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.

We just had our floors completely re-done in matte finish about two days ago. We had some of our red oak stripped and added more rooms with oak. The floor guy used Bona Pallmann Magic Oil, from Germany. It is mostly oil with about 7 percent wax and some kind of hardener additive. I did research about the product after my flooring guy suggested it as it isn't used much here in the mid-west and I had not heard of it. It is suppose to be just as or more durable as the more traditional finishes. The Good Old Opry used for all their floors. I think there was a gas/oil spill on the floors without any incident. We had some friends who sold a multi-million dollar home and the new owners used the same product on their 4,000 sq ft of hardwood floors ( many different species including one with leather inlaid.) Our finisher used it on upscale local restaurant. I read they use it on bar tops. Everyone I spoke to says it is very durable. Our children are now grown, but if it is true that lighter matte floors show the least dirt and wear, this floor would be a dream for a family with children and pets. Yet I must comment that when we had our golden oak natural finish with glossy sheen floors installed over 15 yrs ago, we did have children and big dogs at home. Cleaning and maintenance of those floors were never an issue, I basically swept or vacuumed them and occasionally wiped up with cold water. Although it took many years, as mentioned. the natural golden oak finish did yellow and orange-d up a lot though. These new floors are a very different look from those previous aged red oak stained golden oak orange-y glossy glow. I think this product offers six colors. We used the natural with some white. (It does not look pickling white at all.) The floors are very very very matte. Overall, I will describe them as velvety soft, light and airy. Natural. Warm looking. Very lovely. And although I love them, here is my own personal concern... I worry that they might be seen as being not yet been finished. I am hoping this is just because I've been so use to shiny floors. Also now I've begun to worry if a matte finish would be seen as elegant as satin or shiny floor. What do you guys think... are matte finishes elegant? Do you think they are so unusual people might think they are not finished? I'll be happy to answer your questions or post photos of my new floors, if you or anyone else is interested.

Ok....here's the *issues with matte poly - they are SUPER HARD to live with!!!!! They are even HARDER TO LIVE WITH if you choose a DARK FLOOR! Ohhhh dear. As handsome as the Pompeii Lipari is, it will be HELL to live with. And here's why: dark floors NATURALLY show dust (human skin cells make up 90% of all indoor dust; and most skin sluffs of LIGHT GRAY....). And your colour choice is dark. It is not a mid tone. It will read as "dark" in any space other than a box with windows on all 4 sides. So the DARK wood you have chosen will show dust (light gray film over everything) on a DAILY basis. Yes. Daily. Now for the matte finish. Matte finish is duller than SKIN OILS. Which means bare feet AND stocking feet will leave behind visible OIL MARKS. So will hand prints. And knee prints (even through blue jeans). And elbow prints (even through t-shirt material). And if animals are in the picture, dog's pads have plenty of oil on them....which will show up on the matte finish. Your beautiful floors will be a constant source of frustration. These are things a sale's person will not tell you. The dark floors are hard to live with. Period. Matte finished floors are hard to live with. Period. A dark floor finished in a matte will be HELL to live with. End of story. Personally I would look at a lighter floor (two steps lighter) with a satin finish. Satin is a close cousin to matte. It gives the same appearance as matte but without the oily prints. Splashed cooking oil will show up....but that is a GOOD thing! You want to be able to see the oil so that you can clean it up - it is a hazard on the floor. The skin oils will BLEND IN with satin. They are the same sheen level. The extreme colours (white or almost white; black or dark) are very hard to live with. The extreme gloss levels (matte or super matte; gloss or super gloss) are hard to live with. That's why MOST PEOPLE compromise and work with a mid-tone floor (two steps lighter than your choice) and satin or semi-gloss finishes. These compromises suit 90% of homeowners better than the extreme options. The extreme options SHOULD COME with their own LIVE-IN house keeper! Good luck. I would keep looking.

What are you cleaning it with?