The truth about lye

Hi floor bore here !
I thought i would give some more insight into the lye application process and
why this treatment has become so sought after.
We love treating floors with lye because it really is a very natural product

Lye is traditionally made from wood ash soaked in rainwater while the floors are kept looking at their best using a natural soap, leaving a small carbon footprint overall.
But the main reason for lye’s desirability is that it’s the best method to lighten many types of wood floors,
Victorian and Georgian pine, Douglas Fir from the fifties and sixties as well as new, oak and ash floors all benefit
from the beautiful lightening properties of the lye treatment.

So what are the main processes involved in producing a great looking lye finish ?
As with most things, preparation is key,
In this respect the floors must be sanded to a very high standard .
It may be that the client would like to keep a lot of the character of an old pine floor for example, by not totally flattening the floor, but this still requires expert sanding .
We want to show off the original floor not traces of sanding!
There are various methods stated online for the actual lye application .
We feel the best method is a s follows :
Once the floors have been sanded and cleaned, the lye is applied along the grain with a pad applicator and left
to dry off for an hour.
We will then loosen the lye by mopping on water generously and machine buffing with an abrasive pad .
The excess water is now mopped off the floor .
This process guarantees that there is no lye build up in parts of the floor.
By adding water we are also opening up the grain which gives the floor a nice texture and allows for better absorption of oil if that is to be applied .
Now the floors must be left to fully dry .
This can take up to 24 hours depending on wood type ,room temperature
and how much water is applied to the floor.
It’s good practise to take a moisture reading of the floors before any work is done so we know where the moisture level should return to after being mopped, otherwise just wait till they feel dry!
Once dry the floors will be noticeably lighter with a thin covering of lye .
We have two choices at this point in terms of treating the floors .
The usual option is that the floors are oiled, as this process will give a waterproof protection to the floors. However the floors can can also just be soaped without oiling ….a very nice natural option that can still give the floors adequate protection .
In both cases the floors will require regular soaping to maximise protection and keep the floors clean
and beautiful