Traditionally there are two main options to go with when choosing pre-finished flooring finishes. You have the choice of choosing a Polyurethane Finish or an Aluminum Oxide finish. Before you begin choosing floors, you have to ask yourself a few things. Am I looking for timeless elegance, or a durable floor that'll keep up with all walks of life?
Without getting into the specifics we can all agree that life happens and sometimes your floors are going to get scratched. When that happens, you have to ask yourself, "What is my flexibility for maintenance and repair?"
Aluminum Oxide
Aluminum Oxide is slowly becoming the preferred pre-finished option for flooring installers. The reason being, it is much more resilient to scratches and scuffs. When choosing Aluminum Oxide you receive a seal that actually prohibits any new details or variations arising that you get from Polyurethane finishes. Aluminum provides a uniform look that feels more professional and goes well with a very minimal straight lined design. It's easier to maintain, and less prone to wear, however, with that being said there are also some cons associated with Aluminum Oxide. That resilience is very prominent when refinishing and repairing the flooring. That thick layer of protection makes refinishing a hassle and can bring about a higher price from some installers.
Polyurethane
When choosing a Polyurethane Finish you are met with a product that naturally has more characteristic than its Aluminum counterpart. However, this elegance also comes with a price. The thin layer of polyurethane doesn't quite give the same protection as Aluminum Oxide. However, this isn't always a bad thing, a lot of minor scratches that wouldn't normally be able to be buffed out with an Aluminum finish, gets easily taken cared of when dealing with polyurethane. You get a beautiful natural looking floor, that can be easily self-maintained when you choose to install Polyurethane.
As always we are more than happy to meet with you in store to show you the latest trends and variations that wood finishes are going through. We have many examples of how a great finish is actually a wonderful start to your dream home. Call us today!