I hope someone knows about natural wood floors. We have an unfinished oak floor in our family room. It is about 30 years old and still looks okay. However, it seems to look dull. Since it's unfinished, I don't know how to clean it and brighten it up,other than a broom and vacumn cleaner. I can't use any water product.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

I know NOTHING about floors, but would a nice sanding and wax application be something that could be done? Wax can be a nightmare, though (having stripped many a waxed floor while in the Army!). Just throwing that out there as an idea, but in no way a suggestion or advice!

I have been getting tons of Emails offering to help with my wood so I forwarded them your addy Williboy. No need to thank me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hi Dan and thanks for your reply. As I understand it, sanding would be an option but it's supposed to a hell of a mess. Then there is the issue of refinishing the floor and the quality of work provided. Much of the labor provided in Houston is day labor, that was picked up off a street corner an hour before they start work. No craftsmanship there.

I've been advised that it would be cheaper and more satisfying to simply replace the floor. I may end up doing that at some point but for now, I don't want to spend the money and am going to try to bring the floor back to life as inexpensively as possible.

I was thinking of using lemon oil, as is used on guitar fretboards to keep them healthy. I just don't know if it would be streaky over a large surface. I've done some small areas of the floor with the lemon oil and it sucks it right up.

I don't know if that is good advice to replace it? I know people are usually overjoyed to find real hardwood under their carpets or lino. The quality of the work back then was generally better as well and designed to last much longer.
Plaster walls versus drywall. The first thing I would do is get them as clean as possible. Get all the dirt ,wax etc off it. Does the wood seem dry or cracked?
If it is then there are products to help with that. I used raw linseed oil with a bit of turpentine to treat the raw wood of my shirasaya. That would probably be a very good choice as it does not change things that dramatically like a stain but helps treat and protect the wood as well as bring out some natural colour.
You could stain it but I would leave that as a last resort after linseed oil and
maybe a nice wax.

Willieboy, I am a carpenter and have done floors and it's not hard to re-finish your floors, nor too expensive. Re-doing them will be way more expensive!

As Dice said you'll have to re-sand them yourself and then seal them up. All that is pretty easy bro (relatively). And you'll have the joy and pleasure of beautiful floors that you did/repaired! I will pm you bro...

I don't have any good answers, but I need to pay attention to this thread myself. My mom's got wood floors that are going to have to be refinished eventually. I know that I'll probably be the one to do it when it's done. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I am so glad this isn't a post about ODing on cialis.

I recall the name Cialis but don't remember what its for. Should I ask or leave it alone?

Nevermind, I just got the joke.

A real oak floor from the old days is great. I was saying the same thing thirty years ago, but it’s still true. There’s a lot less work and expense refinishing one than replacing it. And it’s a shame to tear up an existing hardwood floor just to replace it with more dead oak trees.

Find a good paint store and discuss finishes with them. They will have samples you can look at. What you use depends on the look you want. Personally I’d stay away from any dark stain. Let the beauty of the wood show. Also, a dark finish over light wood will really show up any future dings in the floor. You’ll probably need to use a multi-step process. First seal and finish the wood, then protect it with a compatible clear top coat. You’ll probably need to lightly sand between coats, just as you would refinishing a car. They have some decent one-step finishes that I’ve used on doors and woodwork. I don’t know if I’d trust them for floors, though.

Pull the baseboard—use flat bars and preserve it if you can. Keep track of what piece goes where so you can get them all back in place after the job.

Rent a big floor sander and an orbital sander. (Orbital describes the micro-circular sanding motion. Orbital sanders have a rectangular sanding plate.) They make little teardrop shaped sanders now that look like just the thing for getting into the corners, but I’ve never used them. If I had to redo a hardwood floor today I’d probably try one. In the day I just used a block of wood wrapped with sandpaper to get right into the corners. Or a burnished scraper plate, depending. Knee pads help. Use the big sander to get the main surface. Use the orbital sander and sanding-block/teardrop sander to get into the small areas and corners.

Sweep and vacuum the room before applying finish. The whole room. Ceiling, walls, windows and sills, floors. Repeat several times. Tiny motes of dust will look like molehills under your new hardwood finish.

I use a 3” cutting brush around the edges by the walls. Then a paint roller and pan for covering the big areas. Work quickly so that the edges aren’t set by the time you roll the main surface. Don’t paint yourself into a corner.

Thanks for your input guys. I appreciate it.

good one! HAH!