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Posted on Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 1:40 p.m.

The great floor debate: refinish old wood or install bamboo?

By Pam Stout

If you haven't checked out local eco-celebrity Matt Grocoff's website, Greenovation TV, you should. Grocoff has been featured in AnnArbor.com and other media recently for renovating his 110-year-old house in Ann Arbor's Old West Side to produce more energy than it consumes, making it the oldest net-zero energy home in America.

But Grocoff is determined to help others catch up with him. Greenovation TV is a resource full of entertaining user-friendly and eco-friendly home improvement tips for the average homeowner, with a mission to "provide practical information in an entertaining format to help green every home in America, starting with yours."

Check out this episode on The Great Floor Debate:

We'll be collaborating with Grocoff to share more homeowner tips and videos upon occasion.

Comments

Matthew

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 7:05 p.m.

One more thing - to answer braggslaw's question about whether poly protects the floor better: both the oil and poly provide excellent protection. Kelly and I spilled some wine (on purpose) on our floor just to see if it would soak in. It didn't. The wine just beaded up and we wiped it off with some toilet paper. The Hard Oll #9 is designed to withstand wet locations like baths and kitchens. We use it in our downstairs bath which has a full bath and shower.

Matthew

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 6:47 p.m.

When it comes to floor finish there really is no hard science. I can tell you how many cubic feet per minute we reduced our leakage by repairing our windows, but I can't tell you whether it's better to use all of the products Bioshield recommends. Kelly and I finished our heart pine floors using only the Hard Oil #9. We did not add the Hardwax, but the floor has withstood the test of time, wine and a two-year old for about 4 years so far. The floor has a really rich, warm finish. Personally, I like it far better than the polyurethane. First, it is vastly easier to apply. Second, I feel like it wears better. The poly is a thin plastic coating that can scratch and look lousy over time. The oil wears a little more naturally and I think it smells good too. Again, this is not science - just our personal preference. My favorite products are Bioshield and AFM Safecoat. You can purchase all the Safecoat products (including both oils and polyurethanes) at BGreen on Packard in the old Hollywood Video store. If you call either company's headquarters they will gladly help answer any questions you have. The most important thing as treetowncartel says "Restore the Floor!!" and use only natural finishes or ones with Zero VOCs. Oh - and we used Allied Hardwood floors to sand our floors. They are based in Ann Arbor, reasonably priced and did a wonderful job.

leaguebus

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 3:45 p.m.

"After allowing the final coat of #9 to dry for at least 24 hours, we recommend a finishing coat of our Natural Resin Floor Finish #4, Floor Wax Impregnation #30, Floor Hardwax #32, or Wax Finish #39. Drying times will vary due to application method, surface porosity, and climate." I guess I am a little fuzzy about why the oil and poly, why not just the poly? I have used the water based poly before and it works great.

braggslaw

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 2:20 p.m.

Question, Does the polyurethane provide better protection than the oil?

treetowncartel

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 2:10 p.m.

Restore the floor!