So it seems like a no brainer to get the HD for only about $100 more, even if it adds only a little extra durability. I am still unsure about the 3rd coat though. The refinisher and Bona both recommend 2 coats. I am concerned about the "plastic" look since I will not have very much furniture and it is one big open area. The 3rd coat extra cost is minimal(about $200) so that is not a concern. My main concern would be the possible negatives of the 3rd coat, like the "plastic" look, vs the real world benefits. I have read here of people doing both 2 and 3 coats so I would like to get some more first hand experience with both.

I am not used to hardwood floors so what should it look like after 2 coats? What does this "plastic look" look like? Would that be the only possible negative against a 3rd coat of Traffic HD? Also, how does the satin vs extra matte in the HD look. I want a matte low luster finish but I don't want it to look dull. I would like it to look rich looking. Thanks.

Plastic look tends to look like laminate, and really unless you know what to look for you probably wont notice it. It really takes a trained eye to spot it. I honestly don't think it looks that bad. it wont make it look like laminate, you will still be able to tell its real wood.

after 2 coats, your floor should look smooth, shouldn't be blotchy, even spread of finish. consistant sheen level all around.

Now if you tell them you only want 2. after two it should look like a final product, if there are any issues with the finish looking blotchy or not consistant, you shouldn't have to pay for that 3rd. that should be on them. Not trying to scare you, just after 2 coats it shouldn't look like it needs a 3rd, especially at your expense.

I would go with satin. The matte is really dull.

Thanks. Definitely going with the HD and satin. Does a 3rd coat add much more durability? Would the 3rd coat affect the gloss level or richness of the color at all?

3rd coat wont affect the sheen level. they SHOULD abrade the floor inbetween every coat.

3 coats will hold up longer under normal wear n tear than 2 yes. But everyone is different. you cant base off how well 2 coats do for a family that has 4 kids and 5 dogs, and 3 coats for an older retired couple who only spend 4 months a year on the floor. using floor mats in higher traffic areas, taking shoes off, regular cleanings, etc will all help prolong the life of the finish.

I would do three coats - that is what we had before and my grandkids learned to roller skate on it with no issue - looked great until we had a kitchen flood and the floors were 21 years old. As I type to the hum of the sanders - we are having three coats again.

You've already decided but I'm going to present the dissenting opinion. In my estimation, two coats is probably sufficient, especially when using Bona Traffic at the proper coverage rate. My reasoning is that in a home, people are generally not looking ultimately for longevity, they're looking for reasonable longevity and acceptable appearance. Once a urethane finished floor gets worn and dingy, it should be recoated. If a floor looks like it needs a recoat after five years, it should be recoated. It doesn't matter if it has two coats of finish, or twenty. A urethane with a heavy film build like Traffic will rather quickly eliminate the appearance of grain texture on the surface. Grain texture helps hide minor wear and scratches. I've refinished floors that looked quite decent because multiple coats of finish made it look plastic.

All that said, I generally do three coats, however the first coat would be sealer that's either applied by hand and wiped off or one that's applied like Bona DTS, AmberSeal or BonaSeal. The color desired generally determines which one I recommend but my personal choice would be the penetrating sealer that's applied then wiped off. It's going to leave more of the grain texture visible on the surface.

They will be doing 1 coat of Bona stain, 1 coat of Bona sealer, and either 2 or 3 coats of Bona Traffic HD in satin. I am most likely going to get the Bona Medium Brown stain and my floors I believe are white oak. I was leaning towards 3 coats of the HD because I want to extend the time that I need to recoat and it only cost an additional $260. There are no pets or little kids. My thought was as long as there is no negative to the 3rd coat, why not since it didn't cost very much and would add durability. But if it is going to have a negative effect on the appearance, I would go with 2 coats. Does the additional info above change any opinions?

I would suggest you ask the floor finisher if you could look at it after the second coat and decide.

I think the stain and sealer is overkill, especially if you're adding three coats of Traffic over top. If you look at the Traffic instructions you'll see it says to apply Bona stain or sealer and two coats of Traffic.
https://www.bona.com/Global/Countries/United%20States/Spec%20Sheets/2011%20Specs/Bona%20Traffic.pdf

So if they are using Bona stain and then sealer, do you think the 3rd coat will detract from the finish more than the extra protection it will give?

Will using the sealer over the stain cause a problem? I see Bona says a sealer is not needed over stain when using HD. They did say that you could add a 3rd coat in heavy traffic areas though.

I do this for a living in an area with very finicky clients, so my standards may be a little different than some. I'm pragmatic but do recognize that appearance and feel of a floor is important.

I don't think the sealer and stain will cause a problem, but personally, I would not like it. My White Oak master bedroom floor was finished about 15 years ago with BonaSeal and maybe Pacific Strong Silkmat, which is inferior to Traffic. It's held up well but does have some scuffs and dings where some a/c ducting was dropped from the ceiling. It would not have benefitted from an extra coat of finish. Had it been finished with a stain and four coats, I think the dings and scuffs, and scratches from our dog, would be more apparent. If I was to move the furniture and recoat the floor, it would look quite good, except for the dings.

What kind of wood is your floor?

I think white oak.

So do you think since they are using a sealer over the stain I should just go with 2 coats of the HD? I don't want the 3rd coat to detract from anything or show scratches more easily.

If you had Red Oak, which is inherently more grainy it would make a better case for the extra coat. White Oak has tighter grain structure so it looks less grainy on the surface.

If it were my floor, I would simply stain it, apply two coats of Traffic, the look and decide whether I wanted another coat.

I didn't want to start questioning the floor guy by telling him not to do the sealer coat. The wood looks like white oak but I am no expert. It sounds like you are saying that the sealer will kind of act as 1 coat and you feel that only 2 coats of HD will be needed? I'll look at it after the 2 coats of HD but I really don't know what is good or not.

Tell him you have a relative in another state (we're all related in one way or another, right?) who does flooring that you asked about a third coat. Then you can open a dialog about the sealer coat. You may not personally be able to judge if the floor looks exactly right, but if your finisher is using the correct coverage rate for the Traffic, you'll have enough finish. Tell him you're concerned about having a plastic appearance on the finished floor. Most professionals won't irritated by a savvy customer that wants to know their floor is being done right, since it doesn't get done that often and is a disruptive and inconvenient process.

I spoke with the installer about the 3rd coat. He said it would not cloud or affect the appearance until 4 coats. Also, he said that the 3rd coat only adds to the time needed before a recoat. The surface coat will scratch the same whether it is the 2nd or 3rd. The extra coats just add more layers that scratches have to go through to get to the stain. Does that sound pretty accurate?

Sounds like you're all set.