Choosing The Right Floor Finish Style

Floor finish style options are more than just color and space aesthetic – different blends of finish can create different finishing options that affect how you apply the finish and how you maintain your floors. Knowing what your family needs out of a floor maintenance plan will be a key factor in your decision on hardwood floor finishes.

For example, a penetrating floor finish is designed to work exactly as it sounds; it melts into the wood itself and forms a protective seal from the inside out. It is designed to be flexible for your hardwood floors – because the finish is in the wood itself, the wood is easily movable. Additionally, stain can be reapplied without too much fuss. Should there be a pervading spill that affects the stain, your hardwoods can be sanded and the finish re-applied, and voila! Your floor becomes as good as new.

While somewhat straightforward, this level of floor maintenance is not ideal for many families, however. Some folks don’t need their hardwood floor finishes to accommodate the potential for a moving floor – moreover, they don’t want a floor that might soak up spills. For families with children or pets, a surface floor finish may be a better option.

Surface finishes coat the top of the hardwoods with a protectant seal that acts as a barrier for spills and stains. It’s highly effective as a stain repellant and requires very little upkeep from homeowners. Moreover, it lasts for a long time as it is, without needing to be re-applied.

Because a surface finish doesn’t sink in to treat the wood, these may not have the same wow-factor that a penetrating floor finish will have, to be sure. Penetrating finishes permeate the wood and make it vibrant with color at several levels. But, if your priority is minimum upkeep and maximum protection, you would do well to choose a surface option among other hardwood floor finishes.