The hardwood flooring market today is growing dynamically in many new and exciting directions. There are hundreds of brands and products available to choose from, both good and bad. We constantly test and explore new options that we can introduce and offer to our clients. And here is a quick explanation of our standard finish offerings.
Oil-Based Polyurethane Finish System
If you’ve ever seen honey oak floors, chances are it was oil-based polyurethane. It was the most popular choice from the 1960s all the way to the early 2000s, and it still is a widely used product for a variety of reasons.
Features
- Warm amber color which darkens over time. Some hate it, some love it
- High finish build – 42%+ solid content
- High grain fill, very little to no texture
- Good durability
- High VOCs – 500+
- Strong Odor*
- 24 hours dry time
- 2-4 weeks cure time
- Maintenance coat recommended every 3-7 years for residential clients
- Repairs are hard to blend
* If your family has small kids, pregnant women, or people with allergies or sensitivity to chemicals, we do not recommend an oil-based finish system.
One-Component Waterbased Polyurethane Finish System (Regular Traffic)
First introduced in the 1980s waterbased finishes have come a long way and now are superior to oil-based counterparts in almost every aspect. The cut-throat competition ensures continuous research and development with regular product improvements.
Features
- Is clear and stays clear
- Medium finish build – 32%+ solid content.
- Medium grain fill, medium to little texture
- Good durability**
- Low VOCs – ~200
- Low Odor
- 3 hours dry time
- 5-7 days cure time
- Maintenance coat recommended every 3-7 years for residential clients
- Repairs are very hard to blend
Two-Component Waterbased Polyurethane Finish System (High Traffic)
2k finish offer outstanding, top of the line performance and are at the frontier of waterbased finish technologies. An additional hardener component (crosslinker) allows polyurethane molecules (monomers) to create additional connections which result in stronger, more wear-resistant protection film for your floors.
Features
- Is clear and stays clear
- Medium finish build – 32%+ solid content
- Medium grain fill, medium to little texture
- Best durability thanks to increased scuff and wear resistance**
- Low VOCs – ~200
- Low Odor
- 3 hours dry time
- 3-7 days cure time
- Maintenance coat recommended every 3-8 years for residential clients
- Repairs are very hard to blend
** Performance between different products and manufacturers can vary greatly. Stay away from subpar big box store brands and beware of very low prices. The most common problem with waterbased products that we encounter is contractors spreading finish too far with improper application techniques and tools which leads to premature finish wear.
Our basic pricing covers a 3-coat system. We apply one coat of sealer or stain, followed by two coats of finish. Additional coat(s) of finish can be applied and is recommended in most cases.
Hardwax and Penetrating Oils
A relatively new kid on the US market with a lot to offer. Unlike traditional polyurethane products, hardwax oils don’t form a plastic film on the wood surface. Instead, these products penetrate wood fibers and bond with the wood molecules to harden thew wood from the inside. This means that there is no finish to scratch and touch-ups and repairs are much easier to do.
This finish system allows for unlimited layered color options with textured matte look you simply can’t achieve with polyurethane finishes.
Features
- Countless color choices
- Extremely High Solids – 90+%
- Low grain fill, a lot of texture
- Great durability if maintained correctly.
- 0 VOCs (this is not a typo)
- Low Medium Odor (depending on the brand)
- 24 hours dry time
- 3-7 days cure time
- Maintenance coat recommended every 1-4 years for residential clients. Recoating only traffic areas is possible.
- Relatively simple repair process depending on the color selection