# Floor coating



## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

Just looked at this today. HO says this was done by applying an exterior paint with a rag and wants it re-done with the same look without sanding back down.

My thought is, if applied with same method without sanding down, more grain will be lost.

Would it be better to just clean thoroughly and clear coat to preserve the look.

any thoughts?


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

HQP2005 said:


> Just looked at this today. HO says this was done by applying an exterior paint with a rag and wants it re-done with the same look without sanding back down.
> 
> My thought is, if applied with same method without sanding down, more grain will be lost.
> 
> ...


So she likes all the scratches ?


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## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

Scotiadawg said:


> So she likes all the scratches ?


This is a little 1200 sq ft weekend/summer home for an archetect in NYC. 
"He" wants to preserve as much of the "rustic" look as possible; sanding the floors down not an option.

The house itself was abandoned and vacant for 20 years untill 2006 when HO bought and (literally) brought back to life (the picture he showed me of the house when he bought it barely resembles what it is today). 

Anyway, there are several "characteristics' of the house he wants to preserve (doors and railings, etc), which will be contracted out to some-one who specializes in restorations.

I'm bidding on the already primed drywall he had put up, but wanted some options on the floors.


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

HQP2005 said:


> This is a little 1200 sq ft weekend/summer home for an archetect in NYC.
> "He" wants to preserve as much of the "rustic" look as possible; sanding the floors down not an option.
> 
> The house itself was abandoned and vacant for 20 years untill 2006 when HO bought and (literally) brought back to life (the picture he showed me of the house when he bought it barely resembles what it is today).
> ...


So, if this is an inside floor I would clean it and clear coat it 2 coats WB, for HIM. I gotta start readin these posts more closely !:yes:


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## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

Scotiadawg said:


> So, if this is an inside floor I would clean it and clear coat it 2 coats WB, for HIM. I gotta start readin these posts more closely !:yes:


 
No worries, I didnt really specify interior.

A clear coat is what im thinking since the paint has held up.


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## MH Coating (Apr 12, 2012)

*Clear Coat*

I would suggest finding the original color and mixing a little color with clear. If the clear coat is compatible with the colored paint. Maybe only a few drops of color for a quart worth of clear. I would use this mixture to touch up any areas that may have color differences with a rag before applying a clear coat. I would recommend buffing these areas with the rag mixture so you don't over apply the color. I've done this a number of times and it hides imperfections in scratches you just can't reach without sanding. 

And yes a good cleaning before clear coating would be recommended.

JMoorhouse

www.moorhousepainting.com
www.moorhousecoating.com


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

If he wants "rustic", then to me that means the scratches stay. I'd just scuff sand and apply a clear on top.


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## Irishmike (Oct 7, 2010)

Looks to me like a faux limed oak effect, lots of kitchen companies over here used to do it, basically exterior wb paint thinned, brushed on and wiped off, you should be able to just slop another thin coat on and wipe it off completely, if anything this will disguise the scratches by tying them in to the color of the floor. Usually it is white paint for the wash.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

Well it definitley was not "paint"..you wouldnt see the grains in the wood. My guess is he used a tinted transparent stain ( going from the pics, hard to tell). Ive never heard of paint being ragged on?

Clean and clear coat FTW. Thats defintiley oak, is it interior or exterior?


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## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

Irishmike said:


> Looks to me like a faux limed oak effect, lots of kitchen companies over here used to do it, basically exterior wb paint thinned, brushed on and wiped off, you should be able to just slop another thin coat on and wipe it off completely, if anything this will disguise the scratches by tying them in to the color of the floor. Usually it is white paint for the wash.


Thanks Mike

Thats the look the HO wants (he did mention europe). 

I myself have never done this, and not sure if this is the floor I want to try it out on.

I'm recomending a clear coat to protect it and make easier to clean, and im hoping i can clean whats there well enough to not have to reapeat the process. As I said, the scatches are no an issue.


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## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

Irishmike said:


> Looks to me like a faux limed oak effect, lots of kitchen companies over here used to do it, basically exterior wb paint thinned, brushed on and wiped off, you should be able to just slop another thin coat on and wipe it off completely, if anything this will disguise the scratches by tying them in to the color of the floor. Usually it is white paint for the wash.





StripandCaulk said:


> Well it definitley was not "paint"..you wouldnt see the grains in the wood. My guess is he used a tinted transparent stain ( going from the pics, hard to tell). Ive never heard of paint being ragged on?
> 
> Clean and clear coat FTW. Thats defintiley oak, is it interior or exterior?


 
It definately is "paint" applied in the manner IrishMike explained.

The point of this application is to keep the grain visible.


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## Irishmike (Oct 7, 2010)

Its paint alright but thinned out to almost milk like consistency, you can also get a 'liming' wax but I wouldn't recommend this for a floor, its more for furniture. As its wb any clear will sit comfortably on it once its cleaned.


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## Painter Chick (Mar 1, 2012)

This looks to be pickled oak to me, I just painted a set of kitchen cabinets, and they had the same finish.


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## hotwing7 (Mar 31, 2012)

from a personal pov if I were asked to do these I would very lightly go over them with a wire brush (blend in the scratches to make them a little less like scratches and more like the worn look he wants) and also open up the grain in the way of the floor boards.

I suspect whitewashing / limewashing will sit in the scratches making it look a bit crap otherwise.

due to the already somwhat white finish on the floors you might want to mix it even runnier than you would if it were an original application. 

I'd get an old floor board and practice first lol!!!!

Then a protective flat water based lacquer on top.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

HQP2005 said:


> It definately is "paint" applied in the manner IrishMike explained.
> 
> The point of this application is to keep the grain visible.


Huh, ive never done it. Is that pic you put up in black and white, or is that the actual color?


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## hotwing7 (Mar 31, 2012)

StripandCaulk said:


> Huh, ive never done it. Is that pic you put up in black and white, or is that the actual color?


Thats the actual colour - or lack of!!!!


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

hotwing7 said:


> Thats the actual colour - or lack of!!!!


I respect rustic looks, im a big fan..i love sapwood maple cabinets. some people hate it.

But on oak floors..you rag on exterior paint? why..how much protection is that really going to offer on a horizontal surface with high traffic.


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## hotwing7 (Mar 31, 2012)

StripandCaulk said:


> I respect rustic looks, im a big fan..i love sapwood maple cabinets. some people hate it.
> 
> But on oak floors..you rag on exterior paint? why..how much protection is that really going to offer on a horizontal surface with high traffic.


It's more like a stain that seeps into the wood rather than a coating so it's not there to protect it's for effect though mostly it's done on furniture.

The op might want to check that it is actually whitewash and not an old Limewash which I believe was popular back in the day. I have no idea how a whitewash would sit over a limewash - whether or not something will react with something else - nor indeed how you would check if the homeowner doesn't know.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

hotwing7 said:


> It's more like a stain that seeps into the wood rather than a coating so it's not there to protect it's for effect though mostly it's done on furniture.
> 
> The op might want to check that it is actually whitewash and not an old Limewash which I believe was popular back in the day. I have no idea how a whitewash would sit over a limewash - whether or not something will react with something else - nor indeed how you would check if the homeowner doesn't know.


That was my initial thought, but the HQP said exterior paint when i said it looked like a tinted transparent stain. Ive seen a whitewash finish almost pickled stain look to tongue and groove to get the rustic look. Be curious to see what ends up happening ot it


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## Irishmike (Oct 7, 2010)

Oak beams and furniture were almost always limed or pickled to prevent infestation... the bugs and woodworm dont like it! People renovating old properties attempted to remove the lime but it works it way into the grain leaving the wood a grayish hue ( the photo does look black and white, this is the desired effect) A wire brush would lift most of the white out of the wood and prep it for a new wash if you want to go down that route , I would certainly brush it on and rag it off to get that effect, it would be very messy to rag it on.


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## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

Irishmike said:


> Oak beams and furniture were almost always limed or pickled to prevent infestation... the bugs and woodworm dont like it! People renovating old properties attempted to remove the lime but it works it way into the grain leaving the wood a grayish hue ( the photo does look black and white, this is the desired effect) A wire brush would lift most of the white out of the wood and prep it for a new wash if you want to go down that route , I would certainly brush it on and rag it off to get that effect, it would be very messy to rag it on.


My apologies. :huh:

This is what I meant to say in the OP. (not applied with a rag)


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