How to Choose a Finish for Your Hardwood Flooring
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Your hardwood flooring needs a finish for protection. Learn the pros and cons of various wood floor finishes.
Your wood floor may have come from trees that weathered wind and rain and snow … but natural hardwood flooring needs to have a finish applied to be protected from the elements of everyday use in your home.
The right wood floor finish also can enhance the color and texture of your home’s hardwood floors, depending on which type you choose. Each finish has its advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to pick the one that is right for your floor.
Selecting a hardwood flooring finish
How to decide? Think about how the room will be used and exactly how you want the hardwood floors to look after the finish has been applied.
Most of the available options also give you a choice of sheen. The higher the gloss finish, the more noticeable scratch marks and scuffing will be. A smooth or matte finish will reflect less light and is much more practical. A less glossy finish or a satin sheen will give your hardwood floor a more traditional appearance.
Your final flooring finish decision should be based on:
• How durable the finish needs to be.
• Whether the floor needs special moisture protection.
• Exactly how you want the hardwood floor to be treated.
Oil-based polyurethane
An oil-based urethane finish combines plasticizers, synthetic resins and other protective ingredients. This will provide your hardwood flooring with a very durable finish that is easy to maintain. Recoating is easy and after several coats have been applied, your hardwood floor will have a tint that mellows with age.
You may choose this finish for an area that gets a lot of use, where you want a very hard-wearing and moisture-resistant surface.
You should know: Oil-based urethane finish is slow to dry; it’s flammable; and it will add an amber shade to the natural color of the wood.
Water-based polyurethane
With a water-based urethane you will get a clearer, non-yellowing finish. The product contains synthetic resins and plasticizers. The result is very durable, noncombustible and more resistant to moisture than an oil-based finish. This type of finish is most often used for hardwood floors in commercial premises, because of its durability.
A water-based urethane finish is a good choice if you want to apply a fast-drying finish that can easily be recoated and will maintain a good clear color.
Moisture-cured polyurethane
If you need a surface that is more durable and resistant to liquids, you could consider a solvent-based polyurethane finish that has been moisture-cured. The moisture-curing process depends on the amount of humidity in the air. During the process the polyurethane absorbs minute moisture particles, which harden on the surface as they dry.
This type of finish is not easy to apply and should only be done by a professional. It’s a good choice for areas with a lot of moisture or where accidental spills might occur.
Penetrative sealers for wood flooring
Wood sealers can either be made from natural oils or solvent-based. When a solvent-based penetrative stain is applied, this will soak into the wood and seal it. Natural oil sealers, made from linseed oil and pure tung oil (also known as China wood oil) improve the hardness of the wood as it dries. Applying a wax coating will add some sheen.
You should know: Choosing this type of sealer will give you a stunning hardwood floor, but it will need some extra care. Water-based products should never be used on a floor with this type of finish.
Wax finish for hardwood floors
Wax is certainly one of the best finishes to consider for any type of hardwood floor. Wax dries very quickly and easily. It’s also easy to repair the surface when scratches, scuffs or other types of damage mark it. Thin coats of wax should be spread in layers, to give your floor a protective surface that can be buffed up for extra sheen.
Wax is the traditional choice for hardwood floors. It does require some maintenance, but a wax finish can last practically forever.
Extra-durable finish for hardwood flooring
Extra-durable acrylic finishes and conversion-varnish sealers (also known as Swedish finishes) keep hardwood floors looking good for many years. The conversion-varnish technique involves both acid curing and the use of alcohol-based sealers. Manufacturers claim that these extra-durable finishes are up to ten times more durable than traditional finishes.
Deciding on a hardwood flooring finish
Whether you are refinishing hardwood floors or starting from scratch, the finish you choose can provide the protection your floor needs — but it also should add something special to the appearance of the hardwood. After considering exactly what sort of treatment is best for your needs, you can then decide on the shade and sheen you want to add to enhance the natural beauty of your hardwood floor.
Editor's note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted on Jan. 14, 2015.
About this Experts Contributor: Joan Slaughterbeck is president of Slaughterbeck Floors, a flooring contractor that has been providing flooring services in Campbell, California, since 1974. Follow this contributor on Twitter and Google+.
As of July 15, 2016, this service provider was highly rated on Angie's List. Ratings are subject to change based on consumer feedback, so check Angie's List for the most up-to-date reviews. The views expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect those of Angie's List.