To shine, or not to shine? That is the question…
Different sheen levels for your wood floor come in and out of style. Here is what WE think is your best bet, and we will tell you why.
What it is:
First you must understand the definition of sheen. As you probably know…stumbling across this term is quite common when shopping for your next wood floor.
Sheen level- the amount of reflection generated from the finish of your floor. It’s essentially the level of gloss in your finish.
Most manufactures categorize sheen levels into four (4) categories: Matte, Satin, Semi/Medium Gloss and High Gloss. Matte has the lowest level whereas High Gloss has the highest, respectively.
Matte – Gaining popularity in recent years, a matte finish is best at offering an authentic representation of a wood floor look without a finish. Depending on the manufacturer, there is little noticeable sheen whose additional benefits include masking dust buildup, and footprints.
Satin – Satin finish levels are most chosen among prefinished flooring manufacturers and professionals that finish floors on site. Other terms for this sheen level are low luster and low gloss.
Semi/Medium Gloss – This finish type lies in the middle of satin and high gloss.
High Gloss – High gloss finishes offer a more elegant appearance. These finish types are more common in commercial settings and can be seen everyday on basketball floors and gymnasiums. They will tend to highlight imperfections including dust buildup if you’re not cleaning often. Other complaints include visible foot prints by walking in bare feet. Expect higher gloss floors to show wear more quickly in high traffic areas opposed to the previous three.
Now that you know the different levels of sheen for your wood floors, what should you choose? We believe that natural is ALWAYS better. Natural will never go out of style and will bring longevity to your space. Matte or Satin finishes looks more natural and therefore end up being more the more timeless choice. Choose one of these and your floors will become the star of the show!
