The gloss level, or sheen, of surface finishes on a new floor will probably not be one of your most important questions when you go to buy a new hardwood floor. For most shoppers attributes like grade, price, width or color are bigger issues. However, since you are here, learning everything that you can so that you can purchase a floor that not only makes you happy today, but a floor that keeps you happy for decades to come, let's take a few minutes to learn about glossy finish on hardwood flooring.
What Is The Finish On A Floor?
The finish is the clear material on the surface of the wood flooring in your home. Besides being visually appealing, finishes give your floor protection from wear and dirt. Almost all of the hardwoods today also have aluminum oxide suspended in the polyurethane, which gives these finishes advantages that the floors from just a few decades ago did not enjoy.
Who buys Glossy Hardwood?
A glossy floor is most common on the narrow widths of hardwood flooring such as 2 ¼ or 3 ¼". These widths are quite popular in more traditional homes, as opposed to the wider widths that are also popular in today's market.
Gloss levels are measured by a number, 1-100, and a high gloss finish will measure 70 or above, while a Matte or low-gloss floor will be rated from 10-20% gloss.
High gloss finishes are shiny, and will exhibit a high luster. High-gloss finish floors offer a look that is quite different from the lower sheen hardwood floors, and should be considered carefully before purchasing. While you may be familiar with the high gloss paint products, the high sheen on your floor will be much more noticeable. And unlike painting with a high gloss paint on the walls of your house, we walk on our floors! Next we can discuss the pros and cons of a gloss finish in your home.
Pros of a Glossy Finish Look
High-gloss hardwood, when maintained properly, offers a clean look that tells the world you like everything perfect. While that statement may seem a little heady, a well-maintained glossy floor will capture a visitor's attention immediately.
Because of the clarity of the polyurethane layer on a high sheen hardwood floor the grain and natural characteristics are more noticeable. For this reason the high-gloss products typically utilize higher grades of lumber like Select or Clear. You will not see this information on any marketing material, as the grading guidelines for prefinished flooring are extremely vague, and left up to the individual manufacturers. If you would like to know about the grading on prefinished hardwood floors you can read an earlier blog that explains the process here.
Cons Of High-Gloss Hardwood Floors
Because a glossy floor reflects light more clearly than a lower gloss floor, anything that disrupts that reflection will be more visible as well. Dirt and dust will be much more noticeable on a high sheen floor, so more maintenance will be required. Sort of like having a dog with long white hair….it looks great when it's freshly groomed, but a roll in the dirt will have a huge effect on the overall appearance.
That analogy might be a little excessive, but you get the idea. Having a Swiffer within arm's reach is a great idea.
Another disadvantage of a glossy floor is, like gloss paint, they show scratches more readily than a lower gloss. While close attention, frequent maintenance, and walkoff mats can keep the abrasive wear to a minimum, a change in gloss level over time is inevitable. Now let's discuss cleaning high-gloss floors.
Rules On Cleaning High Gloss Finishes
Abrasive wear is caused by foot traffic, and is extenuated by the presence of abrasive material on the floor's surface. Substances like sand, grit, and dirt will leave tiny scratches in the areas where you walk. This forms the traffic patterns that are a harbinger of wear on a hardwood floor. You can minimize, even eliminate this by frequently using a dust mop on your floor. An occasional moving of furniture will help as well, as that changes the traffic pattern. Cleaning your high-gloss floor will need to be done more frequently that a lower sheen.
Because of the challenges of maintaining a gloss floor we do not recommend that floors with a shiny finish be used in kitchens, unless the connecting rooms are getting the same flooring. A kitchen presents challenges in cleaning that make the benefits of a gloss floor be forgotten.
Where Can Wood With High-Gloss Finishes Be Purchased?
One of our partners is a major manufacturer of high-gloss hardwood flooring. Since our deal with them requires that we change the name of their products (so as not to offend their normal network of dealers that pay much more than we do) we came up with the ingenious name of.....Glossy!
Our Glossy flooring product line is available in both 2.25 and 3.25 inch wide boards, and is made with Appalachian Red Oak and White Oak lumber, depending on the stain color. We also offer these flooring options in both first quality and Utility grade.
If you have any questions, or would like to see a sample of one of our Glossy floors in the comfort of your home, please email or call us.
When homeowners and designers want to make a bold statement in the home, they often choose high gloss wood floors for the dramatic shine and visual depth that other materials simply cannot replicate. Unlike attached pad laminate flooring or vinyl flooring, solid wood flooring with a high-gloss finish carries a sense of permanence and prestige that buyers and renters immediately notice. The reflective surface brightens rooms naturally, making spaces feel larger and more refined, which is why this look has become popular not just in residential settings but in any commercial space where first impressions matter. High-gloss finishes are also engineered to hold up under high foot traffic, and premium options are sometimes available exclusively through specialty flooring dealers who can match the right species and sheen level to the project.
