@Mary Elizabeth do you have any pics of how yours has worn? We are considering Rubio over maple. Tnx

@Sunshyne, oh my, PLEASE don't do it! It is a constant nightmare. EVERY drop of coffee stains through the Rubio! Seems like the entire "hardwax oil" finish craze was a flash in the pan. You rarely hear about it anymore.

You would need to search the discussions here to see all my comments and conversations with others who were equally frustrated with the finish.

We did it bcuz I really do have "multiple chemical sensitivities".

It was in late 2015. We are considering going over it with something else now.

Waterborne finishes have made huge advances since then!

I wonder if any of the 2K clear finishes would work on flooring. The difference being there is NO off gassing once it dries. Which is very fast. No extended time to stay out of your home (like some older oil finishes).

Where are you located?

@Mary Elizabeth thank you for your quick feedback! My little one has respiratory issues and she's medically fragile so we're trying to keep no-voc, so we know what you've dealt with in the past! we're in the US, but i haven't heard of 2K finishes. All the ones i've read about being low-voc seem to still offgas for years afterwards. What's the 2K you've read about, I'd love to look at it!

Just a little background - we are not experts (!), just experienced DIYer's. After so much research into Rubio (& other hardwax oil finishes), I am SO disappointed in the final result. There was even one gentleman in the discussion threads here on Houzz, who had paid $50K for his new hardwood with Rubio, who said he had a housekeeper, and the floors were NOT livable!

We are rehabbing a 6K sq ft house - our 3rd home to remodel, but it's taking much longer than planned! Our current project is refinishing & painting some cabinetry. I've joined 2 different FB groups to learn about the latest in waterborne coatings.

Like you, I want to avoid as many VOC's as possible. I'm leaning toward Envirolak brand as my top choice. Their website (Envirolak.com) lists ENVIROTHANE 125 as a floor finish.

Depending on whether this is a DIY project, or you plan to hire someone, any exposure to off-gassing would be zero (with the proper PPE) during application.

And once cured, none for your living environment. Curing time can be shortened using heaters and/or fans. But it's still just hours or a few days compared to oil based products.

You could call or email the company and explain your project and concerns. They are very willing to assist their customers.

There may be other companies with similar products. This is just the one I have been studying the most.

Ive been very happy with the look and durability of Odies oil. i applied it using a floor buffer to rift and quarter cut red oak and its looks great after 2. 5 years.

@Jay zone 6b any pictures? I'd LOVE to see some especially that have been used for a while! I've read about some fading where rugs and stuff are, have you experienced that?

@Mary Elizabeth I've heard that offgassing continues even after it's cured... that's why I'm so against it. I could deal with it during the application and drying process but to think it offgasses for years after is concerning. Have the ones you've read contradicted this? Maybe it's a different type of formula that doesn't and in which case I'd be thrilled!

I ended up using Rubio Monocoat on Rift and Quartered White Oak.   In summer 2018. It took 6 months to lay the wood, and about two days to sand (wish I would have hired out the sanding). Only one day to apply the finish, 15 minutes per area.  I have 4 messy young kids who have drawn on it crayon, marker, pencil, and I like that I can scrub the area and spot refinish.  I have no wear marks, or rug marks.  It is a learning curve. For repairing areas, but customer service has been great. Here

I meant to write here is an un swept floor.  No maintenance coating like other sites mention. Daily vacuum, or sweeping, biweekly mopping with the Monocoat spray.  I wear my shoes in the house, my wife and kids are often barefoot.  My only objection is my poor sanding job, but no one has ever mentioned it.

@Sunshyne

"I've heard that off gassing continues even after it's cured... that's why I'm so against it. I could deal with it during the application and drying process but to think it off gasses for years after is concerning."

We all "hear" lots of things. That does not make them true. You need to do your own research to be completely sure of your decision. Something happened to my immune system way back in 1983, long before many people were talking about these issues as much as today.

At that time, I had to find my own answers. I ended up eliminating ANYTHING and EVERYTHING from my environment that was "scented". What I found was that most "scented" products are made with a by-product of petroleum - as in CHEAP! Or at least, petroleum is the "carrier". To this day, I am still extremely sensitive to that.

I don't even walk down the detergent/cleaning aisles in the grocery store! I get an instant headache if I'm around anyone who has used dryer sheets.

SO, this is why I researched and found Rubio. But in the end, it has not been worth it. As I said earlier - a NIGHTMARE to keep clean - but as with anything - it will depend on your standard of "clean".

Waterborne products (paint, clear coats, stains, etc.) have been produced in response to the need for "safer, more responsible" choices for health & environment.

During our remodel, anything that has the potential of "off gassing" has been left outside for as long as possible - including carpeting. Honestly, I have more trouble when I purchase an area rug getting the smell to go away.

@chetthomas THANK YOU! A picture is a BIG help. I am glad to hear it's holding up to kids as well! We are going with someone to finish the floor so itsounds like I'd just have to learn the spot treatments if we go that route! Thank you again

@Mary Elizabeth I guess I should have said I have read a lot about how offgassing continues. But you're entirely right I need to determine how much I'm willing to accept. Unfortunately, I can't leave a finished floor outside (I really wish people would get behind retractable roofs haha). Thank you again for your info. It sounds like the natural finish with the Rubio may not seem clean where it shows so much more. That's something I need to sit on and think about because I like to see a nice clean look when I'm done each day.

Note that with any oil finish, regular maintenance is required. My Rubio rep cut through all the confusion in their literature and advised my to reapply the same oil every year at most, longer if not needed.

I have used WOCA and Rubio multiple times. Each oil finish has advantages and disadvantages. I've heard good things about Odie's and I used an oil finish on a restaurant floor that frankly I couldn't believe how well it held up.

I have three of my own floors finished with Rubio. The dark exotic wood that's finished white does show drips from water. The White Oak that's treated with Fumed Active Stain and Cotton White 2C oil wears like iron. It even withstood a dog accident (of the solid variety) without even leaving a mark.

The largest customer floor I have done has performed quite well also. We recently re-oiled it. Despite being in a kitchen, it looked quite good even before it was re-oiled.

@Timothy Winzell any chance you have any photos? I enjoy hearing about your successes with Rubio and the other oils. I'm still on the fence with the oils, I'm curious how "polished" they look - not in the sense of being shiny with a polish but how clean they look on a regular basis. We don't have a rustic environment and most of the photos I've seen are in the rustic setting but I love the idea of the oils and the maintenance (it's actually a + not a - for me).

I would encourage anyone considering a hard wax oil finish to use the search function in the discussions on Houzz and read as many posts as you can. In a couple of them, someone would post, identifying themselves as a "Rubio representative". But they always said the same thing - "Please call us with any issues you have." When asked directly to comment in the ongoing dilemma, they would disappear.

@Mary Elizabeth I hear you. I have been reading and researching all afternoon and I think we've decided to go with a water based poly instead. It seems that the Rubio may not be as tolerant of our lifestyle as we need! The info you posted earlier lead me down a few paths and what I've read I'm relatively comfortable with so have a few products to research and compare a little more but I am thinking at this time that Rubio may be "out" for us. Your feedback has been VERY helpful and I truly do appreciate it!

Odie’s on oak. It looks ligher and not as warm in the images. It’s on a rustic grade oak that hides a lot of dirt and scratches. There site has more examples of flooring and wood workers are able to get incredible results with their finishing.

The level of sheen is controlled by how fine you sand. The finish

sanding was tedious.

I can only find pics of one floor. I buffed my floor until it was quite smooth and used lacquer thinner to tack it and remove oils that could interfere with the oil application, so it's shinier than most oil finished floors.

It's a wood called Angelique, finished with Rubio White 2C oil.

Nothing is going to look like hard oil finish and nothing is going to wear like a poly finish. Its up to you to choose which you can live with. People blame products when they dont research its characteristics. The idea that your going to rub an oil on and and have it wear lile a plastic poly type coating isnt going to happen. You either love that oil finish and are willing to live with the maintenance or you dont.

@wannabath, the biggest issue with Rubio (other brands may vary) is in their advertising, and their customer service BEFORE versus AFTER! I still have the copies of all my emails with them from when we were researching, and when we started having issues. The problems were apparent half-way through the initial application. At that point, all of Rubio's representatives did a 180. We were able to salvage it to a point by working with Osmo! We are quite easy on our floors (no dogs) as compared to a busy family with little kids, and the maintenance is constant. Waterborne finishes have made huge advances in the last few years, and we will be re-doing our floors with one. (Most likely, Enviorlak brand.)