Hardwood finishes serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. Finishes are applied to highlight the wood’s inherent beauty, emphasizing grain patterns, color variations, and texture. Different finishes (such as oil-based, water-based, or wax-based) can achieve varying effects.
How to achieve a high-quality finish
First of all, it’s essential to prepare the wood. Remove indentations, grease, oil, and other wood defects using multiple grits of sandpaper. Identify if there are any loose boards, unsecured nails, or holes that may require attention, such as filling with wood filler or putty. You might find it helpful to use a putty knife to apply the filler or putty to the floor surface.
Once the filler is applied and fully dried, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust or residue before sanding.
Sanding is a process that requires both scientific understanding and artistic skill. It is important to grasp the progression of grits and techniques for achieving a glass-smooth finish on your projects. Always sand in the direction of the wood grain. Dust the surface and apply a water-based primer, stain, or clear coat.
Apply synthetic dye concentrates suspended in water or alcohol before using a pigmented wiping stain. Colorants are dissolved with mineral spirits, oil, alcohol, or water to create dyes. Dye alters the color of the wood without obfuscating its features or producing a muddy or unclear surface. Furthermore, dyes permeate both hard and soft grain, frequently enhancing or “bringing out the grain.” When using water-based dyes, the wood retains only the surface color as the water evaporates.
While dyes color the grain and the spaces between the grain roughly the same color, pigmented stains fill the grain and leave the wood surface with less colorant.
The type of flooring you have, how often it is used, and the desired level of reflection should all be taken into account when selecting wood finishes.
Types of wood finishes
An oil-based polyurethane finish is thicker and more appropriate for floors that see a lot of foot activity. It has a high sheen and is best suited for floors that will be cleaned and maintained regularly. The treatments are widely used because they offer a natural gloss that keeps moisture out and prevents filth and scratches. This kind of finish can be used to conceal small surface flaws in the wood and is rather simple to apply.
If you want to improve the condition of your wood floors while also being green, water-based polyurethane is the ideal option for floor coatings. In addition to its exceptional resilience against abrasion, moisture damage, and UV radiation, it also has low emission levels. This makes it an outstandingly environmentally responsible choice.
The application is very easy and fuss-free. It doesn’t smell strong (so you won’t be disturbed while curing) and dries faster than conventional products. Also offers choices for a glossy or matte finish as well.
Water-based products contain fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than the typical polyurethanes on the market today. A product with fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will be appreciated by allergy sufferers.
