Achieve the perfect wood finish

21st February 2012

With all the excitement and stress involved in redecorating, it can be easy to overlook some of the minor design features when laying your flooring or picking out your furnishings.

However, no matter how busy you are choosing paint samples and wrestling with the hand drill, the finish to your wood floor is one detail that you can't afford to forget.

A wood finish is usually applied to hardwood flooring to protect the material against wear and tear of everyday life and to preserve the appearance of the wood.

And with any luck your flooring should last for years, so it's worth taking some time to find a finish that will not only protect your flooring against the scratches, spills and stomps of everyday life, but will also fit in well with your design scheme.

Harvey Booth, UK sales manager for Kahrs, claims that, alongside the more traditional laquer and wood oil, metallic finishes have become a popular trend over the past year while glosses have also seen some interest.

"Most of the original gloss finishes disguised the wood grain, providing a surface that was high on shine, but which completely detracted from the natural look of the timber," he continues.

"In contrast, the new finishes are translucent, so they provide a very contemporary feel, without compromising the natural look."

There are several styles of finish to choose from and your final decision will depend on practicality as well as the overall look you hope to achieve.

Wood finishing oil is great in terms of repairs and maintenance, and will leave your floor with a natural, matte appearance, while lacquer will give a more glossy sheen and is excellent in terms of durability.

Harvey adds: "Today's surface finishes are also far more durable too, as quality, high-performance lacquers are applied in several thin layers - as opposed to some glossy floors, which receive one thick coat of pre-finish."