Finishing Wood

I have been pondering what finish to put on the oak floors. I bought a can of Waterlox back in 2005 and it has been sitting in the back of the refrigerator
since then. It has been opened and a little of it used so I must have
tested it on something but I don't remember it (so many projects going
on at once!) I'm lucky it is still good and didn't gel up. Maybe keeping
it in the refrigerator and that it had its metal plug replaced under
the cap has kept it fresh.

I have half my living room oak woodwork finished in several coatings of dewaxed garnet shellac. I decided to go over the top of it with the Waterlox
I have. I have the Original "medium sheen". I took extra fine steel
wool over the shellac to make sure it will get a good bond. It is so
easy to put on. It is just like rubbing baby oil on the wood! But is
does smell and doesn't dry for several hours. I had gotten used to the
smell but when my husband came home he immediately asked what that smell was.

The "medium sheen" was too shiny for oak to suit my taste. I added a little Shellac Flatt to the Waterlox on the final coat and am pleased. In a few days when it's cured, I'm going to rub some "dark oak" Black Bison Wax on it to give that satin sheen (not shine).

The problem with doing the floors with Waterlox will be
the dry time. I'm going to have to do small sections of the floor at a
time so we can step around it. Shellac would have been so much easier
but it has its drawbacks. Occasional cat accidents (hairballs) ruins
the finish. An area rug over the shellac would probably stick to it in
the summer humidity. You can see what a mess the shellac turned into when the old carpet was pulled up. The foam pad had melted into it so I had to
strip it. See pictures here.
So Waterlox it will be, one small section at a time.