[Greenbuilding] Floor product recommendations

John Salmen terrain at shaw.ca
Thu May 14 23:13:37 CDT 2015


That is priceless - I will be quoting you

 

From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
On Behalf Of Gennaro Brooks-Church - Eco Brooklyn
Sent: May-13-15 12:53 PM
To: Green Building
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Floor product recommendations

 

Water based finishes are like vegetarian hot dogs. Go with oil. 

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015, Allison Friedman <afriedman at rateitgreen.com>
wrote:


Thank you kindly, Frank.  I was kind of hoping there were some obvious
amazing products I was just missing.  The vendors were hesitant back in 2005
when we last worked on floors, and I insisted.  I lived with them but the
finish really didn't last.  I will send your thoughts along to the
contractor (and maybe you or I - somehow - will post them so more people can
see and in time)

We did ok with one water-based finish a couple of hers ago in a low-traffic
room, but it's a really matte finish.  I want to go green but remain shiny
too, if we can.  What do you mean by less-durable?  We have 2 kids and we
really do have some high traffic areas.

We need to do all we can to support the amazing green building products out
there and to encourage companies to keep developing these products and
services as well.  We will reach 100% of building materials as green only
when there are enough users to demand and then actually buy green.  And when
these providers offer products and services that can compete in every way.
But to do that they need our help cheerleading what works and our feedback
when something doesn't.

Thanks again.
Allison

>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 13 May 2015 13:59:06 -0400
> From: Frank Tettemer <frank at livingsol.com <javascript:;> >
> To: Green Building <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org <javascript:;>
>
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Need a Floor Refinishing Product
>       Recommendation
> Message-ID: <555390EA.4030503 at livingsol.com <javascript:;> >
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
>
> Hi Allison,
>
> If you find a suitable product, that stands up well on a floor, with no
> VOC's, I will be amazed. Please share the news. I'm not aware of any.
> Water-based urethane products, once they have worn, require significant
> scraping and sanding to remove the product, before refinishing. Not at
> all sustainable, from my point of view.
>
> /Sanding evenly, and working the grits down from 40 to 80 to 110 to 240,
> will do more for the finish and look of the wood than anything you can
> wipe onto it.
>
> /After that, what you wipe onto it has two choices, but both involve
> solvents. Here they are:/
> /
> 1.) What I've used on many floors is polymerized Tung Oil, thinned with
> citrus oil solvent. The less thinner you use, the shinier, and the
> slower it is to dry, and the more difficult it is to apply a super thin
> coat that will dry well without being tacky or turning milky.
> If you use more thinner, then it dries "better", with a matte finish. I
> like to apply 6 to 8 coats, on raw, sanded hardwood. With good drying
> weather, this can be done over 7 to 9 days, which may not work for the
> modern world. Which is why it's not too popular.  But it is the toughest
> and the best.
>
> 2.)  Second approach would be to use a linseed oil/tung oil/carnauba wax
> blend, by Eco-House, from New Brunswick. This is my favorite to use,
> though slightly less durable. It works wonders over a tinted, and finely
> trowelled floor, or, over a well-sanded hardwood floor. This requires no
> experimenting or mixing; just three or four coats:
> http://www.eco-house.com/shop/270-hardwood-floor-oil/
>
> I want to use products that I believe in; yet long-lasting durability,
> and the ability to refinish the wood in the future, without having to
> strip off the old hardened finish, is a part of my belief as well.
>
> Frank
>
> //

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 13 May 2015 11:06:27 -0400
> From: Allison Friedman <afriedman at rateitgreen.com <javascript:;> >
> To: greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org <javascript:;> 
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] Need a Floor Refinishing Product
>       Recommendation
> Message-ID: <C824FEBE-A146-4C6C-B18D-FA5983389B18 at rateitgreen.com
<javascript:;> >
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>
>
> Hi everyone -
>
> I need a recommendation for a great and durable eco friendly floor
finishing product, as we're refinishing our wood floors this summer.  I was
surprised that at this time of the green building movement when I asked the
subcontractor for some eco options and got a shrug and an offer to use a
water-based top coat (only) "if I wanted."  Yes, I want to use low or no VOC
products for the environment and also for my family.
>
> I posted this on RIG?s site, and of course I would love to start a
discussion on the topic.  But really, I just need the advice - and I want
the information to be getting out there for others too, in any venue.
http://www.rateitgreen.com/green-building-community/discussions/products/i-n
eed-a-fabulous-water-based-poly-or-other-eco-floor-coating/697
>
> I am working to promote green building products and services, and
sometimes I forget that it's not automatic to ask about environmentally
friendlier options and to think this way.  I thought this would be easier
and I could really use a super recommendation (the key is just to get the
information out there so we can support these positive products and so in
this case we can breathe a bit better too).
>
> Are you also surprised when you go out into the real world and assume
there will be eco options - and then people don?t seem to be as enthusiastic
as let?s say the people and companies were at the last green building event
you attended?
>
> I want to hear about products people out there really believe in - and I
want to go back and say here, this comes recommended.  We?re using it.
>
>
>
> Thanks!
> Allison
>
> Allison Friedman
> Rate It Green
> www.rateitgreen.com
> @rateitgreen
> @MAGreenbuilding
> @NYGreenbuilding
>


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-- 
Gennaro Brooks-Church
Director, Eco Brooklyn Inc.
Cell: 1 347 244 3016 USA
www.EcoBrooklyn.com
22 2nd St; Brooklyn, NY 11231

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