Hardwood Flooring Finishes

SURFACES FINISHES
In most cases, if you are purchasing a wood floor that has to be sanded, stained, and finished, you are going to have it done by a professional. If that is the case, the installation professional can help guide you in the right direction as far as what type of finish will be correct for your application. If you are buying a pre-finished wood floor, in most cases the price will dictate the quality.

Lasting beauty requires minimal care with today's wood floor finishes. These finishes are usually urethanes and remain on the surface of the wood and form a protective coating. Surfaces finishes are popular today because they are durable, water-resistant and require minimal maintenance. Various gloss levels are available.

• Oil-modified urethane is easy to apply. It is a solvent-base polyurethane that dries in about eight hours. This type of finish ambers.
• Moisture-cured urethane is solvent-base polyurethane that is more durable and more moisture resistant than other surface finishes. Moisture-cure urethane comes in non-yellowing and in ambering types and is generally available in satin or gloss. These finishes are extremely difficult to apply, have a strong odor and are best left to the professional.
• Conversion varnish dries clear to slight amber and is durable. These finishes have an extremely strong odor and should be applied by the highly skilled flooring professional.
• Water-based urethane finishes are clear and non-yellowing. They have a milder odor and dry in about two to three hours.
• Penetrating Stain and Wax - This finish soaks into the pores of the wood and hardens to form a protective penetrating seal. The wax gives a low-gloss satin sheen. It is generally maintained with solvent-based (never water-based) waxes, buffing pastes or cleaning liquids (specifically made for wax-finished wood floors and an additional thin application of wax as needed.

Wax finishes are usually less expensive and easier to apply. Unless you have a good amount of experience with these types of materials, it is highly recommend that you have a professional installer apply whatever you choose. The materials can be dangerous and if they are not applied properly, you can end up with a very disappointing floor.

PENETRATING STAINS AND FINISHES
These finishes do exactly what their name implies: they penetrate the wood to form a protective seal. The stains soak in to provide color, and a wax coating gives a low-gloss satin sheen that can be maintained with additional thin application. These finishes require special careÂ-water-based products should never be used to clean or maintain the floor, only solvent-based waxes, buffing pastes, or cleaning liquids specifically made for wax-finished wood floors.

SHEEN - High gloss, low gloss, satin finishÂ-your choice is a matter of personal preference. Keep in mind, however, that high gloss finishes show scuffs and scratches more readily than low gloss or satin finishes. High gloss finishes reflect more light and are typically used in more commercial or contemporary settings, while satin finishes reflect less light and are favored for more traditional settings.

EXTRA-DURABLE FINISHES - The latest trends in finishes include products designed to further extend the life of hardwood floors and make them more durable than ever. Some polyurethane finishes contain aluminum oxide to enhance the abrasion-resistance qualities of the floor. Some manufacturers report that this finish is 10 times more abrasion-resistant than other wood finishes, and are guaranteed for up to 25 years.

Swedish finishes are resin-based finishes that originated in Sweden. They form a tough film that is thin enough to allow the grain of the wood to be felt. Swedish finishes do not require waxing and can be recoated without sanding.

Acrylic finishes provide an extremely hard, durable barrier to dirt, moisture, and wear and tear because the finish is actually forced into the pores of the wood at the factory. Acrylic-impregnated floors are among the most expensive and are often used in commercial settings.