Why You Need To Apply A Finish To Your Timber Floors

To enhance the natural beauty and color of your timber floors, applying a finish or coating may be helpful. Although there are a few timber floors that you can purchase complete with a vinyl coating, a single layer of varnish will not greatly improve it. Nonetheless, conventional timber floors that need stripping and sanding will require a finish. Finishing your timber floors will not only make your it attractive but protects it from scratching or staining. A finish also allows easy cleaning of your timber floorings.



You may use a wood stain for your average floorboards and pine timber floors, which need to be sealed. This will enable your floors to assume a deeper color. You may choose from the many natural wood hues, like teak or mahogany, to the richer reds, yellows or greens. Some people even prefer to have black timber floorings to complement their white furnishings. Your choice would really depend on the over-all look that you are aiming for your home décor.

For new timber floors, however, it is such a shame to over-paint them since these are naturally beautiful by itself. If you are really keen on decorating it, you may opt for stenciled patterns employing pastel colors. Stencils using wood stains are also available to create a subtle look.



For many, the best finish for timber floorings is a shellac and wax sealer. This is actually difficult to apply and requires high maintenance. It needs constant re-coating with wax and darkens in time. An oleo-resin seal is more hardy. It is manufactured by mixing natural oils with chemicals, which allows it to maintain the attributes of natural wood. However, the most widely used finish is the polyurethane varnish, which is tough and long lasting. It is able to tolerate exposure to light and heat, making it a practical choice for many with timber floorings in their homes. You can actually inquire at your local timber merchants as to the particular make of floor sealer that is best for your floors. You need to ask fro hardwearing finish like the hard polyurethane varnish.



Prior to application of the finish, you must first sand the wood. There are floorboards that have been pre-sanded, making it more convenient for you. Just make sure to abide by the directions on the varnish can on how best to apply it. The usual recommended application is to employ three coats. Make sure to let the coating dry before putting on the next one. For a better finish, use a fine abrasive paper to rub on the wood surface in between coating.