Benefits of Using Natural Oil Hardwood Floor Finish

10/13/2021

Floors are probably the hardest working areas in most of the homes. They are impacted on a regular basis by accidental spills, high heels, dirty paws, and much more. Stained, broken, shipped, or slippery floors can cause injury to individuals walking on them. In order make any hardwood flooring last for decades and look beautiful, proper finishing is a must. There are many types of hardwood finishes and finding the right option requires taking many different factors into consideration.

Water-based polyurethanes, oil-based polyurethanes, and natural oils are the most commonly used hardwood floor finish options. Needless to mention, all these finishes have their own benefits and downsides. Water and oil based polyurethane finishes tend to sit on top of the wood surface to serve as protective coatings. On the other hand, natural oils harden the wood surface by penetrating deep inside it. This type of wood finish creates a low-sheen matte effect and retains the natural grain and texture of a hardwood floor. One can opt for either colourful stains or a clear finish.

Advantages of Natural Oil Finish

Compared to traditional wood finish, natural oil finishes have a stronger effect on the wood because they penetrate deeper into the wood. Since humidity has an extremely damaging impact on wood floors, keeping the finish moisturized can be a great advantage.  There are many other reasons why a high percentage of property owners now prefer natural oil finish over other alternatives.

• The extraordinary popularity of natural oil finish can be attributed to its muted, natural matte effect.  Blemishes often become more apparent by glossy polyurethane surfaces. On the other hand, natural oils hide scratches and enhance the innate beauty of hardwood floors. This happens because the oil becomes a part of the wood by blending with it.
• Unlike polyurethane finishes that protect floorings against regular damage by staying on the wood surface, natural oils create a watertight seal by soaking into the wood. Certain penetrating oils with hardening agents can enhance durability of hardwood floors significantly. Complete replacement or re-coating of floors can be quite expensive and time consuming with polyurethane finishes. On the other hand, with penetrating oils, just a thorough cleaning or re-oiling helps the floor regain its functionality and original look.
• Polyurethane finishes have some common areas of concern such as streaking, feathering, and lap lines that can cause poor finish. On the contrary, natural oils are easy to apply, and there are no concerns related to faulty finish.
• Another advantage of natural oil finish is its easy maintenance. In general, regardless of the finish, hardwood floor is high maintenance. However, with due care and maintenance, oiled floors require less re-sanding and fewer repairs. A urethane floor finish should be vacuumed or dry mopped from time to time. A haze may be created on the surface by dust and dirt because of regular dry mopping. On the other hand, damp mopping with warm water and a mild detergent is sufficient for oil floor finishes.
• Most of the polyurethane finishes contain high levels of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause serious health problems. These finishes may also contain additives with fungicidal properties. Your home’s indoor air quality may get affected by all of these. Natural oils cause no harm to the environment, and can be the perfect choice for health conscious families.

If you want to find out more about different finishing options for your hardwood flooring, please contact us at Enoak.