Good morning, I'm looking to buff out dog scratches and water stains on a supposed oak handscraped hardwood floor. Not sure what kind of finish was used, but it is extremely delicate and thin. Any water will leave a white stain if not removed immediately. Sanding the scratched or stained parts is possible, but I was wondering if anyone had experience with this kind of issue? Maybe there’s some kind floor care product that would save me the from sanding everything and instead using the soft pad for polishing.
Buffing Scratches with Rotex - Handscraped Hardwood Floor -
- Thread starter festoller
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Crazyraceguy
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Maybe an oil? Linseed or Tong oil should be absorbed by the raw wood, yet easily wipe off of the surface finish. This is not ideal though. It seems like the entire thing needs a stronger finish. It should not scratch easily.
Addendum: I was typing while Crazy posted. I agree, it should be far more durable. The “fix” I suggested originally (below) merely (if it worked) would hide the scratches. It would not add to the durability.
If you still have a dog, then carpet runners and area rugs will save your sanity. I would buy them from Lowes or Home Depot and spend $40.00 for an area rug. I would treat it as a consumable with a life of 12 - 18 months. Not only will it save your sanity, it is quieter and much safer for your dog, especially if it is a large dog like a German Shepherd or a Golden Retriever, etc.
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When I moved into my Condo back in 1980, the oak floors were just finished. They apparently applied one or two coats of shellac.
There are a lot of good reasons for them choosing shellac, but durability is not one of them.
You can test to see if it is shellac by using alcohol on a rag in an inconspicuous place (I checked in the closet). If it rubs off, it is almost certainly shellac. In that case, you can either use a rag damp with alcohol to dissolve and blend the finish, or use Sealcoat to do the same.
From the seller’s point of view, shellac meant fast drying and minimal prep. Back then, water based finishes were not as good as they are today. And oil based finishes had a lingering odor. Shellac dries in an hour or so (I’ve recoated shellac in 20 minutes on warm dry days), and there is no lingering odor.
I am not suggesting that shellac is an ideal finish for floors, but if that is what is down now, then a fast and easy way to polish the scratches.
But note, the previous owner may have waxed the floor and that adds an entirely new wrench in the works.
The first step, in my opinion, is to test and see if it is shellac.
If you still have a dog, then carpet runners and area rugs will save your sanity. I would buy them from Lowes or Home Depot and spend $40.00 for an area rug. I would treat it as a consumable with a life of 12 - 18 months. Not only will it save your sanity, it is quieter and much safer for your dog, especially if it is a large dog like a German Shepherd or a Golden Retriever, etc.
We return you to our regularly scheduled programming . . .
When I moved into my Condo back in 1980, the oak floors were just finished. They apparently applied one or two coats of shellac.
There are a lot of good reasons for them choosing shellac, but durability is not one of them.
You can test to see if it is shellac by using alcohol on a rag in an inconspicuous place (I checked in the closet). If it rubs off, it is almost certainly shellac. In that case, you can either use a rag damp with alcohol to dissolve and blend the finish, or use Sealcoat to do the same.
From the seller’s point of view, shellac meant fast drying and minimal prep. Back then, water based finishes were not as good as they are today. And oil based finishes had a lingering odor. Shellac dries in an hour or so (I’ve recoated shellac in 20 minutes on warm dry days), and there is no lingering odor.
I am not suggesting that shellac is an ideal finish for floors, but if that is what is down now, then a fast and easy way to polish the scratches.
But note, the previous owner may have waxed the floor and that adds an entirely new wrench in the works.
The first step, in my opinion, is to test and see if it is shellac.
Thanks guys. I found out they used mop and glow on the floor so we're adding an "entirely new wrench in the works“. We’ve covered a lot of floor with rugs, but move and dogs have already caused a lot of damage. Here’s a photo of the water stains. We’re probably better off refinishing the whole floor when moving out anyway.
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Google provides the answer. This quoted from the Washington Post:
“… Regardless of the cause, the label recommends removing old coats with a solution of one-fourth cup Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner (without bleach) and one cup of household ammonia mixed into a half-gallon of warm water. The label says to “spread over the floor,” but a consumer relations representative for Reckitt Benckiser said in an email to work in a small area at a time.…”
“… Regardless of the cause, the label recommends removing old coats with a solution of one-fourth cup Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner (without bleach) and one cup of household ammonia mixed into a half-gallon of warm water. The label says to “spread over the floor,” but a consumer relations representative for Reckitt Benckiser said in an email to work in a small area at a time.…”
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