Most durable wood floor paint?

[Ed Pawlowski]

It has been over 10 years since we did some floors at work so I don't recall the brand name but the store we buy from has Benjamin Moore and at least one other brand. . Some floors were done with an oil based paint, but others were done with a latex based paint. In both cases, it was a designated floor paint.

IMO. the oil based had a better sheen. They were slightly better to clean up a spilled or leaked mess. As for wear, they both held up to heavy foot traffic, fork lift trucks, carts, and a lot of things you'd never run into at home or in a strictly people use setting.

Color selection was also limited.

[Mayayana]

| to paint indoor hardwood floors that have | already been painted in the past.

If it were me I'd use Benj Moore oil base high gloss Impervo. I don't know of a better option, but as I said, all of the options are limited these days.

A further option would be to put something like Varathane over that after it's cured. (You can put polyurethane over it to protect from scratching, but if the color is a cool tone poly will make it look yellowed. Varathane is clear, non-yellowing.)

There are also European oil base paints that are very expensive but are claimed to be the quality that American oil paints used to be. Some of the Benj Moore stores sell them.

[dadiOH]

"Latex" and "enamel" are mutually exclusive as far as I am concerned.

If you want a scratch resistant, long wearing paint about the best you can do that is easily available and applicable is an oil base poly. I use Glidden Porch & Floor on my shop floor almost 20 years ago. It is not pristine but given the years and wear it has received, I'm happy with it.

[clare]

How about something like Deckover or Deckote? Deckover is a Behr (Home Despot) product, Deckover is from Consolidated Coatings.

Or even try a roll-on "bed liner" product. Likely available for about half the price of the deck products.

The big thing is the floor needs to be 100% clean and dry for ANY coating to stick reliably.

[clare]

You are confusing 2 products. Urea Formadehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI) is the product that breaks down and releases formaldehyde under certain conditions - Urethane spray foam insulation is totally different.. Isocyanates can be a problem with urethanes - generally if properly mixed and applied the problem is over in less than 2 days - but DO NOT hang around inside a poorly ventilated building when urethane is being sprayed!!!

VERRY carefully!!! That is one problem with a foamed building. You basically need to cut and drill to install anything - and then refoam when you are done. My father's last 2 housed that he had built were Urethane spray foam insulated.

Part of the problem with UFFI was it was used where it should not have been used. It was approved only for use in wood-framed buildings, but was installed in double-brick construction and all sorts of other constructions. There is also a difference between acidic and non-acidic based foam, with the Acidic foam being the more problematic.

[Jerry.Tan]

I know you dont want linoleum, but there is a liquid flooring called Torginol.

It's like a paint (sort of). It's similar to an epoxy. You pour and spread it, then add the colored flakes, which makes it look very nice. Then you coat it with more of the clear liquid. The more coats you add, the thicker the material gets, and thus wont wear as fast.

As far as I know, you can recoat it with the clear coating after it starts to wear, and probably add more flakes in wear spots. I have never used it, but I knew someone who installed it in the 80s. It did make a very durable floor and nice looking too. It's probably one of the best things you could use, but will likely cost more than paint. But if you have to paint every few years, this stuff will likely pay for itself in time.

[bob haller]

well if OP was able to remove ALL of the old coatings I wonder if the now cleaned surface could be stained?

My moms basemet floor had many coats of worn paint. I ended up removing what I could, gave up, and used vinyl tile.

incidently all the chemical paint removers made the floor extremely slippery in use

[millinghill]

I'm the OP. Yes, you are correct.

[bob haller]

strip, sand, stain and outdoor polyurethane.

time consuming but will bring back the beauty of wood

[Mayayana]

| strip, sand, stain and outdoor polyurethane. | time consuming but will bring back the beauty of wood

But it won't last. I'd consider that arguably the worst of all options. Have you ever seen where people have put beautiful mahogany or oak trim around their front door or porch? It's gorgeous for a year or two. Then the finish attracts mildew. Then it starts to break down and gray, weathered spots show through. Then what? The whole thing has to be completely stripped again.

Also, in this case the floor is in a bathhouse. Beauty of the wood is not what he's looking for. And while a bathhouse has a roof over it, the floor is presumably open to the elements underneath, as well as being exposed to a lot of water and sand on the top surface. So in practice it's an exterior deck. The only abuse it's not getting is sun.

[songbird]

Mayayana wrote: ...

it's really the wrong floor for that place.

sanding it down and then sealing it with linseed oil might be the best option as then any more maint would be just to sweep it and put a bit more oil on.

songbird

[Mayayana]

| it's really the wrong floor for that place. | | sanding it down and then sealing it with linseed | oil might be the best option as then any more | maint would be just to sweep it and put a bit more | oil on. |

Three problems with that, I think:

1) Splinters.

2) Linseed oil attracts mildew.

3) It would probably be unsanitary to have such a porous surface covered with water and feet all day. Linseed oil used to be common for outdoor steps, but it only protects for so long. Remember those gray fir steps from years ago? One knew it was time to replace them when they broke down into a block of gray, shedding shards. :)

I'm trying to remember what state beaches use, but I can't picture it now. I think the shower houses are usually just set slightly off the ground with a concrete floor. But in my memory I'm imagining wide planks painted gray. On the other hand, state facilities can use products not available to the public, and may very well repaint every year.

[Moe DeLoughan]

Same for linoleum. It's not lower-maintenance, just somewhat different maintenance.

[songbird]

never heard of this being a problem.

when you sweep a wood floor you use a light brush of linseed each time (used on the sweeper to get rid of the sand). there should not be any problem with spinters if there hasn't already been a problem.

if you're that concerned about sanitary conditions and cleaning to germ free status then wood slab flooring is not the right floor.

i can't see anything other than bare cement being very decent for most places. colored cement for a more fancy place. seamless flooring would be ok for some areas if there wasn't furniture being dragged over it all the time, but so would tile be ok for such a place. overall, i'd get rid of the wood and put in concrete. not ever paint it. that's just a waste of time and money.

songbird

[clare]

Battleship linoleum would likely last 7-8 years.