When shopping for wood flooring for your home, you may think that the job is done once you’ve decided between unfinished engineered and solid wood flooring and you’ve chosen a wood species. However, there is one more decision left to make – what finish to use on your floor.

Benefits of floor finish

• Water resistance. As you may know, moisture can damage wood floors, causing them to swell and warp. A water-resistant coating of finish can form layer on top of your wood flooring to help protect against water ingress.
• Protection from damage. A good floor finish can help protect the wood floor from scratches, scuffs, dents and other damage.
• Appearance. Depending which option you choose, a floor finish will enhance the natural beauty of the wood and improve its appearance.

Finish options to choose from

There are a few finish options to choose from. Floor finish expert Fiddes, for example, has the following available:

• Floor lacquer in gloss, satin or matt
• Floor sealer (preseal)
• Barrier seal (shellac pre-seal)
• Hard wax oil in dead matt, matt and satin and very easy to patch repair.
• Clear glaze (gloss)
• Liquid floor wax (high maintenance)

The option you choose depends on the species of wood and your own personal tastes and requirements. Some people like the high-gloss finish of Gloss lacquer and glaze, whilst others prefer the more natural, wood-penetrating effects of hardwax oil, which can be supplied in dead matt, matt and satin.