Nov 05 2010

How Shiny Do You Want Your Oak Floors to be?

Published by at 11:17 pm under Uncategorized

There are three types of sheen levels that you can choose from for your home’s oak floors. When choosing which type of finish you’d like to use, you need to consider the type of plank hardwood flooring you’re using. In this case, you’re using oak. Is oak exceptionally good at reflecting sheen? Another factor to consider is your overall vision for the room or your entire home. What kind of flooring finish would help you achieve your vision?  One of the most popular choices is wide plank hardwood flooring, mostly because it looks a bit different than the usual narrow type seen in many homes.

One of the best looking and most durable choices is to get a quarter sawn oak floor.  What this means is that the oak logs are sawed into quarters, which makes them a lot stronger than pieces that are sawn straight.  For this reason, many woodworking experts agree that quarter sawn oak floors both look great and hold up very well.

The Different Types of Flooring Finishes

Satin is the least shiny of all sheen ranges you can use with oak floors flooring. Other terms used to describe satin finishes include low gloss and low luster finishes. Of the many pre-finishes used with natural wood flooring, satin type finishes are the most popular.
High gloss, on the other hand, is the shiniest of all. This type of flooring has a more elegant feel to it compared to satin-type finishes. You’ve probably seen it commonly used on basketball courts and indoor sports gymnasiums, hotel and resort lobbies, and other commercial areas. With that in mind, it’s easier to understand why using the same kind of flooring can immediately elevate your home and make it appear a step above other homes.
There are, however, several downsides to using high gloss finishes for oak floors flooring. Firstly, this is a high-maintenance type of flooring: you need to clean your floor regularly and thoroughly. Your floor’s excessively shiny surface makes it easy to see all kinds of imperfections, from mere dust build-up to dents and scratches.
And finally, we have medium gloss. This type of flooring finish is also known as semi-gloss. It’s a compromise between high gloss and satin finishing. If you want the low-maintenance aspect of satin finishes but enjoy even just a bit of the beauty of high gloss finishes then a medium gloss is exactly what you need for your home’s oak floors flooring.

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