Different Finishes Of Wood Flooring

Wooden flooring is the new trend of the era. People prefer having wooden floors not just at home but at retail stores as well. There are several reasons why people are opting for wooden floors. Some of the major ones are, they are strong and durable, hence are perfect for heavy foot traffic; not just that they are easy to clean and maintain and they enhance the aesthetic appeal of the space. These are some of the important reasons why people are preferring wooden floors these days. Wooden floors are available in different shades which enhances the look of the space further. You will get a wide range of varieties, ranging from oak herringbone flooring to unfinished wooden flooring. Make sure to choose the one that goes well with the colour of the walls, design of the ceilings, furniture and other elements in the house. Whether you install wood floors for your home or for your office space or retail store, you will always find a warm, cosy and inviting atmosphere which elevates your mood.

In this article we shall be looking at different finishes of wood flooring. There are two main categories of wood finishes, one is surface finishes and the other is penetrating finishes. Both the finishes come with different subtypes. Surface finishes build up a protective layer on the top of the wood, whereas penetrating finishes, as the name suggests, go deep into the wood fibres, hardening and making them strong and durable from within. You can get different finishes of wood flooring from stores near you. There are several websites which offer you with a wide range of wood floorings in different finishes. Floorsave is one of them where you will find various wood floors, such as engineered oak flooring and so on in amazing finishes. Let us now have a look at different finishes of wood flooring one by one.

Polyurethane

This is a common surface finish you will find in wooden floors. It is strong and durable and creates a tough and plastic like coating that prevents the floor from scratches, moisture and stains. You will find this surface finish in several sheens ranging from high-gloss, semi-gloss, satin to matte finish. You will get a wide range of aesthetic choices, if you are opting for a wood floor with polyurethane. Oil based polyurethanes come with amber tone and are highly durable in nature. On the other hand, water-based polyurethanes are low volatile organic compounds. They dry quickly and maintain the natural colour of the wooden floor. If you want such a finish for your floors, then you can go for wooden floorings with either oil-based polyurethane finish or water-based polyurethane finish.

Tung oil or linseed oil finish

Tung oil or linseed oil finish comes under penetrating finishes. They penetrate the wood, thereby, improving its natural beauty. Not just that they also provide a low-lustre, matte finish to the wooden floor. You will find wooden floors in these finishes offering warm and rich tones. These finishes allow the wood to breathe and therefore, are suitable for solid wooden floors. If you are opting wooden floors with oil finishes, then make sure that you are regularly maintaining them. Re-oil them every few years and in case of damage, they are easier to repair than that of the surface finishes.

Aluminum oxide

Aluminum oxide is a surface finish and is extremely durable. You will find this finish mainly on prefinished hardwood flooring. In order to create a hard and scratch resistant surface, it is infused into polyurethane layers. Wooden floors with this finish are suitable for spaces with heavy foot traffic. Therefore, you can have them at your retail store or your office and at home with children and pets.

Wax finish

Wax finish is another important penetrating finish which you will find in wooden floors. It is mainly used in conjunction with oil finish. It gives a soft, low-sheen finish to the wooden floors. It protects the floors from moisture and scratches. Wooden floors with wax finish need regular maintenance in terms of buffing and re-waxing.

Summing up

These are some of the finishes which you find in wooden floors, where it is solid oak flooring or normal wood flooring. Other surface and penetrating finishes which you will find on wooden floors are, lacquer, varnish, hardwax oil and so on. Choose wisely depending on your lifestyle, wood species, how aesthetic you want your space to be and whether you are willing to regularly maintain the wood floors or not.