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Which Finish is Right for You?
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| Our Wood | Our Finishes | Contact Us |
Choose the Finish that Suits Your Style and Your Lifestyle
All Finishes have pluses and minuses re the type of look (top coated or natural), wear resistance to scuffs and scratches, maintenance and reparability.
We Offer two types of Finishes: Natural Hardwax Oil and Polyurethane. Both can be used by themselves or over wood tone stains.
Wood floor finishes have changed dramatically in the past 5 years. New environmentally focused laws have made some of the tried and true finishes of 20 years ago illegal to use in almost every state.
That isn’t to say the new finishes aren’t as good, it’s just that you can’t reach for the oil based polyurethane that worked like a charm, was cheap and durable. There are actually some excellent choices available that are better than the old polyurethanes and offer a bigger variety of finish patinas, etc.
We’ve tried about every high-end finish available over the past few years and have had great success with the finishes we’ve selected for our planking. They also happen to be the most expensive but why save a few dollars on an inferior finish.
Unstained OSMO Natural Hardwax Oil
This oil is a micro-porous finish that penetrates and becomes part of the wood. It is not a wear coat and therefore cannot chip, crack or peel.
Imported from Germany, where strict environmental standards have been in place for decades, this hard-wax oil consists of thistle oil, sunflower oils, natural vegetable oils, carnauba wax, candallila wax and special hardeners. On unstained oak it ages to a beautiful golden color that resists stains, wine, alcohol, and water.
This is one of the very few finishes that truly get better with age. The wood will turn a deep golden color and subtle tones and hues will appear as it ages. It is one of the most natural, environmentally friendly finishes available. (It is so safe it is suitable for babies’ toys!)
It will show less dust and dirt and fewer scratches than any other finish you can buy.
Buy this floor if you want natural flooring that will age beautifully and provide years of low maintenance service.
Don’t buy this floor if you want darker colors or a polyurethane top coating
Maintenance: This is a low maintenance finish. You can sweep, vacuum, or dry “Swiffer” to pick up dust and dirt. A mild cleaner on a damp mop will remove most caked on dirt.
To brighten the finish, add protection and remove tougher dirt and stains use the OSMO cleaner wax. Simply wipe it on with a piece of sponge or a heavy paper towel (shop towels work great). Caked on dirt may require some rubbing. Then, let it dry and buff it if you want a shinier look or leave it dry to a soft, flat matte finish.
Tip: You only have to maintain the traffic areas, not the whole floor, as you do with any other non plank wood floor.
Repairs:
This is the easiest floor to spot repair perfectly that I’ve ever encountered. The wood can scratch (as any hardwood can. ..it is wood after all), especially from dog nails, dragging furniture, etc, however a little oil rubbed on the surface will blend it in and add protection. If you want to remove the scratches you can sand the spots down and add a coat or two of the oil. The newly repaired areas will “catch up” and blend in perfectly in a few weeks.
You never have to refinish the whole floor!
OSMO Natural Hardwax Oil over Stain
This is the oldest looking flooring we offer. It will show “character marks” and signs of aging more than any other finish.
It is a magnificent recreation of truly colonial flooring.
The hand rubbed wood tone stain colors will deepen over time.
Buy this flooring if you want authentic, foot-worn planks in rich wood tone colors and a softer natural finish.
Do not buy this finish if you are troubled by marks and foot worn appearance or if you want more gloss and the deep surface coating of a polyurethane. Not recommended for an active household (i.e. Big dogs and small children)
Maintenance: If the foot-worn, historic look appeals to you, maintenance is really easy. However, this finish will require a bit more attention if you want it to stay in a more perfect, “as new” condition.
You can sweep, vacuum, dry “Swiffer” dust and dirt. A mild cleaner on a damp mop will remove most dirt.
To brighten the finish, add protection and remove tougher dirt and stains use the OSMO cleaner wax. Simply wipe it on with a piece of sponge or a heavy paper towel (shop towels work great). Caked on dirt may require some rubbing. Then, let it dry and buff it if you want a shinier look or leave it to dry in a soft, flat matte finish.
Repairs:
This surface will tend to scuff and wear through more easily than polyurethane, and that is it’s appeal. It will look old, not damaged. Occasional applications of oil in traffic areas will protect the color and deepen the finish. It can be spot repaired although not quite as easily as the natural oil with no stain.
Polyurethane Over Natural Oak (No Stain)
Polyurethane is a hard, “plastic” coating that has been used on floors since the early 1900’s. Until the last 30 years or so it was strictly mixed with oil based solvents to apply it to the surface.
Oil based polyurethane was very easy to apply, was durable and fairly inexpensive. The problem was it released some nasty volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) into the atmosphere while drying.
Although it has taken years to achieve the same durability, polyurethanes for floors are now almost exclusively water based products with very low VOC content.
Our Commercial Polyurethane - Basic Streetshoe XL - is a hard, durable finish. It is a commercial two-part catalyzed finish and is one of the best floor finishes available anywhere in the world. It is used extensively in restaurants, shopping malls, and gymnasiums throughout the world! (It is the finish used in the US Olympic Training Center and in The Sydney Opera House)
We offer polyurethane in three sheens: Gloss, Satin and Super Matte (the most historic look in polyurethane that adds depth without any sheen)
Since it is a water based polyurethane it is crystal clear, however, special sealers can be used to mimic the more golden look of oil based polyurethane on unstained oak. By itself on unstained oak it provides a bright “new oak” appearance. And, because it has tremendous ultraviolet light protection it will not darken with age.
Buy polyurethane on unstained oak if you want the brighter look of natural wood with a deeper top coating than an oil finish.
Don’t buy this flooring if you want a more golden, softer and natural look that will deepen in color with age.
Maintenance: Polyurethane is a no wax finish. Simply vacuum, “Swiffer” or damp mop as required to maintain a perfect finish. You can use common floor cleaning products (non-silicone based, non-ammonia based). We’ve found the “Bruce Hardwood Floor Cleaner” available at Home Depot, COSTCO, etc to be a good product.
Repairs: This finish does not scratch easily and will resist compression damage more than oil.
However, all polyurethanes are “wear coats” that eventually need to be refinished. (depends entirely on traffic, not time)
Polyurethane is not easily spot repaired. Although, because there is a natural separation between planks (unlike a standard hardwood floor), you can refinish individual planks or the planks in high traffic areas without re-doing the whole floor.
The polyurethane we use is water based and can be easily recoated in a few hours without sanding (if you don’t let it wear through to bare wood before recoating). The recoated surface can take light foot traffic in a few hours and furniture can be replaced within 24 hours.
Polyurethane Over Wood Toned Stains
This finish is a thicker “wear” coating and has more depth than the natural oil, or oil over stain. It will maintain an “as new” condition better than any other finish we offer.
The antique Super Matte over wood toned stains is a close approximation of our oil over stain and will maintain a newer look longer. It will not change color or darken substantially over time.
Buy polyurethane over wood tone stains if you want rich colors and a deeper top coat that will resist scratches and scuffing more than oil.
Don’t buy this flooring if you want a floor that will look more natural and show the marks of time and use without looking damaged.
Maintenance: Same as Polyurethane over natural oak.
Repairs:
Same as Polyurethane over natural oak except a bit of the stain will make minor scratches or even deep cuts almost disappear. (we provide a small can of the stain with your flooring)
Antique “Pub Black” (Polyurethane over hand rubbed paint and stain)
By far the most stunning old world plank flooring you can buy.
We recommend using this planking selectively to add the “wow” factor to any dining room, master bedroom or formal living room.
Buy this flooring if you want the most unique colonial look available anywhere with the toughness of polyurethane.
