Wood Cuts - April 2010

By Ed Korczak

Clients may spend weeks selecting the right wood floors for their home or business, but selecting the finish for their floors is just as important as the type of flooring they choose, or even the species they select. Different wood flooring finishes can have a big impact on how clients care for their floors on a routine basis, as well as how their floors will look in years to come.

Finish technologies have changed drastically over the past few decades. The finishes available on the market today are more durable, longer lasting and easier to care for than ever before. As a result, consumers have more choices available to them now than at any time in our industry’s history.

During the past few decades, consumer preferences for wood flooring have evolved. Traditionally, most U.S. consumers incorporated domestic oak species into their homes and businesses. This flooring was usually a solid strip 21/4” wide hardwood with a clear or natural low gloss or matte finish. Today, consumer preferences have shifted toward wider width flooring with a medium gloss finish. American consumers have not yet fully embraced the high gloss finishes seen in many European markets, but the trend is shifting away from low gloss and matte sheens. In addition, U.S. consumers are moving away from the medium wood species with clear or natural finishes that have been the preference for several decades toward darker wood species and stains, as well as pale, whitewashed looks.

At the same time, the “perfect” look of blemish-free wood flooring has shifted in the United States as well. Now, consumers increasingly are choosing handscraped flooring that looks beautifully antiqued. This is a reflection of their desire to “live” in their spaces, rather than maintain a museum-like home or business environment. If children or pets scuff or scratch the floors, it only adds to the character and beauty of the wood.

This trend toward darker species and stains, wider planks and medium gloss finishes requires a level of customization that has taken these products to a price point that is not considered affordable by most consumers—especially in this economy. Therefore, consumers now are demanding this customized look from mass produced flooring materials. One way this trend has manifested itself is the move toward “domestic exotic” species.

The term “domestic exotic” refers to domestic wood species that are altered to take on the appearance of imported wood species. Often, imported species, which are pricier, offer a wider range of color than is available from domestic species. This technique can be implemented by the individual installer to achieve a completely customized look or at the manufacturer’s facility to achieve a mass produced customized look.

These two finishing methods—job-site finished and manufacturer factory finished—each have their own benefits and advantages, and helping your clients choose the right method for their home, business and lifestyle will depend on the level of customization they want to achieve, as well as their personal preference.

A job-site finish is one that is applied in a client’s home or business. With a job-site finished floor, clients can choose the type of finish to be applied to their floor, as well as the stain, if any, and sheen of the final product. In other words, a job-site finished wood floor offers unlimited possibilities for customizing the final appearance of the floor. Clients also should expect to allow time for the finish to dry adequately, during which time they will not be able to walk on the floor.

With prefinished (factory finished) wood floors, the finish is applied in the hardwood facility, long before it reaches a client’s home or business. While many options are available with prefinished hardwood, you will not be able to achieve the same level of customization as with job-site finished floors. A major benefit of factory finished floors, however, is that there is minimal dust and debris generated during the installation process. In addition, your clients can walk on their floors immediately. Also, factory applied finishes are far more durable than job-site finishes.

Decades ago, finishes were labor intensive and hard to maintain. Compounds like linseed oil and soya oil varnish bases were commonly used. However, current finishes offer more options, better durability and easier maintenance than ever before. Today’s polyurethane finishes, which are blends of synthetic resins, are durable, water-resistant and require minimal routine maintenance.

Wax finishes are among the oldest floor finishes still in use today. Wax finishes are applied in thin coats and soak into the pores of the wood. The coats are then buffed and hardened to form a protective penetrating seal. Wax finished floors are generally maintained with additional thin applications of wax.

A third finish type, acrylic impregnated, is injected into the wood to create a super-hard, extremely durable floor. Acrylic impregnated finishes are rarely used in residential applications. They are usually installed in high traffic areas in commercial settings, such as malls and restaurants.

One of the newest finish technologies being used today is a penetrating oil finish. This technique combines both a wax finish and an oil finish, which is burnished into the wood to achieve a beautiful, durable and long lasting wearlayer. This finish penetrates the pores of the wood, rather than just coating its surface. There is no need to buff or add new coats of wax to maintain the look. It is a way for clients to achieve the beautiful and traditional look of a wax finished floor without the labor intensive maintenance traditionally required.

For onsite finishing, some basic application rules apply. First, the job site must be thoroughly clean—swept, vacuumed and tacked with a clean rag. Finishes must be thoroughly mixed to prevent streaks from appearing once the finish dries. It’s also essential to follow standard safety procedures, which at a minimum include wearing a respirator, eye protection and rubber gloves. Adequate ventilation is also extremely important. Open flames and pilot lights can be hazardous, since some finishes have low flash points and can easily ignite. Finally, it’s necessary to be familiar with regional VOC regulations. Fines can be stiff for those in violation of any VOC codes.

Regardless of finish type, all wood floors should be cleaned on a regular basis to protect the finish as well as the wood itself. To accomplish that, clients should simply sweep, dust mop or vacuum the floors with the beater bar turned off to remove dirt and grit from between the floorboards. Wet mopping should be avoided as it can dull the finish, or even damage the wood over long periods of time.

Clients should place scatter rugs at all entrances, avoiding those with rubber backs which can discolor their wood floors, and using wood-safe rugs mats instead. Scatter rugs help keep outside dirt and other debris from scratching hardwood floors. Floor protector pads on the bottoms of the legs of any furniture that come into direct contact with wood floors also help prevent scratching.

When spills occur, they should be cleaned immediately with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Allowing spills to remain on wood floors can damage the finish, as well as the wood itself. Even sports cleats and high heel shoes can scratch finishes or dent floors.

These routine maintenance tips will help to prolong the life of the finish and protect the wood itself for generations.

The National Wood Flooring Association provides detailed guidelines for the finishing of hardwood floors in its Sand and Finish Guidelines, which is provided to all NWFA members at no charge. Nonmembers can purchase a copy of these guidelines as well. For more information, contact the NWFA or visit www.nwfa.com..