Question from KJ

This is a very hard subject.

I’d like ro feel the wood when I walk on it. It looks like most finishes, like Vermont Natural Coatings, have finished surface similar to polyurethane finish. The wood does not breathe because surface is coated.

I found this product WOCA Denmark. This is OIL finish, which I know is bad. However, the MSDS shows no VOC. It also claims that the wood is left to breathe.

It looks like this is used in industrial settings like in restaurants. I did call a restaurant, and they were very happy with how durable it is.

For me, that is not a big issue. Safety is more important. I and the kids are going to be living on this wood floor, hands and feet touching it.

What do you think?

Hi!I am interested in using an ecofriendly option for staining and sealing a new wood floor. I have small children who will be essentially living on that floor and want to reduce the off gassing as much as possible. What are my options in terms of brands that I can use, how to they hold up to the mainstream options and are they affordable?

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I have experience with two kinds of wood finishes. There may be more, but this is what I can tell you.

Many years ago I used a plant-based wood finish on an old mahogany desk. It looks beautiful, you can experience the wood, and it’s made completely from renewable ingredients. But here is the problem. It took a very long time to dry (months!). During this time it had an odor of the natural oils, but it was also sticky. It really did take months for it to dry to a hard finish where things didn’t stick to it. Even after it was dry and hard, if water spilled on it, the finish would discolor because it absorbed the water, and stay discolored until the water evaporated out.

Aesthetically, I would absolutely choose the plant-based finish, but it isn’t practical for me. I sit at my desk working all day long in a hot climate, with glasses or glass bottles of cold water right next to me. This results in condensation. Even though I use coasters, there are often drips as I lift the glass from the coaster to my lips. So I have been using finishes like Vermont Natural Coatings for this reason. [As I was writing this, I thought, “There must be a solution to this, and there is: absorbent coasters made from sandstone. I am going to get some, so I could use any finish now.]

Readers, what are your experiences and suggestions?

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