| After years of admiring other people's glossy timber | | | | 4. Remove all indoor plants. |
| floors, I decided it was time to rip up our old carpet | | | | 5. Remove all oil and water based paintings. |
| and see what treasure's lay beneath. On removing | | | | The decision to move back into premises, including |
| the carpet we were presented with old Tasmanian | | | | pets and plants, is totally at the discretion of the |
| oak hardwood timber floor boards. We then hired a | | | | owner. Solvent based finishes normally take 14 days |
| floor sander to remove the paint and clean them up | | | | to a month to fully cure. |
| back to original appearance. The timber that was | | | | "Please sign your life away".... |
| presented was a beautiful array of different shades | | | | We'll that was enough for me, so I started to look |
| and grains as we had hoped. The next step was to | | | | into water-based polyurethane. These finishes did not |
| seal the floor with polyurethane to really bring out | | | | come up quite as glossy as the solvent based |
| the colour and shine, the only problem being was | | | | polyurethane when compared side by side, but on |
| which polyurethane to use? There are so many on | | | | their own gave a very nice gloss shine without the |
| the market that it is very hard to choose, so I spent | | | | health issues attached. Most of the environmentally |
| the next couple of weeks investigating polyurethane. | | | | friendly polyurethanes were manufactured overseas, |
| The more I looked into polyurethane's the more | | | | and now that I was looking "green" I decided that I |
| apparent it became that it is not a very safe option | | | | may as well also look at a product that was locally |
| in regards to health. Sure, the floors looked fantastic, | | | | manufactured. Finally I came across Tuff Enviro |
| but at what price? The following disclaimer was given | | | | polyurethane. |
| to me by a flooring sander when I was considering | | | | This product is water-based polyurethane with a solid |
| solvent based polyurethane. | | | | content of 50%, and is 100% environmentally |
| IMPORTANT WARNING-Toxic fumes given off by | | | | friendly. I came across this product at a local |
| solvent-based floor finishes contain isocyanates that | | | | development that is totally green and self sufficient. |
| effect the respiratory and central nervous systems. | | | | Tuff Enviro met all of their strict criteria and was also |
| They are particularly dangerous for asthma sufferers, | | | | locally manufactured. This was one of only two |
| children and the elderly. There is growing evidence | | | | products allowed in this development and the other |
| that solvent-based floor finishes may also be | | | | was from over seas. Naturally I decided on Tuff |
| dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn | | | | Enviro. |
| children. | | | | After investigating as to what makes a good |
| That in itself was enough to ring alarm bells and after | | | | water-based polyurethane, I compared all on the |
| further investigation I found these claims to be quite | | | | market and came to the conclusion that Tuff Enviro |
| accurate and also came across a lot of other floor | | | | was the best product (apart from the fact that it |
| sanders with the same opinion. The next part of the | | | | was locally manufactured) to use. It has greater |
| disclaimer was enough to put me off solvent-based | | | | solids content than any other on the market, it has |
| polyurethane completely and start to look at an | | | | long wet edge, no smell, is easy to apply and is |
| alternative. It read as follows. | | | | extremely scuff and scratch resistant. Having come |
| If a solvent-based finish is to be used on a floor the | | | | to this conclusion, I then applied Tuff Enviro to my |
| owner must adhere to the following basic | | | | timber floor with an outstanding result. For anyone |
| precautions: | | | | who is contemplating a gloss or satin timber floor, it is |
| 1.Vacate the premises for at least 14 days. | | | | well worth while checking out the environmentally |
| 2. Empty pantries and refrigerators. Solvent fumes | | | | friendly polyurethane's, particularly Tuff Enviro as an |
| taint foodstuffs-even packaged products. | | | | alternative to the nasty solvent based polyurethane. |
| 3. Remove pets from premises. | | | | |