When we bought our house in January of 1994, it looked ok from the outside but inside, it was a complete disaster. There were frozen and ruined radiators and of course no AC. The plumbing didn’t work at all. The electrical was the old nob and tube and looked primeval. Plastered ceilings had collapsed from leaks in the roof and the ceramic floors in the bathroom were like a trapdoor, ready to send you to the basement. The basement flooded at the lightest rain. We had our work cut out for us.
We went at it like many other young couples with two very young children and our eyes on the future. By June, we had made enough progress to move into the house. I had refinished the floors and used a waterborne finish called Pacific Strong. Since that time, I have done nothing but periodically clean the floors.
Life Goes On
Our daughters are now 26 and 24 and out of the house. We are on our second boxer (Libby) and she expects, and gets, all our attention. When Libby has friends over, things get rowdy. We have always enjoyed having friends and family over and like to entertain. We have hosted many parties and my nephew’s wedding reception. In short, we have demanded a lot of these old wood floors.
When we carried the area rugs out for spring cleaning recently, it was as if the old floors just grinned at me and said “hope you can age this well old man.” They really look good. The Pacific Strong finish has done a great job of protecting the floors. There is good luster and no damage from water or the pets. So the coating did exactly what it was supposed to do; enhance the look of the floors and protect them from everyday wear and tear. The finish has also been remarkably easy to clean and maintain. Its appearance has added value to the house without extracting copious amounts of money to retain that look.
“If These Were Your Floors, What Finish Would You Choose?”
This is a question every contractor has been asked many times. When I answer and tell prospective clients that waterborne finishes are the best finishes ever formulated for wood floors, I have proof to back it up. All I have to do is look at what is under my feet every time I walk through the house. I had the option of choosing any finish on the market when I refinished my floors. At that time, waterborne finishes had only been around for seven years and I had a right to be hesitant. But I had seen enough in my own house to know that this is the future of site-finished wood floors. I don’t promote the virtues of these odorless and fast drying/curing finishes because some manufacturer pays me to. I don’t point out how easy they are to maintain because I make money selling cleaning kits. I simply tell homeowners what I have experienced over the last twenty-two years and what they can expect if they exercise reasonable precautions and clean them periodically. I don’t preach the virtues of these remarkable finishes because of what’s in it for me. I do it because of what’s in it for the homeowner.
Michael Purser | ©2016 Rosebud Co.
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