Waterlox Original Sealer and Finish, 1 Gallon

This is the second time I've used Waterlox for a floor refinishing project. The first project I did in 2013. This was a on a 90 year-old tongue-and-groove pine board floor in our lake cabin in northern Wisconsin. When I started the project, there were probably at least eight or nine coats of deck and floor enamel I had to remove. Most of this I took off with paint remover and a putty knife, but needed to use steel wool for the last vestiges. The floor had picked up a few dents and gouges over time. In order to preserve the history and antique quality, I did not belt-sand the floor and did only a moderate amount of orbital sanding. I considered using polyurethane, but became convinced to try Waterlox because of durability and appearance reviews I read, specifically that it was not a high gloss finish and would enhance the appearance of aged wood. I put only two coats on this floor because I didn't want it to turn out very glossy. I used a lamb's-wool applicator for this job. The photo on the left (blonde wood) is how it appears seven years after I applied it. This is an area that receives heavy foot traffic from people who have sand on their shoes or water dripping off bathing suits. The appearance today looks virtually similar to 2013. The photo on the right is for a project that's in process. The glossy appearing boards are the ones that are finished and the board on the edge is how they looked before I started the project. These are cedar floor boards on a three season screened porch at the same location. It was built in about 1985 and the boards had been sealed about every three or four years with commercial oil-based sealers. I belt and orbitally sanded these down to bare wood using 80 grit sandpaper, followed by a once-over using 120 grit. Since this surface has had a lot of abuse in the past, there are some gouges and dents that remain. I then applied four coats of Waterlox. I decided to use Waterlox because there is not much UV exposure on this floor (not much more than an interior floor), because I was impressed with the durability of the previous job I did, and that this would waterproof the floor. There are gaps of about 1/4 inch between boards over a crawl space, so water can run off or be squee-jeed crosswise through the gaps. There are four coats on this floor, applied with a 4-inch china bristle varnish brush, waiting a day between coats and with no sanding between coats as per the product recommendation. Waterlox applies easily. If you keep a wet edge, there won't be any lap marks. So far, I've put 4 coats on 300 square feet of bare sanded cedar and have about 1/8 of a gallon remaining. Follow the product recommendations on curing time before moving furniture, etc. My experience with the earlier floor is that Waterlox is highly resistant to wear, scuffs, and scratching. When using it, make sure that you don't throw away the metal insert on the pouring spout. Reinsert it every time you use some because if any air gets into the container, the product can gel. It may seem pricey, but in my experience it's worth it. It's also easier and more forgiving to apply than varnish.

By far the best wood sealant I've used. Easy to apply once you prep the surface properly. Just follow the instructions on the can and you'll be just fine. Used to seal my new birch butcher block counters because it's waterproof, food safe but doesn't require as much maintenance as the common beeswax. I wouldn't suggest using your counter directly as a cutting board with this as you'll need to touch things up pretty often, but this does exactly what its designed to do and I'll be using it again in future projects. (It outgasses and has a pretty strong smell, but any kind of sealant like this does the same, so thats not a negative. Just use in a well ventilated area and take breaks when needed. Unless you want a one way ticket to the astral plains)

Granted, I've only had my floors for a month and a half, so I can't speak to the durability of the finish quite yet. Give me a year, and I'll let you know how it's going. At the moment, water beads up, and anything that doesn't get swept of vacuumed up can be damp-mopped to perfection. My dog has left some claw marks, but that was expected and inevitable with any finish. I applied this myself using a lambswool applicator. I didn't use ONLY Waterlox. I knew that Waterlox was a bit more noxious, and so I did my first coat in a different product -Real Milk Paint's Tung Oil (it's non-toxic, and the circus solvent fumes aren't as noxious). When you apply Pure Tung Oil (NOT WATERLOX), you add as much oil as possible in the first coat before it dries. If it adsorbs the oil, you apply more, until it remains 'wet' for 40 minutes straight. Using that rule of thumb, I applied 10 gallons of Pure Tung Oil over 2000 sqft (or 1 gal per 200 sqft, or the equivalent of "2 coats") all in one continuous setting. It took me about 5 passes, re-saturating the floor with each pass to get what I thought was a good foundation of Tung Oil built up. I blotted up the excess, and I let that dry overnight. The next day, I followed up the Pure Tung Oil with a coat of Waterlox Original at the recommended rate of 500 sqft/gal. (4 gallons for 2000 sqft.) I let it dry for 24 hours. Apparently I didn't apply the product as evenly as I had thought, or the product simply didn't adsorb into some of the heartwood as well, so I had a few areas that had pooled and become gummy afterward. Before I did the second coat, I abraded the excess gummy material using a knife to scrape off the excess, and then some abrasive scotch-brite pads to roughly feather the finish out. After cleaning the areas well with mineral sprits, I let it dry thoroughly. I then applied a second coat of Waterlox - this time at half the recommended coverage rate, using 2 gallons for the entire 2000 sqft. That application resulted in a more even finish, and no gummy areas afterward. The photos shown are my floor - solid hickory with 3 coats Tung Oil, then 2 coats Waterlox. 1 month of usage so far. In retrospect, I should have applied ONE more thin coat of Waterlox, but I was in a hurry to move in. Also a note - the raw product does NOT keep well once opened. It gums up like JELL-O within a day or so. So plan to use any material immediately after opening.

I love this product! I did a lot of research for my butcher block counters and came across this product. It is food grade safe and works well. Truly waterproof, the water beads on on the countertops! You don't have to sand in between coats, if you do, the wood grain pops out and your countertop won't be level. I use white copy paper (instead of sandpaper) to smooth out the finish in between coats. When it dries and you are ready for the next coat, use a microfiber cloth to remove dust particles and then use a tack cloth to get every last bit of dust! The first coat dries the fastest and then the drying time takes longer with each subsequent coat. I put on 5 coats and finished with the satin coat as last coat. It takes a month to totally cure so don't leave anything on the countertops or you will get discoloration (like sun bleaching, found this out by mistake!) Overall, love the product but unfortunately I wanted maple countertops but hubby bought cherry wood and the product makes the countertops look orangey. It's looks okay though but I can't fault the product for that. P.S. You are supposed to pour it out, (the large rectangular size can) from the opposite side of the opening, really, it doesn't spill all over that way. Also use a clamp to squeeze the can to get as much oxygen out as possible. I bought bloxygen to preserve it but ended up using the whole can (we made another countertop). And lastly, use a foam sponge brush so you don't have to bother with cleaning it with mineral spirits or paint thinner. Oh, one more tip, keep an eye on the underside when you paint the tops, remove excess so you don't get drip marks on other side. Good luck!

Nice looking finish. Easy to use. Great quality! I will be orderIng it again.

I couldn't find Waterlox locally. I like to use this to finish woodworking projects. In my opinion, it seems to just be a varnish that is thinned with a solvent. It can be wiped or brushed on in my experience. It definitely gives wood a glossy appearance. Not high gloss and not semi gloss but somewhere in between. Slightly darkens dark wood or adds a warmer color to light wood. Brings out the natural grain. The last project I used it for was some unfinished pine doors I burned with a blow torch and finished with 4 coats of Waterlox. Came out pretty cool. Added a picture to the review. Pro-tip, after you pour some out, squeeze the air out of the can with a clamp and seal it up after every use to expel oxygen and prevent oxidation of this product. This is a BIG can so you want it to last as long as possible and retain it integrity. This size is definitely the best bang for your buck if you do allot of finishing.

This stuff is AMAZING!!! I wanted wood countertops in my kitchen. I had done a bit of research on how to seal them. I didnt want to use oil because everyone said it gets stuff "oily" when sat on it. So the other option was poly. I went with that. After only a few weeks my kids chipped off spots, it showed water spots like none other and had scratches. I was beyond upset. Then in my pinterest perusing I came across an article about this stuff. I was super nervous about using it because it is a bit pricey. But I gave in when I saw the poly peeling off above my dishwasher from the steam. I have used this now on half my countertops and Loooove it! I stained my countertops, then used this and then used the satin sheen on top. It has more of a wood feel to it vs the plastic poly feel. Havent had any water spots at all. I have also dropped stuff on them. I cringed in fear ... but then looked...nothing! No chips no scratch...nothing! I am working on sanding down my poly countertop around the sink now and cannot wait to get it done. After that I plan on doing my island and my diningroom buffet with this stuff. Completely worth the money and extra cure time this one requires.

We used this on our new butcher block counter top, and we love it! It does smell terrible in the room for about a week. This is mainly because you have to put on so many coats. There are great instructions on how to apply the sealer, and the finish is fantastic. We started off by using the oil finish that was suggested by the manufacturer, and that was a big mistake. We had water rings and scratches on the counters. We couldn't put anything on the counters that had any type of moister on it without a consequence. The water beads right up, and we are loving it! This is expensive, but it applies very easily and totally worth the money. Pros: Looks great Easy to apply Repels water GREAT Cons: Expensive Smells bad It takes several days before you are able to use the counters regularly

Looks great on my wood counters

works well and no sanding between coats