Unlike grandma’s waxed floors, today's wood floor finishes provide an easy care surface perfect for the busy homeowner. These finishes are usually urethanes and remain on the surface of the wood and form a protective coating. Surface finishes are popular today because they are durable, water-resistant and require minimal maintenance. Various gloss levels are available.

Polyurethane finishes are most commonly used today because of their durability and easy care. An oil-based polyurethane finish imparts a slight honey colored tint to the wood. This finish ambers over time, which may not be desired on light woods. When applied, it usually takes 8-10 hours per coat to dry and has a strong odor.

A water base urethane is clear and looks very natural on wood. Some types are more durable than oil-based. It generally takes 3-4 hours per coat to dry. This finish has little odor when applied.

Wax is often used to create a soft, aged luster. Though you may renew the finish yourself, wax water spots easily, requires maintenance and is slippery. Wax is amber in color and has a low sheen. It has a mild odor when applied.

Tung oil is a penetrating finish which gives a soft hand rubbed look when applied in multiple coats, slightly ambering the wood. It requires drying overnight between coats and has a mild odor when applied. Tung oil is higher maintenance than urethane, requiring periodic buffing and reapplication.

Sheens
Four different sheens are available for wood floors: gloss, satin and matte. Each one has a different degree of shine, another factor which will determine the look of your floor.

Gloss finish is the shiniest and reflects the most light. It will show wear more quickly than all the other all sheen choices because dirt, especially the sandy soil we all have in Tampa Bay, will abrade the finish, dulling it. Animals’ toenails, even cats’ tiny claws, will scratch the floor and cause it to loose its luster.

Semi-gloss is still very shiny without the high glare of gloss. It is the right choice if you should want a fairly shiny floor, but is not recommended with children or pets.

Satin is less shiny, while still offering some shine. It is the choice if you should desire a floor that reflects light, but have children or pets.

Matte, or flat, has the least shine, and will show light abrasion the least. No floor finish is as flat as is a flat paint, however, this finish offers the least sheen possible in a protective surface finish.