Gloss or Semi Gloss for my Oak Floor?

[Corey Hallagan]

I have spent the last few weekends removing stripping the white oak floors down to the bare wood. What do you guys like, gloss or semi gloss finish? Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think the degree of gloss makes any difference on the toughness of the finish. The wife is going on a 3 day shopping trip so it will me and the clear coat this coming weekend! Ready to get thru with this stage and finish the trip work, doors just intime to decorate with new furniture and rugs for Christmas So gloss or semi Gloss?

Corey

[Chris Rosenberger]

I like to use satin myself. If your floor does not have many defects, gloss or semi gloss finish will be fine. On the hardness scale. Gloss is the hardest, semi gloss next & then satin. On the defect showing scale. Satin shows the least, then semi gloss & then gloss shows the most.

[Corey Hallagan]

Didn't realize one was any harder than the other. Good to know. Thanks for the info.

Corey

[Bernie Weishapl]

Corey if I need a good hard finish I use gloss. If I want something that won't show so many defects I use Satin. We did my brother-in-law and sisters floor in gloss about 5 years ago and it still looks pretty good. Of course they have rugs where it gets the most traffic.

[Phil Maddox]

Semi-gloss is a good compromise between gloss (shows every inperfection and scuffs but looks great) and satin (hides problems and use but can be dull).

I've refinished lots of floors in my other life as a home improvment contractor and have never noticed a difference in hardness of any of the products, at least the oil-based ones (only used water-based in extreme conditions).

I always used gloss for the first two coats regardless of what the ultimate finish is. I think it shows the wood the best.

Good luck!!

Phil

[Charlie Plesums]

I agree with the recommendation to use gloss for all but the last one or two coats.

Semi-gloss and Satin contain a foreign substance that can be seen at the bottom of the can - it needs to be stirred into the finish before it is applied. I always thought it clouded the overall finish and softened it, but in a recent discussion, an expert claimed that it is finely powdered glass...certainly a hard substance, that would diffuse the light to give a satin or semi-gloss finish. No reason not to believe him, but I will still use gloss for the under-layers.

[Corey Hallagan]

Good ideas guys. I will go with semi gloss and if there are to many imperfections showing up I can semi or satin the last coat. Thanks for the help guys as always!

Corey

[Andy Hoyt]

I agree with the recommendation to use gloss for all but the last one or two coats.

Semi-gloss and Satin contain a foreign substance that can be seen at the bottom of the can - it needs to be stirred into the finish before it is applied. I always thought it clouded the overall finish and softened it, but in a recent discussion, an expert claimed that it is finely powdered glass...certainly a hard substance, that would diffuse the light to give a satin or semi-gloss finish. No reason not to believe him, but I will still use gloss for the under-layers.

Charlie nailed it.

[jack duren]

guess i i always go against the grain. i used "antique flat" .....jack

[Ron Jones near Indy]

This opinion is certainly worth less that you paid for it. For me, it's a matter of likes and dislikes. I simply don't like the appearance that a gloss finish gives on anything. Somehow, in my warped mind, a gloss finish relates to something cheap and plastic.

Like others have said a gloss finish is certainly harder than the others.

My dad built a bedroom onto his house about 45 years ago. It had a red oak floor that he finished with a product called Fabulon. The knotty pine walls were finished with a similiar product called, I believe, Fabuloy. Obviously they came from the same manufacturer. Admittedly the room has had light use, but the floor and walls look as good today as they did when he first finished them. I honestly believe it is a product worth looking into today.

[Tom Conger]

I accidently finished mine in Semi-Gloss...

I was actually re-finishing the stairs, and was on the very last one, the finish line was in sight, when I tipped the entire can over onto our oak hallway. No sanding, no sweeping, no preparation. Well, can't really wipe it up, so I just started started to spread it around.

A year later it still looks great and my wife was very pleased with the unexpected and unscheduled refinishing of the hallway.