Oil or varnish floorboards? which did you choose?

[Hurraahhnaptime]

I am sanding down my floorboards in the bedroom and living room. I cant decide whether to use a water-based matt varnish or osmo oil matt. Any experiences of oil or varnish please? Which did you choose and why?

Ours have satin varnish. It's very hard wearing, slight sheen.

Slightly different but we had oil in our hallway so that we can sand out and reoil if we scratch it. I think with varnish it's not as easy to touch up. But I'd expect a hall floor to get more traffic etc.

We used Osmo because we loved the finish. Great to apply too. Happy experience all round.

Oil. It's great, when we have scratches we just rub a bit of oil in and they vanish (well, the gouge can still be there if it's and deep one but is the same colour as the surrounding wood so effectively disappears).

Can you mop the floor if it has an oil finish?

Yes you can mop but best not to leave puddles of water on the floor (probably the same as varnish?)

for a bedroom, I think clear satin varnish is OK. You can use wood dye first if you want to improve the colour (tinted varnishes tend to wear patchy)

In a high traffic area like a hall, you can use oil and patch the dents and scratches, it will look increasingly lived-in.

Is it best not to use varnish in high traffic areas?

I was thinking of just using oil in all rooms. Are there any negatives to using oil?

high traffic will wear away varnish (or paint) leaving a very different, worn appearance.

A worn oiled and waxed floor can be re-oiled, and will just look gnarled.

Osmo Polyx Oil / other hardwax oils are great for floors. Suggest a test first to check you like the colour - old pine can come up surprisingly warm (i.e. orange).

I've used ronseal natural floor wax on all floors. I've used it for years and am very happy with it. I guess in a high flow area I have to resamd every five years or so