusty Rubio Monocoat involves an extra recoating step called "water popping" that Waterlox does not. Water popping for Rubio Monocoat requires extra time to perform and time to wait for drying. This step opens the grain to make the wood more receptive to the sealant, and this is neither required nor recommended with Waterlox. Waterlox is a wipe-and-go recoat unless you have scratches in which case you buff them out before reapplication, same as you would do to address scratches prior to Rubio Monocoat recoating. @Sammy The previous commenter is referring to a "robust film-forming coating" like conversion varnish. My aunt has butcher block around her kitchen sink, and she treated it with five coats of gloss lacquer before using it, for example. It's not a finish that looks natural for those who want the natural look, but it is the finish most impervious to water. @AboutToGetDusty Be careful with the recommendation that walnut is fine for use around water. Walnut of any quality is naturally a tight grain but not classified as a closed grain like maple, cherry or hickory, which thus makes it more vulnerable to water contact since water is capable of entering and traveling through the pores. An oil-based finish mixture with some wax-type substance added to it like Waterlox will work better for you than a straight oil finish as far as lasting between recoats, even if you are recoating weekly. I've read several reviews of people who have used butcher block around the sink, and one unexpected pitfall is mold from drips underneath the handle where the faucet is turned on and off, and sometimes this is from other members of the family who aren't as careful about wiping away water as is the primary cook. You could consider a touch faucet to help prevent this or place a tray underneath that area to help prevent mold. Also be aware that tap water is usually acidic unless it has been treated, and repeated contact of acidic water with walnut wood can create a chemical reaction that may cause brown discoloration. Using an effective sealant and keeping the area dry will help guard against this.