Floor finish - Water or oil based?

[Thomas Wilson]

I am going to try spray finishing for the first time on oak stair treads for the shop basement stairs that are not yet installed. I plan to stain using Zar oil based gel stain then spray two coats of gloss floor finish. The final coat will be satin finish and brushed after installation. I have a nice Apollo Precision 5 HVLP with PPS system that I have never used. There are way too many adjustable features on this system for a novice to figure out. I will have a random orbit sander handy to undo any major mishaps. So this is a learning experience. The question is which finish, water or oil based, is easier or more forgiving about set up and which finish is more durable? Also a recipe for cap and needle, air pressure (the Precision 5 has adjustable pressure) to start with might get me closer on the first try. I plan to try some different setups of the gun.

[Jim Becker]

Spraying? Waterborne for sure. Oil based finishes are best hand-applied. Spraying is a thankless task that has all kinds of sticky overspray, etc. Spraying is best for finishes that dry relatively quickly. That said, waterborne floor finishes also hand-apply (pad or brush) very easily. I personally like an oil modified waterborne product like the Minwax floor finish as it's the best of both worlds...warm color from the emulsified oil finish with waterborne convenience and fast dry time. You can get three coats on in one day if you starts first thing and that's about all you need.

[John TenEyck]

It's hard to beat the durability and ease of application of the Bona HD Traffic system, which would include using their stain. I'd save the spraying for another project.

John

[Tom M King]

The only durable floor finishes I know of, and have experience with, are designed to be flooded on. It's very syrupy to start with, and I don't think you want to be the one to experiment with thinning it.

As far as durability goes Moisture Cure Urethane would be the most durable you can apply outside of factory conditions, but it's VERY NOT VOC. It has every solvent in it on the dangerous list except for gasoline, and it offgasses VERY fast.

I would suggest Bona HD Traffic. If the treads are to be prefiinished, I'd set up so you can squeegee it on, and have something to catch what goes off the edges. I would guess from experience that it's about 80% as durable as MCU, but still way more durable that what you can buy in box stores.

[Thomas Wilson]

Thanks Jim, John, and Tom. I am abandoning the spraying experiment. I looked at a Bora application video. The finish does look like it is a very thick coating that would be hard to do with HVLP. I am also trying to match the prefinished flooring at the top of the stairs and landing. That flooring is described by its magical properties in the sales literature but not by its composition. It is not thick like a gym floor finish. I think I want something a bit thinner than the Bora HD. I suppose it will consequently be less durable. Still Googling. I may have to look for some sample size containers for a test finish.

[Tom M King]

A lot of the prefinished stuff uses Aluminum Oxide in whatever the coating is, so it is very durable. That was the type of finish I was saying you can't reproduce with any equipment we normally have.

I have wiped MCU floor finish on before on things other than flooring, and it's still very durable. You just need to use it in a wide open ventilated area, and Not breathe the fumes.

[John TenEyck]

If you want thin finish then I would look at hardwax oils made for that application. Lobadur comes to mind, but there are others.

[Jason Roehl]

For stairs, I would be looking at some sort of grip additive. Finished hardwood stair treads are notoriously slippery.

[Tom M King]

These stairs, and the floor in the entrance behind them, were 27 years old when I took this picture. Finished with MCU. Ballustrade with MCU padded on. Four years later, they still look the same.