Replies

1. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Oct 22, 2009 09:27am | #1

   I'm not familiar with Preen. Are you looking for a product that performs two functions: cleaning and protecting? Or are you willing to use an eco-friendly floor finish like whey-based PolyWhey or a waterborne polyurethane?

2. 
   Fran | Oct 23, 2009 08:19am | #2

   Preen is a wood floor cleaner and preserver and is petroleum based. Yes I want to clean and protect and eco friendly. I don't have the option of sanding and this is a very old floor probably around 80 years old.

3. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Oct 23, 2009 09:25am | #3

   Fran,
   If you intend to refinish a hardwood floor without sanding, you'll have to accept the fact that the refinished floor will retain stains and discolorations. Many people don't mind these color differences, and accept them as part of the beauty of an older floor.

   Step one: clean the floor. If you don't want to use Preen, use whatever you want: soap and water, citrus-based cleanser, whatever cleaner meets your personal environmental threshold. If the floor has wax, you'll need to be sure that your cleaning method has removed the wax. Hot water and repeated cleanings may be necessary. (At some point, you may begin to see the advantages of sanding.)

   Step two: rinse and dry.

   Step three: Finish the floor with whatever product meets your needs. Most green builders feel that water-based polyurethanes are better for the environment than products with petroleum-based solvents. As I mentioned earlier, a Vermont company makes a whey-based wood finish (PolyWhey). Only you can decide which finish meets your own environmental criteria. Be sure that the finish you choose can be installed over old finishes; check with the manufacturer on this point.

   Remember, several coats of finish are usually more durable than a single coat.