[natikier]

Pros and cons of putting hardwax oil on hardwood floors? please say if it is your own experience please or if you just read it?

How durable, compared to poly oil based finish?


Poll: Recommend Hardwax Oil
Do Not Recommend

 

[JamesRW]

Pros and cons of putting hardwax oil on hardwood floors? please say if it is your own experience please or if you just read it?

How durable, compared to poly oil based finish?


Poll: Recommend Hardwax Oil
Do Not Recommend

Just before Christmas (2015), we had our 4" wide solid rustic maple flooring refinished with the Rubio Monocoat Pure color (with the accelerator). We also had them do the 2nd coat with the Rubio UMO (Universal Maintenance Oil).

We did tons of reading & research on the hardwax oil finishes, but I will just summarize here. Feel free to ask any questions regarding details.

First, the positives -

NO issues with the smell! (My wife is extremely sensitive to chemicals, specifically petroleum based, so oil poly was out of the question.)
The Rubio did not bother her at all.

Also, as far as the rustic maple, the Pure color enhanced the grain beautifully! After the Monocoat, the floors looked amazing - the finish is MATTE - no sheen. We also did the water popping, since "opening the grain" supposedly allows more Rubio to be absorbed. (We preferred the smoothness of the test sample that was not water popped.)

Now, the negatives* - with the application of the Universal Maintenance Oil coat, the floor now looks blotchy & cloudy. It was supposed to give a slightly increased sheen, and provide another layer of protection, making it somewhat easier to clean and maintain the finish.

(*We are waiting for Rubio to get back to us regarding if & how this can be fixed.)

At this point, we are having second thoughts (due to the UMO fiasco), as well as the cleaning and maintenance issues. Impossible to know until you live with it longer than we have. I hope we end up happy with it. :boat: