1877floorguy.com Blog » 2010

Benefits of a WOCA Oil Finished Wood Floor

February 18, 2010 on 4:03 pm

Wood floors have long been popular in Europe and America though the way Europeans and Americans finish and care for their wood floors varies from one side of the Atlantic to the other. Europeans trend towards low sheen, natural looking wood floors often achieved with an oil finish. Americans typically purchase urethane coated wood floors because of the desire to have their wood floors look eternally shiny and new, no imperfections and no scratches. European wood floors are lived-with and American wood floors are lived-on. “The difference?” you ask.

While easy to maintain with spray and mop products, urethane coated wood floors, very popular in America, get microscopic scratches in the finish that dull the floor’s shine over time. The only way to truly regain that “brand new” look is to sand and refinish the entire floor. The best way to extend the “new” look of urethane coated wood floors is to be careful with traffic on the floor to minimize scratches. In other words, be careful how you live on your floor.

Europeans expect imperfections will happen and accept this as part of the wood’s natural character and beauty that make it unique and inviting. Oil finishes are often selected because of their natural look and simple maintenance routine. An Oil Finished wood floor masks most scratches because, along with low sheen, the finish actually becomes part of the wood floor and penetrates the surface minimizing the appearance of normal wear. To live with a wood floor means embracing all of its inherent qualities and traits (accept that a wood floor will get scratches on it).

While an Oil Finished Wood Floor may not be for everyone, it is an excellent opportunity for the consumer who is looking for a natural, comfortable wood floor that minimizes the appearance of scratches(and we all know that scratches happen), is a proven product that is easy to maintain over time, uses floor cleaners & maintenance products that contain no VOCs, environmentally friendly flooring materials and care products.

It’s important to have a little background knowledge about oil finished wood floors. There are two primary types: non-hardening and hardening oil finishes. More commonly seen in the USA is non-hardening oil finishes, like Tung oil, which do not harden as they penetrate and dry and therefore do not provide the best protection against wear and stains. This article focuses on the other type, hardening oil finishes, which penetrate into the surface of the wood floor hardening as it cures to form a very protective surface that is an integral part of the wood. Oil Finish tends to be used when describing either type so be careful to learn more about the products you investigate to determine if they are hardening or non-hardening oils.

If you’re considering an Oil Finished Wood Floor, WOCA is an excellent, proven product choice that has been manufactured in Denmark for over 30 years. WOCA Oil Finish is appropriate for home and commercial uses. WOCA oils are very different from non-hardening oils, as they contain very high amounts of solid particles, as high as 91%. This translates into a very high quality floor finish that is completely VOC free. WOCA contains primarily cold pressed vegetable oils and aromatic hardening oils that penetrate into the surface of the wood floor hardening as it cures to form a very protective surface that is an integral part of the wood. This type of Oil Finished Wood Floor is currently used on almost a third of all wood floors sold in Europe.

WOCA oil finishing products are constantly researched and improved at the manufacturer’s own laboratories in Denmark, always meeting the highest possible environmental standards. WOCA wood care products are also approved and certified by independent laboratories, such as IBR, the German Institute for Biological Building Materials, and are in accordance with DIN-Norm 53-160. WOCA products also meet or exceed the most stringent VOC (volatile organic compounds) regulations in North America. WOCA products are VOC free!

If you’re used to polyurethane or similar wood finished floors, there is learning curve when you switch to oil-finish however you’ll find, if you take the time to learn the care and maintenance process, you’ll spend less time and money on floor care. You’ll find that refinishing is rarely, if ever, required. This finish can be spot treated or repaired without disrupting the entire floor which means no down-time for your entire floor.

Normal cleaning for a WOCA oil finished wood floor is easy using WOCA Soap, simply mixing it with warm water and mopping the floor periodically. As the floor is being cleaned, it is also given added protection against wear and tear. The WOCA soap contains soy and coconut oils, which dry as an invisible film on the surface of the floor and give added protection. Periodic cleaning and maintenance will make it unnecessary to ever screen or sand your entire wood floor. WOCA is the only oil finished wood floor that comes with a complete package solution for all finishing, repair and maintenance.

For more information on WOCA oil finishes and WOCA care & maintenance products call 1-877-Floorguy. The owners and staff have long been in the flooring industry and have an uncanny ability to provide answers. They will guide you to the products and amounts you’ll need for finishing or maintaining your WOCA floor. 1877Floorguy.com carries the full line of WOCA products and ships anywhere in the USA & Canada so you can one-stop-shop. Use coupon code “FGBLOG” to receive a 10% discount on your first order with 1877Floorguy.com.

Home

yahoo store design