The right finish depends on the look you want and how the floor gets used day to day. Hardwax oils sit into the grain rather than forming a surface film, so the timber keeps its natural feel underfoot and a small mark can usually be spot-repaired without resanding the whole room. Floor lacquers sit on top of the wood as a sealed film, giving a more consistent, wipe-clean surface that tends to suit busy family homes, hallways and commercial areas better, since spills and scuffs stay on the surface rather than soaking into the wood.
Wood dyes and stains are a separate step from the protective finish itself — they change the colour of the wood before you seal it, whether you're lifting a pale oak or pushing a floor towards a darker walnut or ebony tone. Most of our stains are alcohol-based for fast, even drying, and are designed to be overcoated with a lacquer or oil afterwards rather than left unsealed.
Whichever route you take, the finish is only as good as the floor underneath it. Our sanding abrasives — including discs and belts in grits from 16 through to 800 — are there to get the surface properly prepped before any oil, lacquer or stain goes down.
Water-Based vs Solvent-Based Finishes
Water-based lacquers have largely become the standard choice for home use. They're low odour, dry faster between coats, and clean up with water rather than white spirit — useful if you're working in an occupied house.
Solvent-based finishes still have their place, particularly on commercial jobs or floors that take heavy wear. Two-component water-based lacquers sit in between the two, giving much of the durability of a solvent-based product with the lower odour of a water-based one.
Sheen Levels Explained
Finishes are available across a full spread of sheen levels, and the level you choose changes both the look of the room and how forgiving the floor is day to day:
- Ultra matt / extra matt — closest to an unfinished, raw wood look; very on-trend in contemporary interiors, but marks and footprints can show more readily until the floor settles in
- Matt/silk matt — a soft, low-sheen finish that hides dust and minor scuffing well; a common choice for family homes
- Satin / semi-matt — a gentle sheen that balances a natural look with easier upkeep
- Gloss — the most reflective finish, showing off grain and colour but also showing dust, scratches and footprints more visibly than lower-sheen options
Primers and Fillers
Primers aren't always essential, but a primer or treatment controls how a lacquer sits on the wood or creates effects like a whitewash. Before finishing, floor and wood fillers deal with gaps and imperfections, while coloured silicones and mastics are better suited to expansion joints where flexibility is needed.
Keeping Floors Looking Their Best
Once a finish is applied, the right wood cleaners and polishers matter just as much — a cleaner formulated for lacquered floors can damage an oiled surface, and vice versa, so matching the aftercare product to the finish type is worth getting right from day one.
Common Questions About Floor Finishing Products
What's the difference between a hardwax oil and a floor lacquer?
Hardwax oil soaks into the wood and finishes it from within, so the surface still feels and looks like natural timber, and small scuffs can often be touched up locally. Lacquer forms a hard, sealed film on top of the wood, giving a more uniform, wipe-clean surface — but a damaged patch usually needs a wider area sanded back to repair invisibly.
Should I choose a water-based or solvent-based lacquer?
Water-based lacquers are lower odour, dry faster, and are the more common choice for domestic floors. Solvent-based and two-component water-based lacquers offer greater durability and are often better suited to commercial areas or floors under heavy daily use.
Do I need to sand my floor before applying a new finish?
If you're changing finish type — for example, moving from an old lacquer to an oil — or the existing surface is worn through, sanding back to bare wood is usually necessary. Recoating over an existing, undamaged lacquer in good condition can sometimes be done without a full sand, but it's worth checking the manufacturer's guidance for the specific product first.
Can I use a wood stain under any finish?
Most stains are designed to be sealed with a compatible lacquer or oil afterwards rather than used alone, and it's worth checking that the stain and top coat are from a compatible system — for example, Morrells stains under Morrells or Bona finishes — to avoid adhesion issues.
