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Floor Finish
Durability on floors is always an issue and choosing a floor you like is of the utmost importance. The following are your choices.
- Polyurethane
Polyurethane can be either oil or water based and come in various degrees of luster or shine. Polyurethane or poly finishes ha a kind of plastic finish and can either darken or yellow a woods appearance. These are excellent for high traffic high moisture areas like bathrooms or kitchens. The main disadvantage is that if the finish gets nicked or gouged it is very difficult to spot repair and you will need to resurface the entire floor.
- Varnish
Varnish comes in a variety of luster’s from matte or dull to glossy. Varnish is slightly softer than polyurethane however the higher the gloss the more durable the surface. You can spot repair varnish.
- Penetrating Sealers
Penetrating sealers offer the most natural looking finish bringing out the grain in the wood. It’s available in various wood colors and offers good protection especially when waxed. You should wax floors treated with penetrating sealer once a year.
Ideally you want to seal the floor the same day you finish sanding to prevent the open wood surface form absorbing moisture. For best results apply the stain and sealer with a sheepskin applicator. Apply sealer evenly and use enough to cover the surface but don’t apply too much.
After the sealer has dried, follow these steps.
- Buff the floor with fire steel wood (#2).
- Vacuum and wipe the floor again with a tack cloth.
- Apply the first two coats of finish wax or other floor finish such as polyurethane or varnish
- Apply the final coat.
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