Letter 25009

Health affects of aluminum oxide wood finish [Colorado] 

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I noticed that there has been discussion of aluminum oxide as a finish for hardwood floors. Such a finish has been proposed for my current floor project, and I am wondering if anyone has information about the health and environmental affects of working with it. How does it compare to a water-based finish??

Brian Stern
home owner - Rollinsville, Colorado, USA

I'm currently refinishing my hardwood floors and would like some additional information on this particular finish. Where can some one purchase it and is it easy to apply, and what are the health risks.

Edmundo Mendoza
- Waukegan, IL, USA

Ed. note: Much of the earth's crust is made of aluminum oxide, as is sandpaper, as are the surfaces of anodized aluminum pots and pans. It is surely not hazardous of itself. Naturally, we can't guarantee that there are no additives associated with a proprietary process that might be hazardous, nor that some circumstance could not produce a dust of a hazardous size, or some related hazard, but it appears safe.

Based on our browsing, you may wish to talk to Absolute Coatings about Trek Plus; it looks to us like Friedrich Klumpp Gmbh provides aluminum oxide factory cured finishes for several wood flooring companies, but doesn't offer consumer products. In another thread, a reader reported that some Fuhr International floor finishes contain aluminum oxide.

I want to answer or follow-up on this subject publicly (in non-commercial fashion).

 

My company is a supporting advertiser at finishing.com and we want the contact information to reach the inquirer privately.

 

I want to post a new question or inquiry of my own on a different subject.