The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Hardwood Finish for Your Home
Whether protecting brand-new hardwood or refinishing old floors, the right finish will make all the difference. The best choice depends on your maintenance preferences, desired aesthetic, and lifestyle.
Surface finishes are a popular option because they’re durable and water-resistant. They also offer a sheen that hides scratches and other imperfections well.
Durability
Durability is essential for high-traffic areas and homes with children or pets—the type of hardwood you choose and your choice of finish impact how durable the floors are.
Harder woods like hickory are more abrasion-resistant than softwoods such as cherry. You can also improve durability by choosing a hard-wearing surface finish, such as polyurethane, that comes in oil-based or water-based forms. This type of surface finish creates a protective coating and offers a range of sheen levels.
Another popular option is an acid-cured (Swedish) or shellac finish, available in oil- or water-based form. Penetrating finishes such as tung or hard wax oils are also a good choice. They absorb into the wood, enhancing its natural beauty and offering low sheens. They take longer to dry but are moisture-resistant and can be re-coated without sanding.
Maintenance
Denver hardwood finishing dramatically affects its overall appearance and is vital in how easily it holds up to wear and tear. Its abrasion and scratch resistance determine how well it resists damage from shoes or furniture dragging across the surface, dirt tracked in, or pets’ claws.
A popular choice is a satin finish, which adds a slight sheen but hides scratches and dents well. However, you’ll want to be sure that the sheen level you select ties in with your aesthetic vision for your home.
Keeping your hardwood floors looking great requires consistency, such as sweeping or vacuuming regularly and wiping up spills immediately. You can further protect your hardwood floors by placing protective mats at doorways and a bench for people to sit down and remove their shoes and by putting pads under furniture that will rub against the wood. Avoid masking or blue painter’s tape on a urethane surface; they will react with the coating and peel the finish off the flooring.
Aesthetics
The finish you choose significantly impacts the look and style of your hardwood floors. A glossy finish adds elegance and sophistication, while a matte finish offers a more natural and rustic aesthetic. It’s essential to consider your lifestyle, maintenance preferences and desired aesthetic when making this decision.
Before the development of polyurethane finishes, wax was often used to protect wood flooring. Wax is still popular among homeowners who prefer a low-sheen, natural floor appearance. It also dries quickly and doesn’t emit any odors or VOCs. It can even be mixed with wood stain to color the floors during waxing.
Similarly, shellac is another popular option for clients wanting to achieve a high-sheen floor aesthetic. It dries to a glossy finish and can be thinned with denatured alcohol for a lower-sheen finish. However, shellac provides less durability than other finishes. It can be damaged by water and solvents and is vulnerable to scratches.
Cost
The hardwood finish you choose has two dynamic implications for the appearance of your home: how the wood looks and how the wood is protected from scratches, scuffs, stains, and water damage.
One way to protect your hardwood floors is with a wax finish, which provides a natural low sheen and can even be mixed with wood stain in the waxing process for a color-rich, protective finish that’s easy to maintain. Wax is also ideal for historic or rustic homes to protect decades-old flooring without ruining the aesthetic.
On the other hand, oil-based polyurethane offers a rich amber glow that enhances dark hardwoods and is ideal for traditional aesthetics. Still, it takes longer to dry and releases high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making it a poor choice for homes with children or sensitive individuals. On the other hand, water-based polyurethane dries quickly, is VOC-free, and has minimal odor. This makes it a popular choice for many homeowners.