wood floor finishes & sealers

Oiling a wooden floor

Wooden flooring designed for residential property is typically sold these days with a pre-finished surface. The two main types of wood floor sealer used to finish engineered wood are oil and lacquer.

Before the final factory seal is applied, a range of other procedures may include staining or tinting the product to change or enhance its natural colour. Other procedures can distress the wood or open the grain, creating a more unfinished appearance.

Factory-finished engineered wood flooring is graded into one of four categories: prime, select, natural, and rustic. These various grades take into account aspects such as the timber’s natural grain and the size and number of knots.

Non-sanding cleaned and oiled wood floor

Within the two main types of wood floor sealer and polish, there are many sub-categories and variations of products and brands. As well as a few less frequently used finishes such as Varnish, Soap and Wax.

Suppose the wood floor was already installed before your occupation of the property. It can sometimes be difficult to determine what type of finish was actually applied.

Refreshing or reapplication of certain finishes is required periodically. This extends the life of the finish and protects the wood flooring from unnecessary wear or damage.

Wood floor cleaning can eventually erode surface protection, especially if the wrong cleaning product is applied. It is important to read the instructions on a product’s label.

In some cases, what may appear to be a suitable product in a photo or on the label may not be suitable for your particular floor finish.

Before applying a fresh coat of wood floor seal or oil, it may be necessary to strip off the old coatings.

If, for instance, the floor has been treated with a wood floor polish or an emulsion dressing designed to enhance the appearance. It is good practice to remove the old coating using floor polish stripping before cleaning and reapplying a fresh coating.