jo_jo wrote:

I am in Waco, Texas, which is pretty central to Dallas and Austin. I'm
always up for a road trip - in fact, I wanted to get some waterlox for
the top coat and drove to Cameron to a hardware store that was supposed
to be a Waterlox dealer per the Waterlox web site. They had no clue
what Waterlox was.

Anyways, I think I'd like to dye the floor and will experiment with
sealing the wood before the dye,

SNIP

I personally would not use Waterlox on a floor. Waterlox has its
strong points, but I don't know that abrasion resistance for flooring
is one. Also, Waterlox has a strong yellow amber tint that comes
through on soem woods. That would certainly skew the colors that you
work up with your staining and dying test panels.

You could go to something like Sherwin Williams commercial (I have met
a couple of the guys from Dallas at trade shows and they are great) or
Benjamin Moore to ask for some ideas on finishing. Lots of other
smaller stores can help you pick a floor finish that is made
specifically with floor abrasion and occasional water duty in mind.

Before I picked a finish, I would determine if I was spraying, or
brushing. With wiping (Waterlox) I think you would have to put a lot
of coats on to get a good build. How big is the surface are you
finishing?

Robert