Oil poly will warm up that cold ash nicely. Water-based will do nothing to warm it up, might actually make it colder.

Of course, you can add color (TransTint dye) to the water-based stuff, still not as good IMO.

Casey

Um, I didn't post a question about the ash color, Casey. My question was about spar urethane. Cheers.

They are both adequate for protection but water borne has less solids, requires more coats, dries faster, and is more expensive. But you probably already know that. The choice is usually made on the basis of a warm vs cold appearance.

If you like to renovate buildings, Casey is someone you should treat with courtesy. Of course, if you don't like the free advice you can ask for your money back.

I don't really know but maybe 25 years ago I finished the wood floorboards in one of my sailboats with water based product (varnish of some sort)- can't remember the name. Lots of coats went on fast dried quick and all that good stuff. Made it easy. Could use it same or next day I think.

As I recall water standing on it caused it to turn white (the wood was stained pecan) where the water was. I think it would turn back when the water dried away. There may have been some blistering - not sure now. You might consider testing some with standing water before committing to it.

I am still looking forward to hearing from Houzzers who are familiar with Spar urethane. Anyone? And JDS, let me assure your sensitive soul that you would most definitely know when I am actually being discourteous. And I always look forward to hearing back from Houzzers who have in fact read the question. And have some knowledge of what they speak off. cheers.

Have you found a water based spar that is suitable for floors? The Minwax and Varathane brands recommend against it. (very hard to find full label facsimiles OL)

"spar"- anything is compounded softer to better compensate for wood movement, but that means indoors it remains resilient, to the point of allowing dirt to grind in. "Spar" also has more specialized UV-negating chemistry for outdoor exposure. Possibly utilitarian indoors if you have expanses of southern-facing glass and skip the window film.

Unless price is a constraint, I'd look for an actual professional floor finish with a higher water-tolerance, not be sold on the sizzle. Lab test numbers are something to hang your hat on, marketing buzz is not.

I'm past the point where a homeowner can hurt my fee-fees.

I maintain that it was not unhelpful to point out the vast (and unbridgeable) chasm between the colors of oil spar varnish and any water-borne finish.

Casey

Thanks for weighing in Casey. So if (waterborne) Spar is not on the table is there a pro floor finish you specifically are aware of that would tick all the boxes? (I do have a lot of UV to contend with in the region we are in, coupled with areas of red Mahogany used in the space - and red tones seem to be the most vulnerable to UV damage). Lastly, what about the option of oil based Spar? Would you discourage its use as well? We don't have a lot of options were we live, so availability is an issue also. I don't have a lot of faith in water-based products as all the kitchen cabinetry I see is finished with it, and they all seem to have issues down the road with finish wear and tear. Your advice is appreciated on this one!

Spar varnish is used on the exterior, like the exterior side of a door. It's a lot softer than non-spar. It's flexible to withstand wood expanding and contracting that is subjected to the elements.

I would highly advise against any water based finish to be used on wood floors. They need an oil based finish. The only advantage water based has is dry time and fumes.

It sounds like you will be finishing the floors yourself?

Yessir. I'm really glad to get your opinion on oil-based products Samba. I always seem to be the lone person expressing dismay with (consumer grade) waterborne finishes. Don't get me wrong, they have their place in the wood finishing spectrum - but I haven't seen great long lasting results from them personally. The whole idea of weighing the spar urethane option was just to avoid white marks showing from possible water exposure. I will go with the oil based and contend with the curing times etc. knowing they will stand up better in the long term. Thank you!

High end waterborne urethane finishes such as Bona Traffic work really well on floors. They're easy to apply, much easier than oil, and are quite durable, there is almost no smell. The major downside is cost, about $100+/gallon. Application is with a fleece wrapped squeegie bar type applicator, and is very simple. You simply pour out a 3-4 inch wide ribbon of finish on the floor along the starting wall, and snowplow it along with the applicator, making sweep turns at the ends. Pretty easy really.

We had new red oak floors and stairs installed almost ten years ago. I insisted on Waterlox satin finish after seeing the beautiful oiled floors in the airport in Copenhagen. I figured if it could stand up to all that traffic, it would serve our home well. These stairs get used constantly by us and many kids and adults. After all this traffic, there is no visible scratching. When they do need refinishing, it will be a relatively simple project to lightly sand the top layer and re-coat. We also used Waterlox when we had the old oak floors refinished in our downstairs rental flat.

Products like Bona and Waterlox would be interesting to try out, especially in my entrance (snow covered boots etc.) But they simply are not readily available - especially in the prairie regions of the great white north.

Personally, I think waterlox smells like gasoline and wouldn't use it unless you can let the house air out for week without anyone being in it. That being said, it is easy to order online and produces a beautiful finish.

Bona Traffic and Traffic High Durability (satin finish) are good enough. Just follow their directions and put sealer down first.

Rusty, They are available online, which is where I bought mine.

http://floormechanics.com/ is the vendor I bought from. They shipped from somewhere in Iowa, and I had the product in a day or two.