Anyone with knowledge of Victorian-era (and earlier) floor finishing techniques?

[IrishAyes]

Even though it will be awhile before I can actually get my downstairs wood floors worked on, I need to ramp up my research efforts now. I'm really grateful for all the encouragement received from DUers not that long ago about the future potential for saving these floors, which some previous resident had topped with a lot of glue to hold down cheap, hideous carpeting. I had the carpet ripped off but a lot of the glue had soaked into the unsealed wood floor.

Anyway, I remember reading somewhere several years ago about a heritage technique which involved a homemade mixture of something with something else like linseed oil(?) and it was supposed to create an extremely tough finish. Unfortunately that's all I remember, and I can't seem to find information anymore that rings a bell.

I follow apartmenttherapy.com and have been reminded that people way back when used to paint their floors more often than not. I might go that route but it would remain my second choice. A recent stroke of luck: the local hardware store has plans to offer floor sanders for rent this year. I dreaded having to buy one of my own, because the nearest place to rent one before was almost 100 miles away. Yes, if you haven't heard already, I retired wayyyy out in the sticks.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Here are some links I've been saving

http://www.ehow.com/how_6705778_refinish-wood-floor-old-home.html

http://www.woodfloordoctor.com/_how_tos/articles/cleanpt2.shtml

http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtalk/faqs.html

[IrishAyes]

2. My new best friend! Thank you.

I found a good handyman who works construction during the summer but gets laid off seasonally and then does little pickup jobs dirt cheap the rest of the time. This is such a remote area that I feel very blessed; he can do anything in a house but doesn't mind small jobs for little old ladies and doesn't charge a fortune. Best of all, he's already been in my house to install the new dishwasher, and he didn't blink an eye at my pictures of, shall we say, various Democratic icons in the living room. Around here, that really makes him a rare pearl - I had to have a dying, rotten oak tree taken down and it took me almost a year to find anyone willing to do the job for any amount of $. Several guys told me the reason outright; well, at least they didn't lie about it. They hadn't been in the house, of course, but they'd seen my outdoor political sign during campaign season.

[ret5hd]

3. How much time ya' got?

Your homemade mixture sounds a lot like Watco's Danish Oil...a mixture of boiled linseed and tung oils. The finish is tough because unlike poly or varnish finishes (which sit on top of the surface) it soaks in deeply and the finish is "in" the wood.

Problem number one is, it stinks. A lot. For about a week. Enough that you wouldn't want to live there without wearing a respirator.

Problem number two is the entire process. For a fine furniture finish I have heard the process described thusly:
Once a day for a week. (day1, slather it on, let it sit for 4 hrs, then wipe up the remainder. All applications after this are done with a rag dampened with the oil, rubbing it in well)

Once a week for a month.
Once a month for a year.
Once a year thereafter.

I don't think you would need to go to that extreme though. 5 days worth would be enough.

I have used this process up thru the "once a week for a month" stage on pieces much smaller than an entire floor. It leaves an almost indescribable finish, as if no finish at all is on the wood, but with a silken sheen. As if the wood itself is polished.

I have used the Watco's Danish Oil on a floor, but only one coat then dry then polyurethane on top.

[IrishAyes]

4. That sounds great. Would the Danish Oil itself cover the obvious glue-penetrated places

or would I need to add some kind of tint? The wood seems to be pine but I'm not sure. It's light and the glue is light-colored but detectable. Or could I take care of that little problem with a tinted polyurethan?

When you used the oil on a floor, did you roll or brush on a thin coat or slather it on and leave it to sink in a few hours, then wipe off excess?

How many times did you sand the floor before the oil (if any), and how many times (again, if any) before the polyurathan?

[ret5hd]

5. The Danish oil comes in natural (clear), golden oak, cherry, etc...

one of the tinted ones i am sure would look good and take care of the glue spots.

I slathered it on and wiped up the excess.

I sanded the floor before the oil just as you would if you were putting polyurethane on it. I did not sand the floor after putting the oil on it.

Hope this helps, but man you are in for some work.

[IrishAyes]

6. Well, I don't see any other way around it. Gotta do whatcha gotta do.

It would be far harder to live with carpet of any style or quality, especially with dogs in the house. Both are old enough to be reliable about going outdoors, but they can still upchuck or have an accident. I might not hate carpets so much except for the dogs; yet they're the most important things in my life, even more than the house or anything else in it. No house is going to give me a sloppy kiss when I feel bad.

[ret5hd]

7. So why not a simple poly job? Simple, fast, durable, etc.

[IrishAyes]

8. Durability, for the most part.

Oil will penetrate; the poly just sits on top.