circa 1895 pine floor damaged by Hurricane Rita

mazzy · **Joined:** Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:18 pm **Posts:** 6

Our circa 1895 loft has a pine floor that got soaked when Hurricane Rita hit last year. This was originally a warehouse, so the floors were never beautiful, but we were happy with the old warehouse look. We finished them with a water based polyurethane. We are finally!! to the point that we are ready to restore the floors. They've turned greyish in some areas, and in other areas the finish is gone. We would appreciate advice on where to go from here. Because I live in a hurricane prone area, I would like to know what finishes would be best in the event we get wet again. We live on the top floor so flooding isn't the problem....we lost our roof! Thanks in advance!

Gary · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:38 am

"WATERLOX" is the answer.

https://www.waterlox.com/default.aspx

mazzy · **Joined:** Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:18 pm **Posts:** 6

Thank you! I've been looking into tung oil finishes, and ran across the Waterlox website earlier tonight. I really appreciate the info!

Floorguy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:02 am

Have the grey areas tested for mold. It starts as a faint grey cast, and slowly gets darker as it reaches the surface.

mazzy · **Joined:** Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:18 pm **Posts:** 6

Oh great! That's all I need! If it is mold, how do I treat it without calling out a remediation service?

Floorguy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:55 pm

Board replacement.

mazzy · **Joined:** Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:18 pm **Posts:** 6

Can a remediation service restore without replacing the boards? I think the grey looks more like effervescence. Could that be possible?

Floorguy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:56 pm

It may very well be where the finish is wore off and the wood is getting soiled???

Everything you have said about your situation, reeks mold. But I don't want to scare you,, but just so your aware of the potential concerns, so you don't put a lot of work into it only to find out you have a growning concern, later.

mazzy · **Joined:** Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:18 pm **Posts:** 6

We had some mold in our sheetrock, though we have very little sheetrock because the building is mainly brick and plaster, but I guess we need to have this checked out. I sanded a couple of areas that were grey looking (before I knew it could possibly be mold) and it sands to a nice clean wood. Is it possible that the water based polyurethane (Minwax) that we put on the floors just have turned grey from the water and soil from the storm?

Floorguy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:20 pm

If it sands out it may just be soiling, and topical.

Under good finish the grey would concern me

mazzy · **Joined:** Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:18 pm **Posts:** 6

Oh great! I was afraid I was going to have to rip up 3000 sf of heart pine!

Another question, does this need to be totally stripped to bare wood to use the Waterlox?

Floorguy · **Posted:** Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:35 am

Yes, sanding to bare wood is required, in order to acheive a uniform look.

Makes for a good starting base.

circa 1895 pine floor damaged by Hurricane Rita

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