Factors To Consider When Determining What Kind Of Finish Is On Your Hardwood Floor

Factors To Consider When Determining What Kind Of Finish Is On Your Hardwood Floor

11 February 2016
 Categories: , Blog

If your hardwood floor does not have many stains, dents, dings or scratches, yet is losing its color and shine, you may want to add another layer of finish to the floor to restore it. This is faster and easier than sanding the floor, and sanding isn't necessary unless there are imperfections. However, in order to do this, you must know what kind of finish is already on the floor. You don't want to finish an oiled hardwood with lacquer and you don't want to place lacquer over an oil finish, or you will have a cloudy, discolored hardwood floor. Here are some tips that will help you distinguish between oil and lacquer hardwood floor finishes.

The Color of the Floor

Oiled floors, which include hardwax oils, tend to look slightly darker or develop an orange tint or undertone to them as they age. As such, if you have pictures of your floor after it was installed or refinished, look at the coloring then and the coloring now. If it looks slightly darker or more orange now, it likely has an oiled finish to it. However, it is important to note that this trick works best on lighter floors. If your floor is a dark mahogany or rich cherry, it isn't going to darken or orange, so looking at the color won't help you determine the finish.

Whether the Finish is Shiny or Dull

Another factor to pay attention to when determining what kind of finish is on your hardwood floors is whether the finish is shiny or more dull. A lacquer finish is very shiny, whereas an oil finish tends to be more dull. They both dull over time, so you may have to think back to when the floor was new, or look at the floor in low traffic areas, such as corners, to examine the finish. If it has a shiny or glossy appearance, your hardwood floor has been finished with lacquer.

If a Spill Leaves a Mark

The last factor that will help you determine what type of finish is on your hardwood floor is what happens when a couple of drops of water are spilled on the floor. If your floor is finished in lacquer, you can clean a spill or water droplets up quickly, without ever knowing a spill occurred. However, oil finishes tend to absorb liquid spills. As such, even if you clean the spill up quickly, you may notice some discoloration or spotting if you look closely. This is a dead giveaway for an oil finish.

Refinishing your hardwood floors can help them look their best. However, not all hardwood floors need to be stripped and sanded. If your floor is in relatively good condition, simply applying a new layer of hardwood floor finish can revive the floor. In order to do this, you need to determine whether you have oil or lacquer finished floors. Paying attention to color changes as the floor ages, the appearance of the finish and what happens if a spill happens, will help you determine what kind of finish is on your floor. To learn more, speak with a business like Cooper Floors.