Which finish is recommended for solid wood flooring?
There are a number of factors that need to be considered when specifying a finish for timber flooring, such as appearance, slip resistance and wear resistance.
Timber flooring can be left unfinished to wear naturally. However, this can lead to a patchy and worn appearance across the floor.
Oils and wax finishes tend to require frequent maintenance but are simple to re-apply, whilst polyurethane lacquers generally provide more resistance to wear, but are difficult to repair if they are allowed to become damaged.
Further information can be found in the publications listed below.
TRADA also provides a range of services for building designers, product manufacters and end users of timber flooring, including the design, specification or inspections of timber flooring, for more information please follow this link
Decorative Timber Flooring.
Outlines the types of decorative flooring available ie solid timber and multi-layer or engineered types. It discusses the timber properties required, suitable species and the all-important considerations of environmental conditions and moisture content. Finally, floor construction, laying and finishing seals are considered.
Sealing timber floors: A best practice guide
Deals with seal types and the selection, floor preparation, schedule specification and application of seals. Identifies common faults and their prevention. Covers polishing and maintenance and measures which can be adopted to avoid wear. Refurbishment and stripping of existing floors is also covered.
Seals for timber floors: A specification guide
Provides objective guidance on commercially available seals. Thirty products were subjected to a programme of laboratory tests, each dealing with a different performance criterion. A list of 'top ten' products for each of the tests allows users to select products that best meet the demands created by particular end-use environments. Describes the test methods used and explains how to use the guide through worked examples.
