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Matte finish for hardwood floors?

11 years ago

Hardwood floors are being sanded and finished tomorrow. I thought I wanted a satin finish but now I'm considering matte. Does anyone have floors with a matte finish? What are your thoughts? Pictures would be great too!

As always, thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

joyce_6333

11 years ago

Yes, I chose a matte finish and I really love it. I had satin in our last house, and I much prefer the matte. I'm not a glitzy/shiny kind of person. I'm not sure a picture would show it properly. But here's a couple.

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Comments (12)

Missy Benton
Original Author
11 years ago
Joyce-I love it! Thanks for sharing your pictures...you're home looks lovely and inviting. Do you find the matte finish easier or harder to care for than the satin?
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I didn't see your later post. You'd have to check to see if the finish on this laminate is recoatable. Most weren't but then they weren't indicuvidual planks like the one you selected. My friend just coverted an apt bldg to condos and used this laminate. No one ever thinks its not real hardwood. As a former wood rep its the only thing I'd consider due to its realistic appearance. Please check with Bruce regarding its ability to be recoated.
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Satin...most people like to see a 'little glow' after they clean. A matte finish can be very upsetting for those of us who like the glow (as seen in your photos). If you already have satin on there, then your floors will stay identical to what you see right now with satin. Now imagine losing all reflecting light. If you wanted to go with matte, you would have put down 2 coats of gloss/semi-gloss. Then a coat of matte. Too many 'low gloss' layers can look hazy. I would be concerned the two coats of satin might make a 'matte' layer look hazy. And remember: no matter how much you clean or scrub, the floors will NEVER look shinier/cleaner than they do RIGHT NOW. Just be aware of that. Too many people have found out too late that they are HAPPY with a shiny floor after they clean. And they are VERY disappointed that the 'clean shiny' look only lasts for an hour. These are the people who end up OVER CLEANING their floors because they are DESPERATE to see some 'shine' on their clean floors. I've heard of people cleaning 2-3 times per DAY....just so they can see a bit of shine.
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I think either will work. We have 3 young kiddos and our floors are matte. It’s great. Before, we had semi-gloss and it showed everything (foot prints, smudges etc) with the light hitting it.
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motherof3sons
11 years ago
Matte for me, too.
joyce_6333
11 years ago
I'm not sure if it's easier to care for...I clean my floors on a regular basis regardless. But it definitely doesn't show things like a shiny floor does. Although we have no scratches at all on our floor, I would guess that they wouldn't show up as much either. Our floor guy had samples of different sheens, and he did tests in areas that would be under cabinets.

Good luck!!
andi_k
11 years ago
we experimented with a couple finishes on samples we had....we decided to go with with the matte finish - doesn't have that plastic/poly look. Ours aren't installed yet, so no pics...sorry!
User
11 years ago
Polyurethane floor finishes are naturally clear, very glossy and very hard unless a cloudy additive is added to make it duller and softer. IMHO the best compromise between reflectivity and durability is a satin finish.
booboo60
11 years ago
Another vote for matte!
athensmomof3
11 years ago
What about the newer floor sealers? I think Boma makes one and there are some others. My floor guy likes them because they are much easier to touch up, which is important to me with 3 boys and a big dog. He also said that if you add a hardener to it, it can be even harder than oil based.
Missy Benton
Original Author
11 years ago
Well, I asked the floor guys about a matte finish and they said they don't do a matte. Satin is the lowest gloss they do...they did recommend satin at the beginning and said "it is the most beautiful". They don't speak very good English so it was a challenging conversation. How big of a difference is there between satin and matte?
joyce_6333
11 years ago
We have used the same "floor" guys for many years and on many different projects. Their specialty is gym floors so I feel they really know their stuff. They use a Swedish product called Glitsa which we have been very pleased with. It does smell awful and we had to stay out of the house for 3 days. Very durable. We have 9 grandkids, and they bring their pets. The floors look perfect.
athensmomof3
11 years ago
I am fairly sure I have satin on my floors. They are 10 years old. There is almost no sheen (I would say there is no sheen) but they don't look "dry".
Missy Benton
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks athensmom. I think I will be fine with that. In fact, that's probabably the look I want!

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