The number of wood floor finish options available can be overwhelming and confusing, especially if you are not conversant with the floor sanding process. Finishes of the ‘40s and ‘50s, like wax, are witnessing a rebirth into the industry, while others like oil-modified polyurethane are gradually ditching their VOCs status in an attempt to share in the natural oil finish environment-friendly status.
If you are planning on working on your sanding and finishing your wood floor in Surry, and need to make sense of the variety of finishes out there in the market, we have compiled a list of finishes as well as glimpses into their properties to help you make a finish choice that is suitable for your wood floor.
If you need expert wood finishing professionals in Surrey then get in touch today for advice, or a free quotation.
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Natural oil finish
There are various types of natural oil finishes, ranging from hard wax oil, which fairly colours the wood and gives it a protective sheen, to Tung oil, which is hard-wearing and is often considered the most exceptional natural oil finish.
Some of the many favourable characteristics of natural oil finishes are that they are not expensive, low maintenance, beautiful, environmentally friendly, and soaks well into the wood to minimise joint cracking.
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Conversion varnish
This finish isn’t only durable. It’s chemical-resistant, dries quickly, is easy to repair, and is able to offer some protection to the wood cells while enhancing the grain for depth and colour. Conversion varnish is, however, very flammable; so it’s vital to be mindful of possible spark or fire sources and remove them. It also has a very strong odour, but that can be managed with proper ventilation after the application.
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Waterborne
Being non-flammable, low VOC, and chemical-and-stain resistant, Waterborne finish is good for residential application. Though it’s also available for commercial use.
Among its other characteristics is the fact that it doesn’t give off much odour compared to the majority of other traditional finishes out there, and it doesn’t discolour or yellow with time.
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Moisture-cure urethane
A high-traffic industrial building—like a dance floor or a gym—is the perfect place to use this finish. This is because it is extremely resistant to wear and chemicals. Moisture-cure urethane, taking its name from the fact that it uses water vapour to cure, usually requires relative humidity to be below 70% in order not to develop curing problem.
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Lacquer
This finish isn’t recommended by many contractors and wood floor finish manufacturers because of its poor durability and dangerously low flash point. Which is probably why insurance companies are wary about insuring properties with lacquer-finished wood floors. Its only advantage is its ability to dry very quickly.
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Oil-modified polyurethane
Targeting the residential market and complying with the demand for low VOCs, if not VOCs-free finishes, oil-modified polyurethane is not expensive and recently has begun to evolve into a finish with the safety of our health and environment in mind.
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Shellac
The supply of shellac is naturally sustainable, since it stems from a resin produced by the lac beetle found in Asia. It is odourless, easy to refinish, dries quickly, and is very adhesive. It’s ideal for homeowners who are conscious of their environment’s health.
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Wax
Wax finish dries fairly quickly—in a few hours—and is suitable if you want a finish that you can easily maintain on your own. To create a sheen, another material is often used to polish the coat.
If you are having a hard time deciding on the wood finish to use for your wooden floor, reach out to us. At GJP Floor Sanding and Finishing in Surrey, we are well-versed in all sorts of finishes.
Our experienced professionals will not only help you make a suitable choice, but can also handle the application of the finish. When you choose us satisfaction is guaranteed. Call us today!
Really pleased with the end result. Would highly recommend the company for their professional approach and high standard of workmanship.

Thanks it looks amazing. Well done to all the guys who did a splendid job on time. Cleared all rubbish aways as well. Highly recommended. – 30/11/2010

The work was carried out efficiently with a professional service. Where the job ended up being more complex that first envisaged the GJP team invested extra time to sort things out. We were very pleased with the work done. Rachael Atkinson 30/10/2010.

I should like to say that we are very impressed by the work done – the floor looks incredible and also the clear up job afterwards was very professional. There was no mess at all and it was dust free. (I’m not sure how you managed that). Oliver Gillespie 10/12/2010.

Stunning bamboo flooring beautifully fitted – really neat . Everything done to minimise stress & disruption. Polite friendly service from beginning to end. 100% satisfaction.
