Wood Floor Finishes

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Wood Floor Finishes

Protect Your Hardwood Floors

Wood floor finishes are not all the same...and from a consumers view point it is important to know the difference!

If you have or are considering wood floors for your home, knowing how to properly care for the floor depends on how the wood is protected, thus wood floor finishes...

After all, it is the finish, not the wood, that you are taking care of!

Not only does a good "finish" on your hardwood flooring provide the durable barrier needed to protect the wood from wear amd tear, it will also extend the life of the floor by many years and make it much easier to clean and maintain.

Types Of Wood Floor Finishes

Urethane/Polyurethane Finishes (aka-Surface Sealed)

Oil-Modified

urethane wood flooring is pre-finished by the manufacturer and is the most common. It is petroleum based with a blend of synthetic resins, plasticizers and other ingredients that form a film coating that produces the moisture-resistant, durable surface.

Moisture-Cured

urethane is a solvent-base polyurethane that is more durable and moisture resistant than other surface finishes.

Water-based

urethane finish is the most expensive of all, and offers an extremely durable surface that is moisture-resistant! Its composition is water-borne with plasticizers, plus a blend of synthetic resins and additional film forming ingredients. It too comes pre-finished from the manufacturer.

Oil & Waxed Finishes

Penetrating/Penetrating Oil Sealers - Is a combination of Tung or linseed oil, with additives that improve drying and hardness. Oil sealer is absorbed into the wood creating a hardness within that makes the wood moisture resistant.

Paste Wax Finish is the grandaddy of all types of wood floor finishes!

Wax creates a tough barrier that protects the surface of wood floors that have been treated with a penetrating oil sealer.

It is also an excellent, inexpensive way to protect wood floors with no finish or need refinishing, but if you plan to apply or re-apply a "surface" finish any time soon a paste wax finish takes some elbow grease to remove!

Lacquers, Natural Shellac and Varnish Finishes

Although no longer used or recommended by manufacturers, if your wood floor(s) are "older" (mid 60s or older) chances are the finish will be one of these.

Lacquer

- Lacquers are made by dissolving a cellulose derivative, most commonly used is nitrocellulose or ether, and other modifying materials in a solvent. Because this formula is highly flammable, it is no longer being recommended, or used, by wood flooring manufacturers.

Shellac

- A sticky "yellow substance that comes from a tiny insect, Laccifera lacca, and through a refined process becomes shellac. It is a clear top coating that becomes more "yellow" over time.

Varnish

- Is a by-product of shellac mixed with an alcohol base.

Conversion-Varnish Sealers-(Swedish Finishes) - A two-component acid-curing, alcohol-based sealers. Developed in Sweden, they are often referred to as Swedish finishes.

Unfinished/untreated wood has no barrier to protect the wood from it's worst enemies; moisture, dirt and wear!

So if this is the case of your wood floor, you can change that with one of the wood floor finishes available today.

Wood floors are expensive, applying a good sealant to the wood is NOT... in most cases you can do it yourself!

For information about taking care of hardwood floors go to:

Hardwood Floor Care Dos & Don'ts
Hardwood Floor Finish
Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Wood floors truly are a financial investment that will serve you well for a life time as long as you give them the best care possible...

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