Hi -
After having learned so much from reading the great info on this site, I finally have my own question .. .

We're about to install our first non pre-finished solid plank floor. It'll either be Southern Chestnut or Merbau. We just want to put down a poly (??) sealant and let the natural color/grain to come thru - no stain.

Does it matter which product one uses based on the wood type? I see some of the regular smart-guys seem to like Bona and Lenmar products. Any suggestions based on the wood? Can the common man buy these (we live in the SF Bay area)?

We're doing about 1,500 sq ft in areas that will get fairly good traffic (no kids or animals though).

Thanks for the great reading material and the help with this one!

Janet

With those S. American hardwoods, the oils inthe wood can pose a finishing problem. So, to ensure you will not have a problem, after sanding, use Zinsser's Seal Coat or Park's Universal Sealer. Do NOT substitute any other product for these two. Your finisher must have experience using these products. These sealers will give you a rich, warm color those S. American woods deserve; plus seal in the oils so that ANY floor finish will adhere. The most popular commercial finishes today are: Bona Traffic, Basic's Street Shoe, Absolute Coatings Trex+ and Trex, Bona Mega, Dura Seal's Exterra. Some good waterbornes that are not as notable but very good: Polo Plaz, Bieger-Seidle, Bostick-Findley ESP, etc. Oil-based polys are good but not as scratch resistant and will amber over time. A lot of good ones. Dura Seal, Woodline, Fabulon, Lenmar, Zar. You should not use acid cure or moisture cure over the sealer. Those products have their own sealing systems and are not used much in the SF bay area, where I am also.

Thanks, Gary! Appreciate your input ... question(s) though:
1) Since we are the "finishers" and this is our first non pre-finished floor install, we don't have any experience (have only done pre-finished solids and engineered installs). Would you wave us off this adventure given your greater experience as too much for do-it-yourselfers (albeit pretty good ones!)?

2) Will the Zinsser's (whose prodicts I really like) or Park's put down any color, or just darken the wood like any moisture would?

-and lastly -
3) would the Zinsser's or Park's be used in addition to the Bona or Basic finish products (as I said, I'm still trying to gather info b4 we get going on this one ....)

Thanks for the tip on ambering. Do not want them to yellow with age.

Thanks again for your input! We've had great results with the other floors we've done and want this one to look like the pros did it too!

Janet
P.S. Your work is beautifiul from the pictures I looked at on the site!!

In my experience you would be best to hire a pro for the sanding/finishing. For a job of that magnitude and your stated desire "we want this one to look like the pros did it too!" a first-timer will not achieve good results. You will have problems renting good sanding equipment, and may not be able to purchase the best finish because of toxicity and use issues. Additionally, properly applying a good finish requires skills only learned with proper training and experience. Even the different characteristics of those woods will affect the outcome.

Hmmmm ...
thanks for your response.
I agree with your comments about the experience factor (I was a bit nervous when the "un-finished" term popped into this project!). I guess you pretty much only get 1 shot at the finishing, unless you want to start over!

I'll pass along your comments to my husband. I have discovered already being able to obtain pro-grade products is going to be an issue. Thanks for the heads-up on the woods reacting different too. I figured we'd be spending some time in the garage with planks of wood experimenting before we actually started on the floor.

Thanks for your help!!

Janet

I've seen a lot of DIY installs and finish jobs. As long as a few rules are followed, most anybody can complete a basic install. Where things go wrong is in the sanding. This is one reason pre-finished has taken off(in addition to a lack of qualified sanders). It took me year just to learn how to use the edger with journeymen trainers, for example. A marginal install can be covered with a good sand/finish. Nothing will hide a poor sand/finish.

Interesting ... didn't know to look at it that way as we've not done one yet.

Appreciate your insite, but you may be underestimating the skill it takes to just do a basic install! I've seen floors at neighbors' that looked pretty mediorcre -- not striaght, scroll work around stairways, brick/stone fireplaces & other obstacles look pretty amateur (big gaps).
There's a noticeable difference in an install by "high-end" guys like yourself and some of the others on this site. It's ART!!!

-J.

I concur with my fellow pro, Marco. The rental equipment is second rate and usually out of adjustment. You will not know it because you don't know how the tools should operate properly. You will not know if your sanding job is satisfactory until you put a finish on it and then it'll be too late; unless you start over. It takes years of experience to learn to sand and finish well and the exotic woods are even more difficult than oak floors. Go ahead and install your own floors but hire a pro to do the sanding and finishing.

Thanks Gary and Marco --
I think we have pretty much decided your advise should be heeded. We'll do the install (can't wait to get started -- it's so much fun!) and have it professionally sanded/finished. We'll put too much work into making the install look great, and would hate to ruin it all by doing a 2nd rate job.

Your recommendations and further research will however help us to have somewhat intelligent conversations with a contractor when the time comes. Wish the Southern Chestnut came pre-finished ... what a breeze that would be!

Thanks for all your help! You guys are great (as is this site!!)!


Janet