Hi all,

I posted about this a few years ago and sadly never got any responses but I'm going to give it another go and perhaps ask it better this time.

I have a very old quarter-sawn yellow pine floor. I have no idea what finish is currently on it but I don't believe there's any stain. The floor is a beautiful golden color and from what I've seen where steam pipes pass through it, the wood looks like the same basic color as the finish.

I have a few small worn areas I'd like to protect until we're able to strip the floor and refinish the entire thing properly.

Is there any danger in sanding the worn areas and applying Emulsion Pro to them? Or even Emulsion Pro + Street Shoe?I realize the chances of these areas matching the current finish is slim to none, but I just want to protect them for now. Is there any chance Emulsion Pro, or even StreetShoe could damage the current finish around the area I try to work on?

Water-based finishes stick very well to old finish if there are no contaminants on the surface. Clean the area with a low suds cleaner. If you are close to bare wood there is probably no finish left on the surface, but some may have soaked into the fibers. I would still use a sealer and al least one coat of finish. The two part finishes are more resistant to wear, but single part ones will protect for years. You will not get a color match, but if the finish sticks on a trial are and doesn't peel off with the packing tape test in which you cut into the finish with a razor blade scratch and then press the tape hard, then pull it off.

Hi Pete,

Thanks for responding!
So I need to clean the area first with something like Basic Coatings Squeaky?

That's easy enough. I can also do the tape test as you recommended. I remember reading about that a few years ago.


What are your opinions on using a product that is beyond it's shelf life? I have an almost full gallon of Emulsion Pro and Another 3/4 full gallon of Hydroline Plus. I know the catalyzer is probably garbage, but it sure would be nice to be able to use up what I have on hand, but they're both well over 2 years old now. I believe the shelf life was 1 year.

I was going to try strain some and try it on some scraps to see if it still looked like it was good, but I'm also afraid of it failing down the road.

If I need to buy fresh stuff I'll bite the bullet but this stuff is sitting there so I figured it can't hurt to ask.

You can use a regular dish detergent to help dissolve dirt. After you scrub the floor you will need to rinse with water to remove any residue. Dry the floor with a towel.
The expiration date on many products is arbitrary and one year is what is the cut-off time for manufacturers to be responsible.
The products may be good. A visual inspection helps to determine whether they can be used. Separation of the satining agent happens before a year as it settles to the bottom of the container. After stirring the finish you should strain it. The finish starts to react after the catalyzer is added. The reaction helps the finish develop hardness and chemical resistance.

Hi Pete.

I was lucky enough to speak to the previous owner and he said the floors were refinished in 1987 by a contractor.
Does that give an idea of what finish was likely used and if so should I try to use that or just go ahead with the water based poly?

The popular finish used to be oil based poly-urethane.
Water-based poly-urethane sticks to the oil based "poly" better than "poly" sticks to itself, after it has cured completely.
The water based finishes do not penetrate into the wood fibers like a solvent based finish and are clear with no ambering. The color will be off where it has worn down.
Water based poly-urethane is a tough finish and goes on a little thinner, so you better apply at least two coats after you spend time to carefully clean it.
We clean along the length of boards about two feet wide and overlap the cleaning and the rinsing.
You can tell when you have got everything clean when your rinse rag is not foamy when you wring it out.

Thank you for responding Pete.

I was going to ask if you've used Basic Coating's Amberizer, but it appears they've stopped making it.

I know the Emulsion Pro is slightly yellow which is why I used it as a sealer on my stairs, but it's not near as yellow as the finish on the yellow pine floor as you mentioned.

But as I said earlier on, the main thing I want is the floor protected in the damaged areas. Down the road I'll likely redo the entire thing and finish with Streetshoe.

Do you have any thoughts on Basic's Tykote system? Obviously my patches will stay there, but overall is using Tykote worth it? It sounds like I could actually refinish the floor using water based poly without Tykote?

You could re-coat your floor without Tykote and may be successful. The Tykote allows you to not worry whether you have abraded the existing finish well enough.
Sorry that you would have to buy a whole gallon for any sized floor. I've asked my distributor to request smaller sized containers, but no luck, yet.
If you take time to abrade your floor with 180 grit sandpaper to dull the surface
it will help to insure that your product adheres.