Old owner painted varnish on hardwood - help

[handyman2020]

Hello, Hope you are doing well,

In this small old house which has old hardwood floor in 2 bedrooms and living room which old owner sanded down and got painted with varnish( i don't know when it was done)

Now the problem is, the varnish is stinking for last 14months and the smell goes into clothes, mattress, and even if you stay in house for couple hours, it can make you lightly smell like varnish.

I have tried following to fix the issue and didnt work:

1. I tried ventilating complete house for days during summer and it didnt help.
2. I tried painting all the walls thinking that its coming from walls but that didnt help because its coming for hardwood.
3. I changed blower filter as well in hope that it will take smell away but that didnt help.
4. 5 people stayed in house for 12 months and still the smell is there

Someone told me that since they sanded and then put the varnished, its has gone too deep into wood so no matter what I do it will always smell except I put 2 LAYERs of Oil based primer and then new lamination on all hardwood

if there is any solution can you please tell me how to fix this issue? Any product I can buy and paint on the floor get rid of this smell? or i must change/Laminate the hardwood floor.

I really appreciate your time.

Thank you

 

[The Cobbler]

I've never heard of old varnish smelling, but if it is the case, you could refinish the hardwood. if you're satisfied with the finish , you could go overtop of it . try to get an oil based urethane, it is available commercially , not sure if you can buy it retail anymore .

 

[firebirdparts]

Put some polyurethane over it.

I guess though a laminate floor over it would also slow it down enough that you'd probably notice. It might eliminate it all together. It would still be there, but just not able to get out (maybe).

 

[Dumber than lumber]

Oldtimers say “shellac sticks to everything and everything sticks to shellac”.
As for the stink: what does it smell like?

 

[handyman2020]

Oldtimers say “shellac sticks to everything and everything sticks to shellac”.
As for the stink: what does it smell like?

yellow varnish, thats what the guy said who inspected the smell for me

 

[handyman2020]

I've never heard of old varnish smelling, but if it is the case, you could refinish the hardwood. if you're satisfied with the finish , you could go overtop of it . try to get an oil based urethane, it is available commercially , not sure if you can buy it retail anymore .

refinish the hardwood, can you please tell me in short what steps are involved in it?
like sanding, coating, etc
and is it okay to sand this old hardwood which already sanded i dont know how many times

 

[yeldogt]

you need to figure out what was used ....

contact the owner ? Was the floor sticky

 

[Lynden]

VOC Off-Gassing Duration

"VOC off-gassing is most acute during application and the drying of hardwood floor finishes. Even long after these finishes have dried, however, smaller amounts of VOCs continue to off-gas into the home. The length of the off-gassing period can vary significantly based on the amount and type of finish you use, conditions in the home, and how much ventilation is available. The U.S. Green Building Council reports off-gassing of oil-based finishes can last for months or even years."

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-vocs-last-hardwood-floor-refinishing-70407.html

 

[handyman2020]

VOC Off-Gassing Duration

"VOC off-gassing is most acute during application and the drying of hardwood floor finishes. Even long after these finishes have dried, however, smaller amounts of VOCs continue to off-gas into the home. The length of the off-gassing period can vary significantly based on the amount and type of finish you use, conditions in the home, and how much ventilation is available. The U.S. Green Building Council reports off-gassing of oil-based finishes can last for months or even years."

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-vocs-last-hardwood-floor-refinishing-70407.html

Exactly thats what he guy who figured out smell told me, he mentioned something like the varnish didnt dried up or something,
is there any thing i can apply on it to fix this?

 

[handyman2020]

you need to figure out what was used ....

contact the owner ? Was the floor sticky

the guy who inspected told me its varnish as he showed me varnish dripping marks after he remove heat vent cover from the floor. The marks were on the metal vent sides going into the basement after removing the cover.

 

[jshillin]

I'd rent a floor sander and sand off the varnish and get back down to bare wood and then refinish it correctly. I won't swear that will fix the smell, but that's how I'd go about it. Either that or rip up the hardwood floor and put down something else.

 

[OJKD]

Probably something wrong with the varnish that prevents it from hardening. Not much else to do than remove it. You could try with strong soap and some elbow grease. If it comes off, it will never harden, and you need to remove all of it.

 

[TRWham]

you need to figure out what was used ....

contact the owner ? Was the floor sticky

Yeah, the term varnish is very broad. The fastest curing, lowest odor and clearest option for floors is water based polyurethane. If there is enough thickness left, then sand and finish should work.

 

[yeldogt]

the guy who inspected told me its varnish as he showed me varnish dripping marks after he remove heat vent cover from the floor. The marks were on the metal vent sides going into the basement after removing the cover.

Varnish does not tell you anything ............

you need to know what ..... my guess is was somethng that was made up

 

[Loose Nut Buster]

Looks like probably a 3/4" thick flooring, if so it can be sanded a couple times at least.
However, i would suggest a pro do it since those floor sanders in non experienced hands could be "not good" since they're aggressive.
If i remember it cost me 8 - 900. to have sand & finish a few yrs ago, definately worth checking out since you'll close in on that # and you do the work w/laminate.
My thoughts!

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

 

[KenC]

I would try lots of heat followed by ventilating the home well. Sort of like forced dry in a paint booth. Take a short vacation, a couple of days and leave the heating system at its max setting. The open all doors and window and set fans everywhere for a day. Might not work, but a lot cheaper and less mess than sanding and refinish.

 

[handyman2020]

Looks like probably a 3/4" thick flooring, if so it can be sanded a couple times at least.
However, i would suggest a pro do it since those floor sanders in non experienced hands could be "not good" since they're aggressive.
If i remember it cost me 8 - 900. to have sand & finish a few yrs ago, definately worth checking out since you'll close in on that # and you do the work w/laminate.
My thoughts!

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

Appreciate your response, In case i dont find a pro in my budget,
with which grit on a floor DRUM sander should I sand by myself ?
and
what to paint on the hardwood after sanding is done.?
Thanks

 

[handyman2020]

I would try lots of heat followed by ventilating the home well. Sort of like forced dry in a paint booth. Take a short vacation, a couple of days and leave the heating system at its max setting. The open all doors and window and set fans everywhere for a day. Might not work, but a lot cheaper and less mess than sanding and refinish.

okay, i can try but its cold, though house is empty with 60F heat on.

 

[jdsac]

Go to a real flooring supply, the one that pros use, not home depot or the like. Explain to them your problem. Sand down to raw new wood, then top coat it with a product the flooring supply recommends, following instructions exactly. Temp might be too cold now.
Take your time- no shortcuts