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You have questions, we have answers. Explore the most frequently asked questions about Finished Hardwood flooring below. Need assistance or want to know more? Contact Carlisle or call 800-595-9663 today to get all your inquiries answered.
A finished hardwood floor is a surface made of wooden planks that have been treated with a protective coating to prevent scratches, wear and stains. Common finishes include polyurethane, wax, oil sealants acid-cured finishes and aluminum oxide.
Aluminum oxide is considered the toughest finish for a hardwood floor, providing long-lasting protection against scratches, scuffs, fading, water damage and other wear and tear. Aluminum oxide is a low-maintenance finish that is available in several levels of gloss. Because it must be applied with special tools and machinery, aluminum oxide is only available for prefinished floors that are treated in factory-controlled conditions within a manufacturer’s facility. It’s important to understand the amount of aluminum oxide being used in the finish of the product you’re considering as this will determine the ability to refinish the floor in the future.
Explore and select from our gallery of our most popular finishes, specially categorized by the personalities and traits of the floor designs.
ExploreWater-based and oil-based polyurethane are the most popular hardwood floor finishes. These sealants provide excellent protection, a beautiful appearance and are among the more affordable finishes.
Polyurethane is a liquid plastic material or polymer that provides a strong protective coating when applied to wooden planks. A polyurethane finish makes a wooden floor more resistant to spills, stains, scratches and wear than a natural floor or a waxed hardwood floor. Water-based polyurethane is a clear sealant that is more eco-friendly than oil-based polyurethane and dries faster, enabling homeowners to walk on their surfaces within a few hours. Oil-based polyurethane takes longer to dry, which makes it a little easier to work with. Oil-based polyurethane has strong odors that may take several days to dissipate, and the sealant tends to yellow a bit over time.
An unfinished wood floor is a surface that has not been sustained or sealed with a protective coating – the floorboards retain their natural appearance and feel. Finished floors may be stained to achieve a certain color and then sealed with a protective coating that is resistant to scratches, wear, and moisture.
It’s certainly okay, but not often recommended, to leave a hardwood floor unfinished, though these surfaces will require a bit more maintenance than a finished floor. Any spills must be cleaned up immediately to prevent stains, and floors should be cleaned with a broom and vacuum rather than a wet mop. Unfinished floors will need to be highly sanded to make them safe for bare feet.
A waxed floor is finished with a hard wax oil – a combination of natural oils and wax with an optional pigment that can add color to the floor. Hard wax oils penetrate the wood and create a protective barrier that blocks stains and prevents water damage. By hardening or curing the wood, hard wax oils extend the life of the floor and help the wood retain its beauty over time. The downside to hardwax and hardwax oils is that they require very specific maintenance routines and often require reapplication every 12-24 months.
Sheen, or gloss, in a hardwood floor refers to the level of luster in the finish – the amount of light reflected from the floor when viewed at a 60° angle. High-gloss floors have a very shiny appearance, while low-gloss floors have a duller but more natural appearance. High-gloss floors have a luster level of 70%, while semigloss floors have around 55% and are the most common level of sheen for residential use. Satin finishes have a luster level of about 40%, and matte floors have a luster level of 10 to 25%.
Prefinished floors are hardwood floors that are sanded, stained and sealed within the factory-controlled conditions of a manufacturer’s facility before they are shipped to a job site for installation.
Prefinished hardwood floors can be installed more quickly than floors finished on site. These surfaces allow homeowners to skip the inconvenience, odor and mess of having a floor finished within the home. Manufacturers can apply stronger sealants to prefinished wood flooring, helping to increase the durability and longevity of the floor. The only drawback to prefinished flooring is that they require more protection after installation to avoid damage during the construction process.
Stains are a water-based or oil-based substance with a pigment that adds color to the planks of a hardwood floor. Finishes are a protective coating designed to resist moisture, scratches, scuffs and wear. Stains are applied before finishes.
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors offers a wide range of finish options designed for residential and commercial use. Available in Satin, Matte, Extra Matte and even Super Matte sheen levels, our finishes enhance the natural color and characteristics of the wood and have very little buildup compared to traditional polyurethanes which can have a plastic look. Carlisle Clear and Amber finishes are easy to care for and can be touched up in a matter of hours with no sanding required. Our design consultants are experts at helping homeowners find the right finish – as well as the type of wood, grade, texture and structure – to create a floor that will be a defining feature of the home.
