Hi, I have chemically stripped many square feet of flooring during my preservation carpentry career. The first one was a 32x36 ballroom floor. It literally could not be sanded because the whole thing was pitch pine, and would clog the abrasive on contact, so we stripped it with methylene-chloride stripper. In my own house I have stripped one room (M Br.) with Kutzit stripper. If you wear chemical gloves and a VOC respirator there are no physical effects, except to your knees. I have not yet tried Soy Gel, but I wanted to bring up one potential disadvantage to some of the safer paste type strippers. I have used citrus strippers and notice that they never totally evaporate on their own as do the liquid M/C (kutzit) strippers. This could be a real headache if there are gaps in your floor boards (and what old house doesn't have gaps?). I see the scenario of having to manually clear the goop out of hundreds of feet of floor seams before being able to apply the finish. If I'm wrong about soy gel (and cripes, I really owe it to myself to try the product, having heard good things about it here at GW), let me know the error of my ways! Casey

I have been struggling with this issue, knowing that my practical side generally wins out after a lengthy struggle with my gemini twin that strongly values aesthetics! We will be building a home with concrete floors and radiant heat and plan to put in hard-surface floors throughout. Roughly 50% will be wood-look tile and the other 50% will be stone-look or stone/cement/not an exact replica of stone but a 'natural-ish' look. I have spent TOO MANY hours looking for porcelain tile that is "stone-ish" that I love, finding only "possibilities" when I really want a multi-piece "Versailles-style" stone floor or concrete "Peacock pavers". The multi-piece/multi-size layout alludes to the oldish-World look I vaguely aspire to ;-) Of course, the issue is acid, wine and grease stains in a hard-working kitchen. I don't want to have to super-clean a natural stone floor and reseal it every 2 years (or more often). My sister-in-law somewhat regrets putting in a stone floor, as it has required lots of regular cleaning and multiple sealings, every 1-2 years. I have some hang-up about tile that really tries to replicate a specific stone, particularly travertine, which makes it really hard to find something lovely and interesting, but not overly showy, like many of the newer cross-cut stone looks. -- Is there anyone who feels their stone OR concrete paver floor has been worth its effort? -- Or that used a great sealing product and has not had to reseal for many years? -- OR has installed a great-looking multi-piece "stone-ish" porcelain tile layout? -- I'm the kvetching type, so I'd like to keep the floor looking more or less stain-free. Perhaps it can look both pretty (not grungy and spotty) and well-lived at the same time, depending on the choice of stone? I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone with an experienced perspective. Thanks very much.

Excellent outcome! The oil based polyurethanes can take an AGE to dry! When humidity is high (and the home is uncontrolled in that way) high summer humidity can double the time it takes for each coat to be "ready" for the next. Hopefully a spring time application will be a better fit.

Cleaning Products MB-5 Stone Care Granite and Marble Cleaning Spray For routine use cleaning marble, granite, quartz, travertine, and all other natural stone surfaces. Sprayer included. Also an excellent porcelain and ceramic tile cleaner. Great for mirrors and windows too! Many think it's better than Windex, but won't harm acid-sensitive stones like Windex does. 1 Qt. - $15.99 + shipping (varies by supplier and quantity) Suppliers: mbstonecare.com countertopspecialty.com MB-1 Floor Cleaner Highly-effective, concentrated formula for granite & marble floor tile, travertine tile, ceramic flooring, and porcelain tile. It is gentle enough for use even on hardwood. Safe and non-damaging on marble, travertine and all natural stone flooring. While rinsing isn’t necessary we recommend that a freshwater rinse is done if used frequently. Directions: Add 1 to 2 ounces to a gallon of warm or cold water and damp-mop. 1 Qt. - $17.99 + shipping; 1 GAL - $34.95 (varies) Suppliers: mbstonecare.com countertopspecialty.com Majestic SCP Toilet Bowl Cleaner Safe Toilet Bowl Cleaner for Marble & Travertine Toilet bowl cleaner safe for use around marble, travertine and limestone floors and walls. While other toilet bowl cleaners will etch and damage marble when spilled or splashed on floors or walls (a common marble maintenance issue), this non-acidic formula is the best toilet bowl cleaner for safe use in marble bathrooms. 1 Qt. - $19.99 + shipping Suppliers: countertopspecialty.com StonecareCentral.com. (can order by the case) Take the 2 minutes after shower use and wipe down: Stainless Steel Squeegee MB-SQ $16.99 Supplier: mbstonecare.com Microfiber Cleaning Cloths 14.2 x 14.2” VibraWipe Available on Amazon Use ventilation always and leave on for 15 -30 minutes after shower. Leave shower doors or curtain open when not in use.