In green building, using a healthy and eco-friendly finish is just as important as selecting the right material. When it comes to wood flooring, green builders have a wide array of products at their fingertips.
When choosing a wood floor finish, first consider your needs and maintenance capabilities. If you spill on your floor, will you clean it up right away? Are you willing to maintain your floor from time to time with additional coatings? If you want an essentially waterproof floor with maximum stain resistance, stick with the green products that are basically less stinky (and therefore less toxic) polyurethanes. If you want to go ultra natural and are willing to reapply every couple of years, use a natural oil. Even among natural oils, there are products with and without additives.
For you waterproofers out there:
Poly-Soy is an ultra-low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) topcoat that can be used on wood, plaster, stucco, and concrete. It works equally well over bare, stained, or painted surfaces and is strong enough to stand up to commercial foot traffic. One gallon covers approximately 400 to 500 square feet. If you’re seeking LEED certification credits, Poly-Soy is a great choice.
Bioshield’s Aqua Resin Floor Finish is another good choice for a tough, durable coating. Their VOC count of 115 grams per liter is low, but not quite as low as Poly-Soy’s 25 grams per liter.
Safecoat Polyureseal is so tough it’s recommended for gym floors. Comparable to Bioshield, Safecoat’s VOC content is 110 grams per liter.
Even though oil floor finishes are not waterproof, a nice advantage is the ease with which they can be spot-repaired. Just rub it in, wipe off the excess! If you want a finish based in natural oils, choices abound:
Rubio Monocoat, as the name implies, needs only one coat. Made from flax, free of VOCs and completely plant-based, it bonds to the surface molecularly. Application is simple: Clean the sanded wood. Apply the Monocoat. Wait five minutes, and wipe away the excess. Touch-ups are easy because it will only bond to exposed wood, covering the surface easily. Beyond floors, Monocoat can be used on furniture and even outdoors. It comes in a clear finish or over thirty different shades.
The noble hempseed provides a beautiful and natural floor finish product, although the floor will require a bit more maintenance. Homestead House Paint Company sells a hemp oil wood finish that is solvent-free and 100% natural. Reapplied to the floor every two years, hemp oil lends water resistance and a rich finish. Unlike products that apply a surface film, hemp oil penetrates throughout the wood, so there is no brittle top layer to scratch and chip. Hemp oil is petrochemical free and perfect for the chemically sensitive.
Bioshield’s oil finishes are primarily linseed and tung oil based. They are mixed with resin and highly breathable and elastic. Their floor solutions are a bit tougher than oil alone but still low in toxicity.
With so many green floor finish products available now, there is a fit for every preference and price point.
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