What is the most durable hardwood floor finish?

11 years ago

We have an entire downstairs of red oak floors. They are in terrible shape. They are about 18-20 years old but the finish is almost entirely worn off in some spots. We are planning to have them sanded and refinished sometime this spring.

Is there a certain finish or kind of finish that is most durable? We have 2 adults, 2 kids and 1 large dog to take into account. Is high gloss better than a satin finish? I prefer not to have high-gloss, but I also want something that will last and look good.

Any tips on what to look for when we hire a flooring guy to come in and do the work? Should I be looking for someone who uses a certain kind of product? Should a certain # of top coats of finish be applied?

Thank You!

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Comments (2)

Kristen Hallock
Original Author
11 years ago
I should add that the majority of the flooring is in a front hallway and large eat-in kitchen that takes up the majority of the 1st floor in an open-floorplan. So this is a very high-traffic area. The only other room is a small dining room that has a 8x10 area rug.
User
11 years ago
The most durable finish is a factory finished aluminum oxide. You're not going to be able to get that. The most durable site finished topcoat wuld be a good quality polyurethane in a satin finish. It won't provide much "richness" to the floor though unless you are doing a stain first. It's like almost nothing at all on your floors.
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