How to polish and oil timber floor?

David4321

We have floors built with Australian timbers from the Old Newcastle Finger Wharf-How to polish/oil?

EricL

Those timber floors are absolutely gorgeous! Would you happen to know if your floor is oiled or sealed with a low sheen polyurethane sealer? Ideally you need to know what brand of oil or sealer was used so that you can find a compatible product that will clean it without affecting its finish. Some cleaning agents are too strong and will affect or damage the finish, others have a bleaching effect and strip the surface. It's important to know what was used before you try anything on it. If you can find out was used on your floors, we can try to find a compatible cleaner or polish.

However, if it really needs a good clean, I propose having a look at OCedar 450ml Clean and Shine Timber Floor Cleaner and trying it on a small section of your flooring away from direct observation. Please note that this is a concentrate and must be diluted in water before use. Please do not use this product if your floor is wax sealed. If it cleans the surface well and does not affect its finish, you can then commit the rest of the flooring.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

mich1972

@David4321 I am not a floor expert so I won’t comment, I just wanted to say how BEAUTIFUL that floor is !!!!!!!! 😀

Dave-1

Evening @David4321

Floor Envy!! man o man that is a beautiful timber floor!

I did the same as you for looking at how to clean and polish my floorboards (mine are timber and varnished but forget what type other then it was the lightest varnish they had and enviromentaly friendly?, not sure what type of timber tho ) I actually ended up using the same product that @EricL has suggested

The Cedar oil worked beautifully, tho makes the floor extremelly slippery for a little. I mean you could end up doing the splits slippery lol

I have used a broom applicator but actually found a better result hands and knees and wax on and wax off type deal. It seemed to be a little less slippery but way more shine to it that way. Oh and I do it every 3 years which is probarlly a bit long between coats but really I choose when it looks a little dull? type deal.

Dave

MitchellMc

Hi @David4321,

To properly care for your timber floors, especially those made from hardwood, it's essential to assess the current finish before proceeding with polishing or oiling. If the floor is oiled, it will likely have areas of wear that need attention, while a polyurethane finish may show signs of fading or scuffing in high-traffic areas. If you're unsure of the existing finish, conducting a test patch using a solvent can help determine whether it's oil, wax, or polyurethane.

If the floor is oiled, Feast Watson Matt Timber Floor Oil is an excellent tung-oil, offering a matte finish that nourishes and protects the timber. We also have Feast Watson 1L Timber Floor Wax Hard Wax Oil which is another coating option. If the floor is polyurethane-sealed, consider applying a fresh coat of polyurethane for renewed protection such as Cabots CFP.

Always remember to test any product on a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure compatibility with the existing finish. This will help avoid any unwanted changes or damage to the timber.

Finally, after completing the polishing and oiling, ensure the floor is left to dry properly before use. Regular care and maintenance will help your timber floor retain its beauty and durability for years to come and EricL has suggested some great options for that.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Nailbag

Hi @David4321 love the grain and colouring in those boards and still look like they are in excellent condition.

I can't add anything further other than the great advice that both @EricL and @MitchellMc have provided.

Regards, Nailbag

David4321

Thank you all for your constructive and helpful advice.

The floor boards are 100 year old timbers from 7 different Australian timbers. The builder bid for them when the Newcastle Finger Wharf was pulled down. The timbers are not tongue and groove so each timber had to be pitched - rather like building a boat.

We have tried to stick with oil based products rather than sealers which can scratch. The last product we used was a Feast Watson-Mastertouch Polish, a blend of refined oils - however we have observed that their recent products are better suited to furniture rather than our timber floors.

I have copied all suggestions made and assembled them in a file which I will work through.

Once again - thank you all

David4321

David4321

Thank you everyone for your useful comments

Mitchell - Your recommendation: 'Feast Watson Matt Timber Floor Oil'. This is our favourite so far and I think we will trial it. Hope to get a small 1-2 litre tin next week.

Eric - Your recommendation: ' O'Cedar 450 ml clean and shine timber floor cleaner' is also a product we will trial. Hopefully this will clean only not remove the base oil?

Will keep you posted.

David4321

MitchellMc

Hi @David4321,

The O'Cedar is like an oil. It will refresh dull patches, though it's typically used as a maintenance coat and not to restore flooring where the coating has been worn through.

Mitchell

David4321

Thanks MitchellMc - good point.

We find a damp sponge mop is always a good way to clean our timber floors.

Will report back when we have tested various trial spots.

@David4321