What type of finish should I use on my hardwood floors?

There are many different options in finish to choose from when finishing a hardwood floor.  I'll explain only a little about it as this is supposed to be a short informative blog. 

Traditionally the base level of finish you have is an oil urethane commonly called Polyurethane.  I'm not a fan of this type of finish.  I don't care for how it looks and wears. So I won't talk about it.

The most popular finish around here is a conversion varnish, traditionally called a Swedish Finish.  The main manufacturers are Glitsa, Synteko, and Precision. Each company's finish has it's own characteristics and I would endorse each one.  This type of finish is alcohol based and gives the floor an amber tone to it.  The downside is that is has higher VOC levels so the smell is quite a bit stronger than other finish types.  The finish has a nice warm color and clarity to the grain.  I like the way it looks over most woods.  This finish also wears real nice, kinda like leather, it looks better over time.  You typically have 2-3 coats applied at first than additional coats applied after wear typically every 5-10 years. 

Next there is water borne finishes.  This type of finish uses water as the carrier system.  The VOC level is a lot lower, but that doesn't mean it's any healthier to breath.  It has the benefit of a faster cure time and the smell dissipates quickly. Under this type of finish system there are single component and two component varieties with a sealer as a base coat.   The two component ones being much more durable.  We like to use the Pallmann line of finishes because they have a real nice look to them.  Some, such as Bona Traffic, even though is a good finish, has a plastic look to it and you lose some of the beauty of the wood itself.  The chemistry of finish has come along way since the 80's when this finish started to gain popularity and the durability now matches that of the solvent based finishes. The main difference being in the way it looks and wears.  Hard to explain and only a person of  particle taste would notice the difference. 

Another type of finish I do occasionally is a penetrating oil finish.  Sytnteko Natural and Pallmann Magic Oil being a couple brands.  This finish penetrates the wood and seals the grain where as the other finish actually mainly sit on top of the wood.  This has a matte sheen to it and is easily repairable for the do-it-yourself type person.  This finish has a unique look and takes a little more to maintain, but the extra maintenance is worth it because it looks so good and has a very nice feel to it. I only recommend this type of finish to people who I know would appreciate it, and those I have absolutely love it.  

When we give a floor consultation we usually offer three different finish options:

Our entry level finish system includes Pallmann Pall-X 96 Waterborne Finish. Don’t let the term “entry level” fool you. This is an excellent quality, durable, residential and light commercial waterborne floor finish. It is not UV sensitive so it won’t amber over time, allows light foot traffic in approx. 4 hours and has a deep rich appearance. Waterborne finishes are more environmentally friendly than traditional polyurethane finishes, both for the applicator and the consumer, dissipating less volatile compounds during the drying and curing process. Pall-X 96 is fully cured in 7 days. It is a three coat system consisting of 1 coat of Pall-X Build Waterborne Sealer and two coats of Pall-X 96 finish. We recommend this finish for less active households. Typically, if you don’t have children and pets, then this finish is a great option for you.

The next level of finish we commonly use is Glitsa Gold Seal.  This is a Swedish formulated finish designed for use in high traffic residential homes.  It has a unique combination of durability, scratch and scuff resistance, clarity, and grain definition giving the wood a vibrant rich color.  We apply 3 ample coats to give your floors outstanding protection.  Glitsa is American Made right here in Seattle.  This finish is walkable after 24 hours and maximum cure time is 60-90 days.  We highly recommend this finish for active households, those with children and dogs.

Our premium finish system includes Pallmann Pall-X 98 Waterborne Finish.  It is a 2 component commercial grade waterborne finish ideal for heavy use residential and commercial applications. It is not UV sensitive so it won’t amber over time, allows light foot traffic in about 4 hours and is fully cured in 4 days. This is a four coat system consisting of 1 coat of Pall-X Build Waterborne Sealer and three coats of Pall-X 98 finish. Being a waterborne finish, it is more environmentally friendly than traditional polyurethanes, dissipating less volatile compounds during the drying and curing process. We typically recommend this finish in commercial settings like office buildings or hair salons, or in active households where the best protection is desired or needed.

Properties of Floor Finish – (How will my floor perform once finished?):

Many people have unrealistic expectations of what a floor finish can do. Floor finish is ‘wear resistant’ and not impact resistant. The density of the wood floor itself is what resists impact. A high quality finish will not prevent impact but will flex somewhat and not break the seal of the impacted area. This is how you want the finish to perform in these situations. There is no floor finish on the market that will be able to stop wood from denting if a heavy object is dropped on it.

You will also find that with any given finish applied to a floor surface that in direct sunlight one may see what we call ‘micro abrasion’. This would primarily be seen in the high traffic areas. This is normal as even lowly dust is considered an abrasive and we both know how easy it is to get our floors dusty. Surface abrasion can be seen from a specific angle and under precise lighting conditions. But it’s not a sign that the finish has worn through, simply that you are now living and walking on it. This is to be expected and normal.