The Main Types Of Floor Polishes & Stains For Timber Floors
Timber floors can be finished with tons of polishes and stains, making you spoilt for choice. Here is the list of the most popular wooden polishes and stains that homeowners in Sydney prefer.
Clear Water Based
Clear water based polyurethane finish is an acrylic finish that offers a clear look to the wooden floors. Though it can look milky at times, on drying, it gives wooden floors a more natural look and subtle sheen by highlighting their natural grains.
These finishes usually spread out thin, but that doesn’t mean they are less durable. Modern water-based finishes are much more durable than traditional oil-based finishes. They provide maximum protection from wear and tear, UV, corrosion, and scuffs. In addition, you can add 3 to 5 layers of coat, if necessary, yet they will spread out smooth and adhere well to the floors.
Highlights
- Environmentally friendly (Emits lower VOC)
- Extremely durable
- Best for light-coloured timbers
- Do not turn the floors yellow over time
Satin
The satin finishes offer a gentle sheen (medium to low sheen typically 35% to 40%) and a sleek look to wooden floors, making it a popular choice for many homeowners. If you like your floors a little bit glossy but not too much, then a satin finish is an excellent choice.
One of the biggest plus points of having satin finishes in your home or office is they give a clean appearance. Yes, satin finishes hide dirt and imperfections as they do not reflect light as much as glossy finishes. It is also available in clear and amber coloured finishes.
Highlights
- Adds classic look
- Best for high traffic areas
- Pairs well with all wood varieties
- Complements all types of interior decor
Limewash
Limewashing is the process of toning down the natural colour of timber floors to give them a whitewashed effect. It is done usually before finishing the floor with a water-based polyurethane.
The colour palette of whitewashing ranges from pale white to chalky whites and whitish greys. Limewashing adds more beauty by elevating the natural grains of your timber floors and do not turn yellow. So, if you want to give your home a modern and relaxing look, choose limewashing.
Highlights
- Durable
- Environmentally friendly
- Elegant and modern
- Easy to clean
Gloss
Gloss is a shiny wooden floor finish that reflects more light than any other finish. It gives floors a wet look and can be either a medium-gloss or high-gloss finish depending upon the level of sheen you prefer.
In general, gloss finishes are high maintenance as they show up dirt and other damages much more easily. However, they make wooden floors look stunning as they tend to highlight every small detail of wooden floors. Hence, gloss floor finishes are highly sought after choices for commercial and public buildings.
Highlights
- Dramatic look
- Looks good on both dark and light timber floors
Black Stain
Black wooden floors are a recent muse for many homeowners in Sydney because of their modern, unique, and stylish looks. Generally, 2 to 3 layers of black stains are applied to achieve the desired colour and depending upon the level of opaqueness, wooden grains may or may not show up after staining.
Staining wooden floors with black stain add a beautiful depth, maintaining the look for a long time without fading. You can finish them with both satin and high gloss finishes according to your liking.
Highlights
- Stylish
- Durable
- Easy to maintain
Decided Your Finish Yet?
This is just an overall view— but the best way to decide is to contact a professional floor sanding and polishing service to check what kind of species and type of wooden floors you have and what finishes and stains will match them. So contact us now.