No. What I meant is that any good finisher can give you close to an oil look, but not the other way around. Oil will give you that yellow look no matter what you try and do. I think moisture cure urethane can give you a clear natural look, but finding someone who still works with the product may be difficult. Get the look you want. If your GC's flooring people can't provide that, then break the finishing out of the project and find those that can. There is no reason to settle for a floor finishing that is not what you want. Ask your GC's flooring people for samples and if they aren't acceptable, then don't let them do your floors. And don't fall for the claim that oil is superior to waterborne; there is cheap and quality finishes in each category. If you choose waterborne, then be sure to do your homework and insist on an expensive, quality finish.

I deceided to go with oil-based polyurethane for red oak hardwood floor finish. One issue IâÂÂm uncertain of is ambering (yellow/orange shade) of oil bases poly. I want to minimize it . Can anyone recommend some brand verses others that would help in keeping this amber in check. If thatâÂÂs impossible, maybe some light stain with water finish is better solution? Thanks

Modern waterborne finishes are light years ahead of cheap stinky crappy Minwax oil. They're also light years ahead of cheap crappy non stinky Minwax waterbased. The actual products being used are very important. You cannot just divide it into “oil“ and “water” and one is good and one is bad. That is Zoroastrian simplistic nonsense. You want finish brands that train their installers how to use them. Bona is a prime example. Any idjot handyman can go to HD and pick up Minwax. And it sure shows in the level of work you get. Blaming crappy wear on the fact that it is ”water” based based, and not the fact that the low price, low skills, ”floor guy” just didn’t know what he was doing with a terrible quality product is a deflection of the first order. A quality waterborne finish, done by a qualified and certified floooring professional, is worth way *more* than $1500.

Oil-based finishes will yellow, most water-based will not. Oil-based are nowhere near as tough as the catalyzed water-based finishes that are now the norm (eg Bona Traffic HD). Oil based finishes look better on many floors, at least for a more traditional look. Water-based finishes are faster to apply, with less and less lingering odor. Though I prefer the look of oil, I choose water (specifically Bona HD) for practicality. Note that the cheap water-based poly that you buy at the Borg will give you the worst of both worlds- don't go that way!