Types of Polyurethane Finishes for Hardwood Floor  

07/29/2022

Polyurethane finish refers to a liquid resin applied as a coating on wood flooring as well as other wooden surfaces. This synthetic floor finish is made using raw materials that are derived from crude oil. Polyurethane finishes for hardwood floor can be either water-based or oil-based. As far as the type of polyurethane finish is concerned, it can be matte, satin, semi-gloss and high-gloss. In order to achieve the best results for your hardwood flooring, it is important to have a clear understanding about these finish types.  

Please remember that the basic difference between these finish types is in the way light gets reflected off its surface. Also, all these finishes are almost similar in terms of their durability.  Scuffs, scratches, or dirt are less visible on finishes with a lower level of sheen. This is simply because compared to a finish with a high sheen level, a low sheen finish reflects less light off its surface.  

Matte Polyurethane finishes have a very low level of sheen or lustre with virtually no light reflection. Opposed to the high gloss finish, this type of finish can be quite dull. However, some people love this type of finish because of its matte-look.  

Next on the sheen spectrum is the satin polyurethane finish. This type of finish comes with a medium to low lustre or sheen, and can hide dirt and scratches more effectively compared to gloss or high gloss. Being at median point of the sheen levels, it offers the best of both ends of the spectrum. It clearly displays all the beautiful graining in the floors, while hiding scratches beautifully. The Satin finishes are extremely popular these days because they make it easier for homeowners to maintain the natural look of the floor.    

The next polyurethane sheen option is semi-gloss polyurethane. Though this finish creates a clear and beautiful appearance for the hardwood floor, it is not chosen by many homeowners because it requires more upkeep than matte or satin finished floors. Compared to a waterborne one, this finish looks a little shinier in oil-based polyurethane. 

Amongst all types of polyurethane finishes, high-gloss offers the highest lustre level. This type of finish is suitable specifically for specialty hardwood species such as specialty hardwoods, but is not a good choice for high traffic hardwood floors. This type of finish makes dust and streaks resulting from water spots, pet hair, cleaning, dents and scratches much more prominent.      

Also, please note that waterborne and oil-based finishes are not the same. In general, oil based polyurethane tends to hold-up much better compared to the waterborne variant. This is because water is capable of drying and curing more solid than water. Also, oil offers higher resistance to scratch and ware compared to water. However, it is worth mentioning here that the VOC level of oil based polyurethane is significantly higher compared to water.   

Hardwood finish is an aesthetic choice that depends on what you want out of your flooring. If you want to find out more about polyurethane finishes, please get in touch with us at Enoak.