What is the difference between water based finish and oil based one?
This is a hotly debated topic even amongst those of us in the flooring profession. Oil based finishes have been around far longer – the granddaddy of finishes you might say – and they have a decent track record. The problem is they tend amber (OK yellow) over time, take a long time to dry, and possibly most troublesome of all give off some pretty nasty vapors and VOCs – which are big enemies of both the environment and the health of your home. For these reasons most professionals are turning to water based finishes. They are non-yellowing, non-toxic, environmentally safe and dry very quickly. In their early days they got a bad rap, but the new modern versions are greatly improved. Some water based finishes benefit from being finished with a top coat and we at Aladdin Carpets and Flooring know exactly which ones to use.
